With Santa Claus’ arrival fast approaching, now might be a good time to get into the kids’ playroom and make some space for that Christmas haul.
While those cookies are baking, start an action plan to get organized for the impending toy drop – here are some tips that have worked best for me:
- Before you embark on any organizing mission, if there is a closet in the playroom, clean it out. That closet will become command central for your kids and their toys, and if they see it organized nicely and can find their toys easily, chances are (maybe) they’ll try to keep it that way.
- Clear plastic shoe organizers hung on the back of a door or inside a closet door are great “garages” for little cars and other small toys.
- For instant de-cluttering, make use of plastic storage bins or baskets that can be stored in the closet or under a bed. Check out The Container Store or even dollar stores for colorful baskets in many sizes and shapes at reasonable prices.
- Save those shoeboxes and the planet! Have your kids color and decorate them for creative, homemade storage that can be placed on shelves. Nothing says “playroom” like a storage box with a big pair of jiggling googly eyes staring out at you.
- Make use of double duty furniture. When buying my son’s big boy bed, I made sure it was both comfy and had drawers for storage (his favorite place for stowing away Legos). And that toy chest? Put a decorative pillow or cushion on the lid for extra seating.
- Don’t overlook Ziploc plastic bags for labeling and organizing puzzle pieces and doll accessories.
- Book cases are great for mixed use storage. Add some baskets filled with toys alongside the books for a neat, organized look.
- Repurpose what you have at home by thinking outside the box – in this case, tool boxes, old Tupperware, anything that’s not being used for its original purpose but still has storage capacity can be used to store dolls, action figures, whatever needs a home.
The idea is to mix and match the solutions that work for you. Pay attention to how and when your kids play with and use their toys, and match your organizing solution to their usage. If some toys are used every day, maybe an open basket on the floor where the toys are easily accessible (and can be put in a closet or rolled under the bed at the end of the day) is the right fit.
Perhaps other toys that are used more infrequently can go up on a shelf or in a closet. And toys that aren’t used any longer and still in good condition can be donated to charity or, if your kids are older, check and see if their old preschool can make use of them.
Everyone is going to have a different take on organizing, but I’ve found that whatever works for you is the right solution. Be creative, have fun, and happy organizing!
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