As your searching aimlessly through the playroom for that missing game piece or the yellow hotwheel that your son is insisting he needs now or his world is going to come crashing down, you step on a pile of little green army men. Certain that one of them has pierced through the bottom of your foot and your pretty sure you'll never be able to walk again, or at least for the next five minutes while you cringe in pain, you think to yourself that's it! Something has to be done about this mess. Well let me tell you, Ive been there. My kids playroom was so unorganized that the kids didn't even play in it, which meant more toys scattered throughout the rest of the house. So together we took on, Mission: Playroom Clean-up.
Now that summer is over and your kids are bound to be spending more time in the house, it is the perfect time to de-clutter and organize those toys. Here are ten tips to get you started:
1. Out with the old to make way for the new.
We try and keep to the rule that for every new toy we get, an old toy has to go. This will not only limit the number of toys your kids have, but it also teaches them the value of their toys. They will think twice about asking for a new toy when they understand that they have to choose an old one to get rid of in its place.
2. Get your kids involved.
Let your kids help, it is technically their space. They will take pride in the finished project knowing they had a say in it. Besides your kids love spending time with you and feeling needed.
3. Take advantage of the Holiday Season and Birthdays.
These is in my opinion are the best and easiest times of the year for clearing out old toys both for you and your kids. Make room for all the new gifts kids will receive during these times by allowing them to help determine what toys they no longer play with and have them accompany you to donate them. My kids are more then willing to get rid of old toys during these times knowing that we are making room for newer ones. Explain why and where you will be donating their old unused toys and take advantage of this great opportunity to teach your kids to appreciate what they have.
4. Storage is key.
Forget the big toy box and invest in a great shelving system. I love to use cubbies. My favorite is the expedit bookcase from Ikea. We use ours on it's side so that it doubles as a TV console as well. Its really a great and affordable bookcase that leads to my next tip:
5. Baskets, Bins and Buckets.
By using cubbies such as those in the Expedit bookcase you are able to use baskets, bins, and even buckets to store smaller toys. By storing toys in smaller compartments like these rather then in one big toy chest, it prevents your kids from emptying every toy they own out onto the floor at one time.
6. Divide, Conquer, and Label.
Divide toys into separate categories for each storage compartment you are using. For instance, we keep superheros and action figures in one basket and cars, planes and trains in another. This makes it so much easier when searching for a specific toy and eliminates having to empty every basket. Labeling each container will help your kids determine what goes where. Pictures can be used as a way of labeling if your child is too young to read.
7. Put those stuffed animals to use.
I hate stuffed animals! I'm just putting it out there. If your not careful, these things will take over your home. I have one small basket designated for stuffed animals and the rest go up in a stuffed animal hammock, but I recently discovered the coolest storage idea for all those stuffed animals. Behold the Animal Bag. This clever take on the traditional bean bag is pure genius!
8. Up, up, and away.
Some things just need to be put up, high up, and out of reach. I keep games, puzzles, and anything with multiple pieces up in the closet. These are the things that require permission to be played with. Of course permission to use these means all other toys must be put away where they belong first.
9. Display your kids art.
Eliminate piles of your kids art work by displaying their portraits in frames. Easily rotate their artwork using the Lil Davinci Art Gallery. Way cool!
10. Decorate with Fun!
Let the kids choose a theme for the room or even a color scheme. We have a Toy Story shelf where the kids place all their Toy Story figurines so that they double as decor for the room. A fun rug with roads for their cars or a hopscotch design are also fun ways of decorating while encouraging play.
Last but not least, be sure to set some ground rules and set up a routine for picking up toys in order to keep your new space organized and ready for play.
I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hot Wheels® blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here
Now that summer is over and your kids are bound to be spending more time in the house, it is the perfect time to de-clutter and organize those toys. Here are ten tips to get you started:
1. Out with the old to make way for the new.
We try and keep to the rule that for every new toy we get, an old toy has to go. This will not only limit the number of toys your kids have, but it also teaches them the value of their toys. They will think twice about asking for a new toy when they understand that they have to choose an old one to get rid of in its place.
2. Get your kids involved.
Let your kids help, it is technically their space. They will take pride in the finished project knowing they had a say in it. Besides your kids love spending time with you and feeling needed.
3. Take advantage of the Holiday Season and Birthdays.
These is in my opinion are the best and easiest times of the year for clearing out old toys both for you and your kids. Make room for all the new gifts kids will receive during these times by allowing them to help determine what toys they no longer play with and have them accompany you to donate them. My kids are more then willing to get rid of old toys during these times knowing that we are making room for newer ones. Explain why and where you will be donating their old unused toys and take advantage of this great opportunity to teach your kids to appreciate what they have.
Forget the big toy box and invest in a great shelving system. I love to use cubbies. My favorite is the expedit bookcase from Ikea. We use ours on it's side so that it doubles as a TV console as well. Its really a great and affordable bookcase that leads to my next tip:
5. Baskets, Bins and Buckets.
By using cubbies such as those in the Expedit bookcase you are able to use baskets, bins, and even buckets to store smaller toys. By storing toys in smaller compartments like these rather then in one big toy chest, it prevents your kids from emptying every toy they own out onto the floor at one time.
6. Divide, Conquer, and Label.
Divide toys into separate categories for each storage compartment you are using. For instance, we keep superheros and action figures in one basket and cars, planes and trains in another. This makes it so much easier when searching for a specific toy and eliminates having to empty every basket. Labeling each container will help your kids determine what goes where. Pictures can be used as a way of labeling if your child is too young to read.
I hate stuffed animals! I'm just putting it out there. If your not careful, these things will take over your home. I have one small basket designated for stuffed animals and the rest go up in a stuffed animal hammock, but I recently discovered the coolest storage idea for all those stuffed animals. Behold the Animal Bag. This clever take on the traditional bean bag is pure genius!
8. Up, up, and away.
Some things just need to be put up, high up, and out of reach. I keep games, puzzles, and anything with multiple pieces up in the closet. These are the things that require permission to be played with. Of course permission to use these means all other toys must be put away where they belong first.
Eliminate piles of your kids art work by displaying their portraits in frames. Easily rotate their artwork using the Lil Davinci Art Gallery. Way cool!
10. Decorate with Fun!
Let the kids choose a theme for the room or even a color scheme. We have a Toy Story shelf where the kids place all their Toy Story figurines so that they double as decor for the room. A fun rug with roads for their cars or a hopscotch design are also fun ways of decorating while encouraging play.
Last but not least, be sure to set some ground rules and set up a routine for picking up toys in order to keep your new space organized and ready for play.
I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hot Wheels® blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here
No comments:
Post a Comment