Do you desperately wish to declutter kids toys in your home? If you’re anything like me, a messy and cluttered house will do your head in, and not least of this is your children’s room or playroom. It’s even worse if you don’t have a dedicated playroom but simply a play area in your living room or their bedroom!
It’s not even just a question of How do I keep my kids toys tidy? Most kids have more than double the number of toys they actually need. Even the tidiest children (few and far between) will still have a cluttered room thanks to all of their toys.
So the question remains: How do I organize my kids toys? But first, it can help to understand why it’s not only going to be great for you to declutter toys and purge their numbers to organize your kid’s room; it’s also great for your kids.
The Benefits of Decluttering and Having Fewer Toys
Just think about it: as an adult, isn’t it sometimes overwhelming to have too many things to do in a day? Isn’t it exhausting when you have too many choices to make and too many options from which to choose?
The same goes for our kids. And both you and they can benefit enormously by decluttering and minimizing their toys and their options.
Now, we’re not suggesting for a second that you deprive your children! But by creating intentional, minimalist play options, you provide a more enhanced play experience and a better opportunity for your children to lead with their imaginations and creativity – which is an important part of childhood and a life skill they need to harness.
Limit toys for:
- Better focus
- Fewer distractions
- Imaginative development
- Creative development
- Greater care and appreciation
- Calmer play
- Less mental fatigue
Getting new toys, usually as gifts at birthdays and Christmas is no doubt very exciting for kids – but that excitement is fleeting and overall, the most longevity in terms of enjoyment comes from toys and activities that afford creative, open-ended play. Kids may initially protest about decluttering their toys, but they will ultimately enjoy more rewarding, present, and peaceful playtime.
Tips for Decluttering Kids Toys
- Never make decluttering toys a punishment or a negative activity.
- Involve your kids in the decision-making process if they are mature enough to appreciate what they have selected to keep and as long as a tantrum will not ensue. Praise their decisions.
- Break the declutter into smaller tasks – for example, a certain type of toy per day.
- Consider each toy. Ask: Do we love it? Do we play with it? Do we still want it? Is it still working?
- Choose what to keep and what to donate. Explain to your child how donations benefit those less fortunate – this is an important lesson in empathy.
- Throw out anything that is broken or missing parts or is “cheap and nasty”. Get rid of anything your child doesn’t actively play with and enjoy. Get rid of toys your children have outgrown. Donate double-ups.
- Encourage family and friends to give non-toy gifts for birthdays and Christmas – instead opt for experiences, books, craft kits, puzzles, board games, etc.
- Make a rule to only keep “junk” toys (e.g. Happy Meal trinkets) for a week at most – if they are collected at all.
- Don’t bribe your children with toys.
- Create a small stash of quality beloved toys to keep and store for sentimental reasons.
- Discard or donate as soon as possible after decluttering and purging.
How to Organize a Messy Child’s Room
Once the purging has been done, you need to consider how to sort kids toys in their room or play area.
Define a play/toy area.- Rotate available toys to keep the supply fresh and interesting.
- Give the toys a dedicated “home”. Make it your child’s responsibility to help tidy before bed each night.
- Invest in a bookcase or shelves for your child and use it to store toys as well as books.
- Use a toy box or baskets (e.g. a laundry basket) to keep toys in.
- Collate all pieces that go together, together – e.g. puzzle pieces, Lego, toy cars, dolls, blocks, etc. Into smaller boxes or containers. Label these!
- Consider using a toy library to borrow toys – and return them!
- Limit toy storage to a certain area of the room.
- Moving forward, choose quality over quantity and declutter on a regular basis.
- Lead by example – accumulate less for yourself and kids will learn to value what they already have much more.
Play is the work of childhood. Through play, kids practice life skills and build confidence, problem-solving skills, fine and gross motor skills, social development, and imagination. Declutter their toys for a better experience of this and a fresher, clearer home. You’ll even save money!
