Organizing With Kids: How To Declutter And Organize Toys

If you are sick and tired of constantly picking up after your kids I feel your pain. With three boys and a small house, let me tell you, I have tripped over my fair share of matchbox cars, legos, and action figures! The good news is, you don’t have to be a slave to your kid’s toys any longer! It’s entirely possible to tame the toy clutter and regain your home {and your sanity}. Today I’ll show you how to declutter and organize toys. And keep them that way.

It’s been said that “toys breed like rabbits”. I disagree, I say toys breed like spiders. Why? Because rabbits tend to have litters of 1-14 babies while spiders can lay up to 1,500 eggs at a time!

*PS-This is a HUGE post with a lot of information, you may want to Pin for later!

How to Declutter and Organize Toys: First Thing’s First

Before we begin to declutter and organize toys, we need to examine the reasons behind our toy clutter, so we can keep it from returning in the future.

It’s not the kid who buy the toys, it’s us.

Kids rarely buy their own toys {well, mine do but that’s a story for another day}. In order to keep toy clutter at bay, we need to be willing to take an honest look at how the toys got into our home in the first place.

Are you guilty of buying your kid a toy every time you go shopping? I used to be. I would often justify the purchase with, “But, it’s only $3”, or “He’s been so good lately, he deserves a treat.” Or worse, “It’s educational!”.

Little by little, these cheap, well-deserved, educational toys started taking over my home.

Stop the toy clutter madness.

Maybe you’ve been really good about not purchasing toys every time you go shopping yet somehow, they have still managed to find their way into your home. If this is the case, you need to examine the following {sneaky} causes of toy clutter and put an end to them before it’s too late.

It’s entirely likely your toy clutter is a result of:

• Happy meal toys
• Party favors
• Dollar store toys {that maybe your kids bought for themselves}
• Gifts from well-meaning loved ones
• Inexpensive toys from garage sale shopping sprees
• Commercials that tell you {and your kid}, “You NEED this toy!”
• Toy overload at Christmas and Birthdays
• Hand-me-downs from siblings/relatives
• Wanting to provide an educational atmosphere for your child
• Passing your clutter habits on to your child
• You own emotional attachment to your children’s toys

Whatever the reasons for the toy clutter in your home and no matter where it came from, ultimately, it’s up to you to stop the toy clutter madness. Otherwise, it’s sure to spiral out of control.

Declutter and Organize Toys: How Many Toys Does Your Child Need

• The U.S. has 3.1% of the world’s children, yet consumes 40% of the world’s toys
• A typical child owns upwards of 238 toys, yet only plays with about 12 of them
• Too much clutter can have a negative impact on cortisol {stress hormone} levels in women {and you know, “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t NOBODY happy!”}
• It is estimated that the average American spends $371 annually per child on toys {Second only to the United Kingdom}
• Too many toys can over-stimulate a child and cause an inability to focus
• Children will almost always find something to play with, even when no toys are present
• The best educational toys aren’t toys at all {measuring cups/spoons, boxes, pots and pans, musical instruments, library books, scrap lumber, etc.}
• More toys can lead to more fighting/arguing between children

Given these facts, I think it’s safe to assume that when it comes to toys, less is more.

So, how many toys does a child actually need?

Unfortunately, I cannot give you a definitive number. The answer to this question depends on you and your child. For reference, here’s what we keep in our home:

1. {Noiseless} Toys that encourage imagination {stuffed animals, action figures, dress-up outfits, etc,}
2. Toys that educate and assist with creativity {legos, craft supplies, computer programs, books}
3. Toys that encourage kids to get along (board/card games}
4. A few of our kid’s favorite toys (chosen/purchased exclusively by them}

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Declutter and Organize Toys: The Purge

So, now that you have pinpointed the cause of the toy clutter in your home and you have a solid perspective on how many toys kids really need, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and start decluttering.

It’s completely up to you whether or not you include your child in the decluttering process. You will need to consider your child’s age, emotional maturity, and whether or not they have hoarding tendencies. I prefer to include my children whenever I purge their toys because:

1. It helps them learn to live with limits and make decisions based on these limits
2. It shows them that I respect their opinion
3. Including children in the decluttering process builds trust.{They know I am not getting rid of anything behind their back}.
4. It helps them cultivate a spirit of generosity by donating quality items to kids who have less

*Disclaimer: As the parent, I have complete veto power over what stays and what goes. If a toy is not age-appropriate, broken, expensive (for me) to maintain, or if it adds too much clutter to our already small home, I can choose to get rid of it. After all, chances are, I probably bought it in the first place.

I recommend using the Shock Treatment Declutter Method in order to efficiently declutter and organize toys. Here’s how it works:

The first thing you will need to do is gather all of your child/children’s toys into one location. While you are collecting toys sort them into like categories so it will be easier to go through them. Once you’ve gathered all of your child’s toys together, you may be mortified by what you see. This is where the ‘shock’ of the Shock Treatment Declutter Method comes in. You may find that you are faced with mountains of stuffed animals, hundreds of matchbox cars, or enough legos to open your own Lego Land.

Accept the fact that your child’s toys have gotten out-of-hand and acknowledge the fact that you are working on a solution.

Next, you {and your child} will begin sorting through the toys in each category one by one. But how do decide what stays and what goes?

Donate/Sell/Trash

• Anything that is broken beyond repair
• Recalled toys
• Toys that are not age-appropriate
• Toys that haven’t been played with in a while
• Single-purpose toys
• Duplicates
• Cheap, party favors, dollar store toys, happy meal toys {unless your child regularly plays with them}
• Toys you are holding onto ‘just in case’

Keep

• Toys which support your child’s {current} interests
• Toys that encourage imaginative play
• Your child’s favorite toys
• Special ‘treasures’ {limit to small container}

*Tip: only keep as many toys as your child can reasonably clean up on their own.

Once you’ve decided which toys to get rid of and which ones to keep, it’s on to the fun part…TOY ORGANIZATION!

Declutter and Organize Toys: Storage Solutions

Here are some of my favorite ways to organize toys.

Vertical Toy Storage

When it comes to toy storage, vertical storage solutions are your best friend. I have this hammock organizer and it’s great for storing stuffed animals, balls, and other lightweight toys. Also, you can hang something like this on the wall or over a door and use it to store all of your child’s treasures. Finally, you can’t go wrong with an over-the-door shoe organizer. You can use these to organize Barbies, action figures, small stuffed animals, doll clothes, the possibilities are endless!

Under Bed Toy Storage

Once you’ve filled up the available wall/door space you can use the space underneath your child’s bed for extra toy storage. These under bed storage boxes are great for storing cars, trains, blocks, etc. If your child doesn’t want to tear down his latest creation before bedtime, why not get him one of these rolling storage trays so you can just roll his latest lego village under the bed until he’s ready to play with it again.

Toy Storage For Kids Rooms

When storing toys in your kid’s bedroom your storage options are endless. I recommend this Multi-Color Deluxe Toy Organizer with Bins as well as the matching Kids Book Rack Storage Bookshelf. Both are durable, colorful, and offer a bunch of storage. Here’s a wall storage unit that would be perfect for older kids.

Bath Toy Storage

It’s important to keep bath toys dry when not in use in order to keep bacteria from building up. I like to keep bath toys in ventilated storage for this very reason. Consider this bath toy basket that goes across the tub to keep bath toys high and dry. Similarly, you could also use these hanging mesh organizers to keep bath toys contained.

Lego Storage

Ahhh, legos. Kids love them and parents hate trying to organize them. Don’t worry, I have the perfect storage solutions for you. Here’s a stackable storage solution for legos. A 3-piece organizer tote is another good solution for organizing legos, especially if your kiddo likes to travel with their legos. And I adore this storage shelf system for displaying lego minifigures. My kids have hundreds of them!

Toy Storage that Doesn’t Look Like Toy Storage

When storing toys in common living areas, you may want to avoid the cutesy, colorful bedroom storage ideas and go with something that fits in with your decor. I have used storage ottomans in my home to keep toys out of sight for as long as I can remember. Here’s a cool foldable storage cube that comes in a wide range of colors. I’ve also used this rectangular storage ottoman in front of my sofa. It’s a great option for storing toys AND it doubles as a coffee table. By far, my favorite way to organize toys is this 9-cube storage shelf from Amazon Basics. It comes in multiple finishes and you can purchase canvas bins to match your decor. Seriously, this is my go-to method for storing toys.

Declutter and Organize Toys: Tips for Keeping Clutter at Bay

• Limit the total number of toys in your home to a predetermined amount
• Instead of physical Christmas and Birthday gifts, give your child gifts of experiences
• Adopt a Montessori philosophy
• Encourage your child to play with 1-2 categories of toys at a time and put them away before taking out more
• Endorse hobbies and imaginative play over toys
• Promote outdoor play
• Before {or immediately after} each major holiday purge your child’s toys
• Institute a toy library and rotate toys out to reduce clutter
• Encourage your kids to be generous with their toys and give away those they no longer use
• Remember, when it comes to toys, less is more
• Choose quality toys over quantity
• Resist the urge to use toys as a reward for good behavior
• Teach your child to be responsible with his/her toys by making them clean up at the end of each day
• Contain toys to a playroom, kids bedroom, or corner of the living room
• Have a dedicated place {with labels} for everything
• Make your kid an offer they cannot refuse-sell toys and they keep the money
• Keep toys given at Christmas and Birthdays to a minimum

Ready, set, go…declutter and organize toys!

READ MORE: 

• The Best Gift Ideas For Kids That Aren’t Toys
• How To Raise Simple Kids In A Complicated World
• 10 Things All Boys Need To Hear From Their Mom
• Quick & Easy Playroom Organization Ideas

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