5 Tips to Organize a Play Room!
Do you find yourself overwhelmed when stepping foot into your child's play room? Even after tidying it up it still seems disorganized? Here are some tips that you may find useful!
1. Find a home for each item
Ensure there is enough storage space and do not pack things in spaces. If you notice you are “stuffing” or over filling storage container that usually means there is too much stuff. If you have the space, upgrade your storage, but if you do not then it is time to review and pare-down the inventory.
2. Remove broken toys or items with missing pieces
Have the shield of a toy that cannot be found? Get rid of it. Only one marble left of the set? Time to find a new home! Go through each item. You will be surprised at how much the little items that are broken or missing pieces add up!
3. Set up a “Quarantine Bin”
Have a large container in a space that is non accessible or limiting to the child(ren). As you notice a toy being unused for a long period of time, place it in the quarantine bin and after 3 months if they have not asked for it, donate the contents of the bin.
4. Limit intake of toys
As parents, the child often receives gifts at birthday’s and other holiday events. It’s even more difficult when every store seems to have a toy aisle. If you noticed too many toys coming into the house, you can be strategic and creative to limit the toy mayhem.
Suggestions at parties:
Ask family and friends to input money into a saving’s account instead of a gift
Limit 1 gift per couple
Have an “anything but a gift” party
Have a no-gift party and request that their presence is the gift
Ask guests to donate to a specific charity instead of a gift. This is also a great teaching moment for the child. (Food to the food banks, animal supplies to the SPCA, raise money for a specific charity).
Everyday gift recommendations:
Have the child pick out a food treat instead of an item
Buy a gift that can be a teaching tool and useful for the house. Example: ask them to pick a pot and seeds to teach them about gardening.
Buy “gifts” that can be an experience for the child/family (ex. Movie pass, climbing pass, swim pass, local play/concert tickets).
5. Label according to the child(ren)/age group
This is a great learning tool for parents. As the child ages use different labeling. For example, if the child is just learning color have each storage container labeled a color, learning numbers have bins labeled 1 through x, then as the child learns words switch to permanent labeling.
Children are amazingly fast at picking up trends and why not make it into a learning opportunity?
One trick that works great for the little kiddos is to take a picture of what is inside the bin, print it and hang it on the bin so there is zero confusion as to what goes where!
This blog was a collaboration between Mo Better Organized and Play Kootenays!
Find more about Mo Better Organized here: https://www.mobetterorganized.com