It’s a joy to watch children use their imagination and creativity to learn and play—but then you’re left with an endless mess of toys, books and whatever else they can get their hands on. If playtime often results in a long and drawn out cleanup or your activity space looks like a constant mess, these five tips can help you manage your toy storage.
1. Ditch the Toy Box.
If a toy box is currently housing most of your child’s playtime things, it might be encouraging the mess. The inside of a large box doesn’t encourage organization and can also result in broken toys. Not to mention that you need to rummage through it to get something at the bottom, leaving a huge pile of clutter outside the box until the right toy is rescued. Instead, place smaller, labeled bins on a short rack in your child’s play area for a neater space and a great way to keep organized, motivating your child to practice putting things back where they belong.
2. Utilize Door Space.
Use the space behind a closet door or bedroom door to hang a shoe organizer. The compartments are great for storing anything from dolls and stuffed animals to toy cars and art supplies.
3. Keep Toys Off the Floor.
Use storage that isn’t so close to the ground and, while it might be tempting, stop using under the bed as toy storage space or you’ll end up with a mess under there too. Try hanging toy hammocks or hanging closet organizers as alternative space solutions.
4. Clean Up Your Library.
It’s true: The best way to organize books is on a bookshelf! If you have smaller children, a forward-facing bookshelf allows them to see the covers without taking the books off the shelf, preventing a mess from forming as they search for the right title. If you don’t have space for a bookshelf, stand the books up in small boxes or bins and arrange on a shelf.
5. Arrange Your Games.
If your board games and puzzles are taking up too much space in their boxes, transfer them to smaller containers. Use plastic containers, freezer bags or pencil bags and don’t forget to label them. Kitchen organization items can also translate to the playroom, like organizing Play-doh cans on a coffee pod carousel and using a plate rack to keep puzzles and books neat on shelves.
Follow these five tips to prevent a toy overflow in your home and make playtime (and cleanup) more fun! As your kids grow a little older, you’ll need a safe place to store their toys (and other prized possessions) until the next generation is ready for them. Contact the storage professionals at Secure Self Storage and find a safe place to keep all your children’s favorite toys today.