Narelle King
If there’s one battle we always seem to be losing as parents, it’s the barrage of kids’ toys that can quickly take over the house. Not only can toys overwhelm kids as they decide what they’d like to play with, but they can also present significant challenges for parents looking to keep their homes organised.
If this is you, fear not: here are the tips and tricks that can give you a winning hand in organising your kids’ toys on an accessible, everyday basis. Time to win the battle!
Why can toy clutter be a problem?
Too much of a good thing can lead to strife. When kids have an oversupply of toys, they’re more likely to lose interest quickly, moving from toy to toy. They can also experience overwhelm by not knowing what to play with. Parents, too, can share this overwhelm, with the sheer amount of toys often making it challenging to keep our homes neat.
Toy clutter can also be dangerous when it begins to build up. If toys are lying around, this can cause tripping hazards – not to mention the dreaded Lego injury!
By looking at our relationship with toy clutter, we can find the best rhythm to toy organisation that suits the needs of our homes and our children’s play.
How to reduce toy clutter
What works for one family won’t necessarily work for the next when it comes to reducing toy clutter. By experimenting with some of these tips, you’ll be able to find the approach that’s most useful for your unique family circumstances.
You can reduce the toy clutter in your home by…
- Joining a toy Toy libraries allow you to borrow toys for a certain period of time, which can be a great way to keep your toy options fresh and fun without buying new toys.
- Take a one-in, one-out approach. This method is simple: every time a new toy enters your home, an old one leaves You’ll notice a major difference in how difficult clutter is to manage once you’re no longer endlessly adding to the toys in the mix.
- Embrace seasonal Right before Christmas or a birthday is a fantastic time to declutter the toy collection. This way, when new toys inevitably arrive, you already have space for them.
- Build a school holiday Looking for a way to keep the kids busy during the school holidays? Kill two birds with one stone by making each school holiday a family-wide declutter opportunity. You may find the kids start to play with old toys they’d forgotten about in the process!
- Evaluate your child’s If they haven’t played with a particular toy for a while, remove it quietly and see if it’s missed. If it’s not, it’s time for it to find a new home.
- Use designated storage as a natural By having designated storage solutions for your kids’ toys, this can help to create natural boundaries around how many toys they’re able to own. This can also encourage kids to put toys away after playing with them each day.
Get the kids involved
Giving your kids ownership over the decluttering and organisation process can help to build responsibility and awareness in how they approach their toys.
While this can be a challenge, these steps can make it easier to invite your kids into the storage and organisation process:
- Teach them about By encouraging your child to give away toys they no longer play with, you can foster a greater sense of connection and gratitude as they assess their toys for themselves.
- Motivate them with cash! Older children may be motivated by the chance to make some money by selling their old toys. This is a great way to fuel their entrepreneurial spirit while also achieving that much-needed
- Clear labelling and storage By using typed or photo labels on your designated storage spaces, younger and older children can easily participate in daily tidying.
Start small and work your way up
If decluttering and organising the family toy collection still feels overwhelming, adopting a ‘start small’ approach is important. By chipping away at the task bit by bit, you’ll be able to gain control back over toy clutter and introduce new organisational systems.
Investing in a great storage solution (like cube units or Ikea drawers), gamifying decluttering, and sorting the keep from the donate pile are all great options for making a small start on fighting the toy clutter.
One step at a time – you’ll be able to see the playroom floor again before you know it!
Narelle King
Professional Organiser
Simply Happy http://simplyhappy.com.au
Narelle is the founder of Simply Happy a Professional organiser and yoga teacher with an Education background. She helps individuals and families with organisational challenges to implement simple organisational strategies so that they can create a clutter-free, safe, functional and happy home. She also teaches nourishing yin yoga to support both physical and mental health so you feel calmer and more rested.
