Toys are important for many reasons – but that doesn’t mean they don’t drive you crazy when you constantly trip over them! Having toys take over your space can cause stress and tension, but we have some suggestions to make your life a little easier! 

Be Selective

Try to purchase toys that are age-appropriate and well made. Encouraging family to do the same will keep your toy collection full of items that your kids love and actually want to play with.⁣

Reduce Clutter & Donate

No matter how organized you are, too many toys can take over your home. It may sound like a challenge to get your kids to pick toys they no longer want, but there is a trick to doing so! Create an opportunity for them to explain what they enjoy, and then encourage them to donate things that no longer fit the bill. ⁣

Establish Family Toys

Some toys, like play dough, would be great to add to a “family toy” grouping that stays in a bin on a top shelf in your home. Adding messy toys to this bin can save you the headache of scrubbing gunk out of your carpet, and make them something the kids will look forward to doing with you.⁣

Make a Place for Every Toy

Forget the one big toy bin – at least a general one, anyway! When there is no organization, kids will clear out that bin every time and your floor will be covered. Instead, buy bins or baskets, and line them up along the wall or on a low bookshelf where your child can easily put away and retrieve toys and books on their own. Designate/label a box for each type of toy, and make it a fun goal for your kids to keep them in the right spot!⁣

Group Like with Like

Group all the play food together in one bin, all the toy people in another, all the animals in another. Place games that encourage cognitive thinking together labeled “brain teasers.” Not only does this organize, it makes your child begin to think in mental compartments.⁣

Be An Example

When you’re showing your child a new toy or activity, show them how to put it back in its rightful place when they are finished with it too. Teaching your child to care for the neatness of their own special space and things takes time and patience, but you will find that children crave tidiness and order.