Helpful Tips for De-Cluttering and Organzing TOYS

Now that Monkey is almost two we have toys everywhere. You can find his toys in his bedroom, the living room, kitchen, family room, and yes, sadly even our master bedroom. Toys have taken over our house! It’s simply inevitable that Monkey will play with a certain toy and then leave it on the ground when he gets distracted by something else. Thus, leaving a trail of toys in his playtime aftermath. Here a few of my tips to stay on top of the toy mess and to help keep your home organized:

1. Designated bins. We have a colored storage bin in our living room to keep clutter at bay. Each colorful tub is designated for a specific type of toy. A color bin for puzzles, Hot Wheel cars, play food, building blocks, soft toys, etc. One great outcome is when Monkey is looking to play with his Hot Wheels he doesn’t have to search the entire toy box for that one small toy.

2. De-clutter. As your kids grow up and out of one toy, remove it and make space for a new toy. Once a toy has reached its learning ability limit my son does not want to play with it because he’s “mastered” the toy. Thus it’s no longer fun to play with. Every three to four months remove the old toys and store them away for the next little one in your family, give them to friends, have a garage sale, or donate to charity.

3. Bookshelves. We have a bookshelf in Monkey’s room, which holds all of his books, a few stuffed animals, photos, and a piggy bank. You don’t just have to store books on them like a library but make them a functional part of the room. Arrange a neat row of trains, cars, or airplanes on one shelf and books on the bottom shelf.

4. Quick Clean. Right before bed time we have Monkey help pick up all of his toys from the floor and place them back in their bins. This helps him learn that everything has its place. This also helps reinforce where toys are located. We feel that teaching him to clean up now rather than later is a great idea.

5. Play Stations. We have a loft in our home which we have decided to repurpose as a Playroom. We’ve recently brought colorful storage bins, tables and chairs, and several low bookshelves. We’ve placed them in designated areas of the room, thus creating play stations. Monkey has a reading nook, art station and cart/train station. Each locations has a colorful rug, table, chair and storage bins

6. Hang’em High. Don’t forget to use every nook and corner of the rooms. We have colorful corner nets that we store with stuffed animals. They are great for decorating and help keep toys of the floor.

7. Zip it up. Use sandwich bags to store small items like colors, chalk, or puzzle pieces. The bags make them easy for little hands to grab more than just one crayon.

8. Birthday/Holiday Round-up. Prior to these special times of the year sort through the toy box and remove any unused toys. They will likely get more toys and you’ll need the extra room to store them. Store the unused toys in a clear plastic bin in your basement or attic.

9. Out of Sight. Use over the door shoe organizers to store toys, books, or play cloths. Another idea is to use under bed organizers for trains, cars, and train tracks. This helps to create more space while keeping the mess out of sight.

10. Rewards. Every time Monkey voluntarily puts away his toys we reward him with a small treat such as a cookie or extra reading time with daddy. This helps teach him that having a tidy room is important.

Sometimes a toy doesn’t find its way “back home” and you’ll still end up cleaning after your kids. However, it’s important to remember that a toy on the floor simply means a well loved home. What are your tips for keeping your children’s toys organized?


About Hot Wheels®
Since 1968, Hot Wheels® has been passionate about creating thrilling vehicle experiences through innovative product and content. With a fan base of more than 41 million people, Hot Wheels® is the No. 1 vehicle property in the United States producing the coolest cars imaginable. The Hot Wheels® brand began as a line of 16 1:64-scale die-cast vehicles; today, it has evolved into a true, global lifestyle brand for boys of all ages with segments that range from aftermarket parts to licensed apparel to branded digital content from Team Hot Wheels™, a real-life race crew of professional drivers performing over-the-top stunts.

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