Organized me please!!

Allison - posted on 02/04/2009

Isn't it crazy how many toys a child can acquire in a very short amount of time!! I divided my kids toys into colorful labeled buckets, and then we have a rule of only one bucket at a time. When they want to play with the toys from another bucket the have to clean up the first bucket! It takes a few tries for them to learn...but it makes life so much easier!!

Tina - posted on 02/02/2009

I would try to pick one area and put a toy box there.  Make the kids aware that the toys need to be put back in the toy box once they are done playing with it.  I have four kids ages 7,3 1/2,and 2 1/2 twins.  I just made a place in our entry room  with the toy box and the kids play strollers.  They now get toys out and play with them and instead of throwing them on the ground they take the toy back to the toy box and put it up.  They also each have a toy box in thier rooms.  I  just got sick of sitting on my couch or eating dinner at the dinning room table and seeing toys everywhere. 

Victoria - posted on 02/02/2009

I agree with everyone else as well. I just have a lot of baskets around...nice looking ones, not just crates...but have them put toys in those...I HATE toys every where but in there rooms! I wish too I had a "playroom". I do get toys every where! and I mean every where, but keeping them picked up in the baskets every night works well... We have "clean up" time... even outside toys, they get every where, and then it looks terrible! So I found one of those big outdoor play chests, and we pick up after play time, or at least try too...lol Being organized with ALL the toys is nuts!>? Can't wait till I can throw them all out and no more toys!!!!

Charissa - posted on 02/01/2009

I've got bins designated for certain toys and they're organized on one wall on shelves. I have 3 floors including a play area on our third floor loft...this is where I keep the majority of their toys...but I also have a few bins of toys for each of my 2 kids' rooms and a cabinet with bins on the main floor living room. I found that by spreading the toys around, I keep the clutter to a minimum and also get them playing with different toys.

Lynnsy - posted on 02/01/2009

I don't think there's much you can do to keep the toys from being spread around the house... The key is to make sure you're not the only one stuck picking them up! You could make putting away the toys part of the bedtime ritual, with a treat afterwards (like picking their favorite book to read or something like that). Also, you could limit the amount of toys by rotating the toys available to play with. Put some of the toys away in bins in a closet or garage (or the unfinished basement), and then swap them every week or so. This way the kids will stay excited about the toys they have and it will keep the toy clutter to a minimum. I hope this helps!

Jacque - posted on 02/01/2009

Hi Jocelyn. When my children were younger I had a box or a tote that was marked with each set of items (ie. balls, pots and pans, cars or things with wheels) then I placed them on the edges of the walls and that is where they all went..I can't say there were not toys all over my house but it was much easier for the kids and I to put them away. You can always keep an empty tote in each room of your house for a quick pick up too I homeschool mine and our living room is a teaching room and sometimes things flow over into here and that is what I do with them. LOL my dog even has a toy box for his toys that end up in there and then it is one of our chores at the end of the night we do with our 15 minute room rescue from flylady.net...

Davina - posted on 02/01/2009

You can get tots and put some toys in there. Get a shelves and put dolls on the shelves and little drawer cabinets that you can put underneath the beds so they can roll out the drawers to get some of their toys out. Label things in alphabetical order so they can learn to put toys away and have fun with it