How to Organize Kid's Toys

It's hard to find the ONE thing you want in this toy boxes.

Toy boxes eat toys like dryers eat socks.

I know I put all the parts in there but somehow I can never find all the matching pieces. And in the process of looking for the matching pieces my children like to empty the entire toy box onto the floor.

I've learned it doesn't have to be this way. You CAN have organized toys if you follow these guidelines.

1. Sort and group toys. We have Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys, Thomas the Tank Engine trains and tracks, cars and trucks, miniature princesses, etc. You get the idea.


2. Store each group in a square lidded container. (In other words, a plastic tub.) When purchasing your tub consider how big your collection will eventually be. If you are just beginning your Thomas track collection don't buy a small tub. Buy a medium tub to grow into.


3. Label each tub and lid. If you have non-readers print a photo of the toy and use it as your label.





See through tubs help non-readers. Labels help babysitters.

4. Stack the tubs in a corner or closet. If you are concerned about how the tubs look, buy tubs in matching colors.


5. Find new homes for old toys. Sometimes children receive toys as gifts that they lose interest in pretty quickly. DON'T clutter your home with these toys. If he hasn't played with it in months or asked about it, quietly find a new home for it at the Salvation Army.


6. Throw away broken toys. Yes, I understand most of the Transformer still works but that one piece keeps popping off and you keep picking it up off the living room floor. It's broken. It really is OK to throw it away. Unless this is your child's most beloved toy, but that's rarely the case.


7. Store puzzle pieces in plastic bags. Has your child ever pulled a stack of puzzles off a shelf? If so, you know the nightmare of trying to work 10 puzzles with the pieces jumbled together. I place each puzzle's pieces in a zippered plastic bag then all the bags go into a tub. 





Plastic drawers are a great way to hold small items.

8. Clean up the toys. All the organization in the world won't help if your child doesn't return his toys to their homes. We have clean up at least twice a day - before we begin our school work and before supper. This keeps me from tripping over toys in the middle of the night and my children know where to find the toy they want to play with.

These are a few of my favorite toy organization tips. What is your favorite tip for organizing toys? Do you use a toy box or some other system?

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