When we were preparing to have our son, one of my main concerns was keeping the baby gear, toys, clothes, etc. contained and manageable. The idea of having a child totally take over the living space freaked me out!
As tempting as it is to buy every darling stuffed animal and car set, I have always considered how content my son is with so little. He can play during all of his free time with the toys that he has and be completely satisfied. Keeping that in mind has lowered my temptation to indulge in the excess. Occasionally we bring out a new toy or swap out something that’s been sitting in the closet but the trick has really been just to have less.
When I get messages about how to organize a playroom or kids room, my answer is always, “Get rid of everything!” and I mean it because it’s unnecessary. The excess is what causes stress both by clutter and by finances.
Here are some simple steps:
1. Purge the outgrown and damaged toys
2. Create parameters (if it doesn’t fit within this box, then it has to go)
3. Keep like items together
4. Get your family and friends on-board (limit of one gift for birthdays or Christmas, etc.)
5. Teach habits of cleaning up every evening/nap-time
6. No duplicates (for example- only one trainset, one boy and girl doll, one tech toy, etc.)
7. Just say no to buying stuffed animals
8. When something new comes in, something old goes out and the child needs to participate in downsizing
9. Routinely re-evaluate what is played with
10. Don’t emphasize the toy section at stores, making Christmas lists, etc. These habits start early.
Minimizing the inventory leads to minimal mess. Cycling through fresh toys instead of getting several at once keeps things interesting. Exposing children to no (or less) screen time teaches them to be social and occupy themselves creatively. Have one area for craft supplies, possibly out of reach. Always put safety first and think of what could be harmful if you aren’t looking. Don’t jump to purchasing better storage- hiding things “away” means that they’ll be forgotten about. When in doubt, go outside! There is tons to explore and create and do in the fresh air and it’s FREE!
If you do revamp your play spaces, send me before and after photos- I love to see the transformations!