3 Steps to Organize Toy Chaos

Chances are if you have children your home it has been taken over by their things. It starts with a small basket for tummy time and next thing you know…your living room has been converted into a small toy shop. Cleanup has become so time consuming that its easier to just create a pathway by pushing toys into piles.

When it comes to organizing any space of your home, it is important to remember that you will end up in same situation if you do not declutter and create solutions that are obtainable for your family specifically. I know its tempting to recreate that Pinterest post, but remember to be realistic too. You can create beautiful spaces that are efficient and functional for your family. This process takes time and you may need to work through this list a few times before you get the results you are after. Progress is progress.

3 Steps to Organize Toy Chaos

1. Throw out broken toys or toys that are missing parts.

This first step is the easiest step when it comes to organizing your kids toys. Puzzles that are missing pieces and toys that no longer function correctly, bye bye.

2. Eliminate items that have outlived their usefulness

Toys that your children have outgrown and don’t play with anymore are just creating clutter and need to go. If you plan to use them in the future, store them elsewhere. Be careful with this and be sure to limit yourself, this can add a burden to your home decluttering journey.

Consider donating the toys to a friend or local shelter. If you are wanting to sell them, set a time-frame in doing so. I give myself two weeks to sell things and if they are still in garage after that off to the local shelter.

3. Sort through beloved items with your kids

This final step in organizing your child’s toys may take some time. Be patient. Naturally children show resistance to things they are connected to, so do we even as adults. What has worked wonderfully in our home is the container method.

The way this method works is by deciding what toy storage solution you want to incorporate in your space and stick to it. Requiring items to fit neatly into certain spaces force your child to weigh the value of each object. Over time they begin to see the difference between items they enjoy occasionally, and the items they want around continually.

As kids work through the process, they will start to notice the benefits of decluttering their belongings. They will realize how less stuff makes cleanup easier and begin to enjoy their space more. You may even notice your child’s attention span increase and the toys they do have are utilized to their full potential.

I recommend making your kids apart of the process of decluttering, even if it takes longer. sometimes we are unaware of the emotional attachment our children have to their belongings. Some children are more sensitive to change or will need more time to process parting with their things. Yes, this may complicate our timetable, but demonstrating this process and helping our children through the changes will benefit them in the future when it comes to material items.

Let’s not raise a generation of children obsessed with stuff and teach them how to keep material possessions in check.