We all love giving good things to our kids that keep their minds active, challenged, and engaged. It can be tough though to keep up with the influx of toys after the holidays. It's even harder to keep your home clutter-free when your kids' toys are taking over every inch of space. One solution to both combat the clutter, and to help children stay interested in what they have, is to rotate their toys in and out of storage.
Here are a few tips for how to do this effectively:
- Involve your kids in the process. Let them help you decide which toys to put in storage. This will not only make them feel like they have a say in the matter, but it will also help them learn about making decisions and letting go of things they no longer need. If something is broken beyond repair, or is past the stage that they will play with, then I sometimes remove the choice before letting them select. However, most often times, I bring the choice to them and let them make the call. You know your child best, so just go with your gut on this one.
- Be selective about what you keep. It's easy to get attached to your kids' toys, but try to be realistic about what they will actually play with again. If they haven't touched a toy in months, chances are they won't miss it. At SnoofyBee we work hard to make multiuse products that are helpful and fun throughout multiple stages of a child's development. Our Brushing Buddy toy starts out as a fun teether, but once they are older, it becomes a mouth prop they can chew on while you brush and floss the other side of their mouth. Some toys will be worth holding on to for later stages. Some will be best to donate so that another child at the appropriate development stage can enjoy it.
- Use storage bins or boxes. Keep all of the toys you're storing in one place, like a bin or a box, so they're easy to access when you want to swap them out. We like the Costco bins and store them in the garage. They are sturdy and they close tight.
- Label everything. Write a list of the toys you've put in storage, or even better, take a photo and tape it to the outside of the storage container. This will make it easier to remember what's inside and allow your kids to see what toys are available for them to play with.
- Swap out the toys regularly. When your kids start to get bored with their current toys, bring out some of the ones you've put in storage. This will give them something new to play with and keep things interesting.
By following these tips, you can keep your home clutter-free and give your kids the opportunity to play with new toys without having to constantly buy more. Plus, you'll have the added benefit of teaching your kids about organization and letting go of things they no longer need. It’s absolutely made a better home environment in our smallish 1500 sq ft home that is shared by seven people and worth trying out!
*This article was written with help from gpt2.
