No Mess Kids Toy Organization

Here is a fun one for you today!

I'm sharing how we organize our kids toys! :)

You see, Tyler hates stuff out of place and on the floor. Well, the toys didn't really have a place and were ALWAYS on the floor. So we have tried quite a few different systems, but now we have something that seems to be working well.

First we tried nothing. . . . . That didn't work so well... Haha

Then we tried a small basket of toys in the front room. One for each child. It was ok, but toys would more easily end up on the floor of the front room/family room. And those baskets would fill up quickly with toys from their room.

Then we tried ALL their toys in their room with easy access to every-thing. That worked better, but they would just carry lots of toys to the front room. So to convince Tyler that we really shouldn't throw away all their toys, I came up with this!

A toy cabinet! 

I did a major purge of their toys and put it into categories. Then I kept the categories they played with most often and the ones that encouraged imagination. I just used bins I had around the house, but most of these are dollar store. Then I added cute labels! More to help Tyler know where they go and to keep me from just shoving things inside when I feel lazy.

Here is the front of the cabinet:

This little label I made shows each bin that is inside. And I drew it myself!! (It took like an hour and a half, but was fun to do.) you could just copy and paste pictures and print it off! Or you can print off the previous picture, but your categories will probably be different :)

We got this cabinet when we moved into the house. The previous owners left it. Except it was an ugly forest green with a bad paint job and the front wasn't connected to the rest of the cabinet. . . . It needed some love :) I painted it an olive green with paint someone had given me. Then Tyler helped me add hinges I bought at Home Depot and a knob from our bathroom vanity. Now it's really cute and functional!

 I keep the cabinet "locked" by using a shoelace! Haha! We get creative around here.... And when the girls would like to play with something, they ask, and we get one bin out at a time. They have to clean up their current bin in order to get a new one. And we also use this toy box:

That turns into an ottoman, for their 2 toys they can have all the time. This is also really nice if it's too late to clean up their bin, I just throw it all in the box until the next day. Works great! Tyler also made this toy board:

If you can't tell, each toy is tied to the board and can't be strewn across the floor! It was Rosie's birthday present this year. But if you ask me, it was more a present to us, haha! 

This system is really nice! I feel with less toys they are much more imaginative. Instead of moving so quickly from toy to toy to toy to toy.... You get my point. :) and there isn't any of "I just cleaned this room!!" Going on anymore. :) or at least, not nearly as often. 

To give a better idea, those pictures I showed are ALL of my kids toys. Where some might think I'm depriving them from lots of toys- I instead feel I'm blessing them with less clutter for their mind! Less toys and choices to confuse and overwhelm. I see they are so much more content with the toys they do have. :)

Now, I don't know everything, and this system has been working splendidly for us! But find what works best for you, and I hope this could be an inspiration! I personally feel children do better with less toys- but that is my opinion! And if you are the opposite- I still love you and think you're a great parent! Because how many toys your kids have is definitely not an indicator of how good a parent you are. Or if you bottle feed, breast feed, raw diet, sleep in crib, sleep with you, cloth diaper or not. What makes you good is your love. :) so keep on keeping on! And I hope to inspire you to implement systems that make life easier. 

(Easier being the key word there ) :)

Oh!!!

As for their books....

I haven't really gotten a good system yet. I think they should have free access to something as good for their brains as books- but the mess it creates is too much for my sweetheart. So we will keep trying and thinking on that one...

Love you!

Jamie