If you have a little one (or two or three) at home, you know how difficult it can be to manage all of the toys that accumulate over time. Alexis' birthday is three days after Christmas, so you can only imagine the influx of new items that make their way into our home at the end of the year. It's not always easy to keep your home from looking like a toy factory exploded in your living room (especially if you don't have a designated play room). I certainly don't have it down to a science, but here are some tips on managing toy clutter.
PURGE
It really is a good idea to make a habit out of purging items. It offers you an opportunity to see what you really own and get rid of items that you truly do not need anymore. When it comes to purging, most items fall into one of three categories- Keep, Donate, or Trash. Depending on the phase of life you're in when it comes to growing your family, you may need to modify these a bit. For example, we'd like to have another baby, so my purge categories for toys (and other baby items) are Keep, Store, or Trash (because there are just some things that have been ripped apart and chewed to death). I'm very fortunate to have a decent amount of storage space in my home. If you're lacking in the storage department, just make sure you are particularly thoughtful about the items you want to tuck away for safe keeping.
STRATEGIZE
I don't have a designated playroom in my home, so I really have to be strategic about where to house indoor toys. I store toys in Alexis' room, closet, and in our living room. I've also started converting some unused space on our 2nd floor into a play area. It's coming together, and I'll post about it soon. One thing you always have to remember is that no matter how many toy storage areas you have, kids are going to make a mess and have their toys everywhere. Let them. Let them be kids and play hard. However, if you have designated toy storage areas, clean up time is a breeze because you (and your little one(s)) know exactly where everything should go.
Evidence of a (mini) toy explosion.
GET CREATIVE
Baskets. Boxes. Bins. The possibilities are endless when it comes to toy storage. Here's a round up.
You can purchase these here.
