Teaching children how to clear the clutter of their stuff is an invaluable tool.
Cleaning up clutter is a big task but put in the mix your children’s toys and games and it can become overwhelming. The clutter solution for clearing clutter of toys and games is to get the kids involved in the process.
Before you begin organizing the clutter you must first asses the type of toy and game clutter in the home. Start the process with a small area to allow you and your kids to succeed in gaining control of the clutter.
Toy Storage ideas
Take a deep breath, put on some upbeat music and grab a refreshing beverage and know that it will take at least an hour to organize just a small amount of the toy clutter. Make a game out of organizing the clutter to keep the kids focused and engaged in the process. It is important for the children to be the leaders in the organization and the parents’ assistants to the process.
Toy Groupings
- Throw Away
- Give Away
- Action Figures
- Puzzles
- Board Games
- Fast Food Restaurant Toys
- Sporting Items
- Stuffed Toys
- Cars
- Educational
Organizing the Clutter
Place garbage bags or bins on the floor to sort the toys and games. Label the bags or bins with one of the toy groupings names. Each game items and toy piece will be placed in the appropriate bin.Ask if a child still wants a toy and explain why it is good to give toys away and when toys should be thrown out.
After 30 minutes of sorting, walk away and take a quick break with your child. Have cookies and milk as you praise your child for the great job they are doing on organizing their stuff.
Tell your children they are not allowed to play with the sorted toys and games until they are properly stored away which will be in a few days. If the child plays with the sorted toys, the process will take much longer as you have to continual sort the toys that were already sorted.
Next step is to use different sized clear containers for storing the items. Store items in the containers appropriate to the volume of toys. The containers should have lids and be labeled. It is much easier for a child to be creative with play dough if all of the tools and materials are in one quick and accessible place.
Also, you may choose to buy an extra large clear container and place the smaller containers in the box. The boxes are out of the way and your children can quickly and easily pick out the toys they want to play with.
Clutter Control Rules
Set up rules with your kids about caring for their toys. Kids should put away toys before they are allowed to open a new box of toys.Paint set must be away before the Barbie dolls come out to play.
Lastly, each room in the home should have a decorative basket or drawer for items they are playing with that day. Once a day or week, have the child place the toys and games in the correct storage bin.
Also, do not allow a child to bring more toys into a room if the storage basket is full with other toys. When the basket becomes full, the child must empty the contents into its proper storage area. As well, you may wish to have this done nightly or weekly.
