4 Tips for How to Organize Kids' Toys

Learning how to organize kids' toys is similar to real estate in that it’s all about location, location, location! Ask yourself where is the mess that finally drove me to read this article? Maybe your child left a mound of legos in the living room and that sharp shard of overpriced plastic had you googling “tips for organizing kids' toys.” In the end it doesn't matter what mess your munchkin made to drive you here, what matters is approaching each organizational plan around the function of the room.

If their toys are sprawled out in the family room, tips like repurposing an old bookshelf with some stylish canvas cube storage bins, might be a solution! Mania in the mudroom? A solid wood entryway bench is another solution that allows your home to still look like they are living with you and not the other way around! But let’s cut to the tips for organizing kids' toys and let you get to work.

Tips for Organizing Kids' Toys

More baskets = less basket cases

Baskets or bins are the easy solution to quickly stow away children’s toys. These easy to hide and versatile solutions can be repurposed for years to come. The biggest plus: they tend to be affordable and aesthetically pleasing which we know is every parent’s dream.


Keep it simple

The reason baskets are a great solution is because it allows the child to stay organized themselves. The ideal solution is one in which you can lay the foundation but is easy and safe enough for your tyke to tackle on their own. Avoid large and heavy kids' closet toy organizers and instead go with light weight and affordable options. Ask them how they would organize and create a plan that is easy to follow and rewarding. If you are struggling to get them involved, maybe attach a craft to it! Get them to make art for labeling the bins or buy a label maker so they can help punch in the labels!

Set realistic goals

Now that a home has been designated for each action figure, barbie and stuffed animal we need realistic goals to make this kids' toy organization project a success!

Keep them motivated by creating a “toy rotation”, where by consistently picking up after themselves they can “unlock” one of their old toys from the toy vault. Make sure your child knows when and where their toys need to be in order for them to gain access to their “toy vault”.

Avoid trying to strive for a room that is ready for your mother in law at any moment and instead aim for something that would impress your college nephew. If you make the system too complex and without built in flexibility for new toys it will almost certainly fall apart.

Close it with the closet

My family installed a few kids' closet toy organizers that allowed for so much additional storage, I nearly revisited if Narnia was real because the walk in felt endless. While solid wood storage cubes and cubbies are ideal solutions for common areas they lack a few advantages that the closet holds.

Once the space has been cleared by following our how to organize a kids' closet article, you can begin eyeing new kids' closet toy organizer systems. Here’s some advantages of this space:

  • Can be the child’s own space; leaving them responsible for their own mess
  • Out of the way and not an eyesore
  • Close the closet door and it’s out of sight, out of mind

  • Hopefully these tips will give you some guidance on your journey of learning how to organize kids' toys!

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