Check out these toy storage solutions to reduce the clutter, simplify clean up time, and keep the overwhelm away from you and your kids.
We all want to give our children their heart’s desires. It brings us joy to watch their faces light up when they get a new toy. But then…less than a week later, you see the new toy constantly thrown down on the ground without a care. Taking up space, contributing to the clutter, and not bringing joy anymore.
For many of us, more doesn’t necessarily mean we are happier. More things means more clutter. More clutter means more overwhelm. When we feel overwhelmed, we tend to shut down. As an adult, I feel this often. I strongly dislike shopping in cluttered stores or in giant sale sections. When there are too many restaurant choices, I feel very overwhelmed and struggle to make a decision. I keep a list of favorite meals to make meal planning less stressful, only adding in a new meal to try every once in a while.
If I feel this way as an adult, how much more do young kids feel it? And for kids, they are unable to express their feelings and sometimes even unable to identify their feelings of overwhelm.
While they might think that getting a new toy will bring them happiness, it is only momentary happiness. The more toys in their bedroom, playroom, living room, etc., the more overwhelmed they feel.
How to Recognize that You Need Solutions for Toy Storage
So how do we decide whether we need to declutter our homes, and more specifically, our kid’s toys? For myself, I don’t function well in a cluttered space. I feel frustrated and angry throughout the day looking around at the mess and having to step over things constantly. I don’t like that feeling or the way I react to my kids when I feel this way. By keeping my home organized and tidy, I function better throughout the day and feel less frustration towards others.
For our kids, there are two specific signs you can look out for…do either of these scenarios sound familiar?
- All of the toy containers are dumped out every day, but they really only play with the same few toys consistently.
- Your kids constantly tell you that they are bored or don’t know what to do, and you don’t understand because they have so many toys!
Both scenarios show that your kids have too many options! In the first scenario, every toy container is dumped out every day, but you consistently see them with the same few toys. This shows that they have no interest in the other toys.
In the second scenario, you are shocked when your kids tell you all the time that they are bored. You look at all of the toys and cannot figure out how they could possibly be bored?? The problem is that your child feels overwhelmed by all of the choices. There are too many options, and they cannot decide; therefore, they do not. This leaves them feeling bored.
If you see one or both of these scenarios in your home often, it’s probably time to come up with solutions for toy storage.
Solutions for Reducing the Clutter
The first step to reducing clutter is obvious…get rid of toys! Sometimes I feel guilty getting rid of something that was gifted, but I have to stop and think about what is best for my family and our mental health. Is it really better to hold onto something that is never used or enjoyed, and feel the stress and overwhelm every day because of it?? I don’t think so.
There are so many different options for cleaning out toys that don’t involve waste. Donation centers take toys constantly, local churches use toys in their baby and toddler rooms, and there are always families who could use the help with Christmas gifts. If you don’t mind coordinating with people and talking about prices, you can always have a yard sale or list them online to sell. Get rid of toys that your kids have outgrown or no longer enjoy. If you plan to have more kids, you can always pack these up to pull out with the next kid and save some money.
Another great option is to do a toy rotation. Leave out only a few toys and pack the rest up in bins. On a weekly or biweekly basis, swap out the current toys for a few of the packed-up toys. Having a break from playing or even seeing a toy for a while can help kids reengage with the toy in a new and refreshed way.
Toy Storage Solutions using Containers
We do not have a playroom in our house, and I did not want the living room to be toy central. The kid’s bedrooms are also small and don’t have much storage space. I had to come up with a different storage solution that wouldn’t drive me crazy. It ended up working so well, that I plan to continue to use it even when we get a larger space someday.
I bought varying sizes of clear, storage tubs with lids and put all of our open-ended toys in them. Things like plastic animals, cars, magna-tiles, brain flakes, Legos, etc. Each tub has a different item. The kids can get one tub out at a time to play with and have to clean it up and put it away before getting anything else out. At quiet time, they are each able to grab a different container and spend some alone time with it.
We keep the storage tubs in a stand-alone cabinet, but you could also keep them in a closet or on a cube shelf in more decorative baskets. The key is to be consistent with the rules surrounding play and tidiness. Continue to remind your kids how many tubs they can have out at a time, and that before they move on to something else, to clean up. Even my 2-year-old knows the rules!
Note: Feel free to label the containers if that is your thing. I chose not to because I still have younger kids who cannot read.
Common Questions I Receive about Toy Storage and Solutions
- What do you keep in the kid’s bedrooms? – Each bedroom has a cube shelf in it filled with books and a basket that contains shoes, hats, and maybe a couple specific toys for each kid. They also have a small toy box with stuffed animals and dress up items.
- How do you do birthdays and Christmas? – I always prioritize memberships (zoo, aquarium, botanical gardens, etc.), books and craft supplies over toys. For Christmas, I love to stuff stockings with crayons, pencils, markers, notebooks, coloring books, paint, you name it. And then we purchase lots of books, family games, and maybe a couple open-ended toys that will end up in the cabinet.
- What do your kids do all day? – As a homeschool family, we spend our mornings reading aloud, keeping up with the housework, and completing bookwork. After lunch, everyone has a quiet time to unwind and take a break. Then, we prioritize getting outside to run off energy and spend time together before dinner and bed.
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