This is Step 4 of the 7 Genius Steps to Sustainable Toy Organization series where I show you step-by-step exactly how to get your toys organized and KEEP them that way day after day. If you missed Steps 1, 2, and 3, check them out in the links below.
In the first two steps, we had some BIG wins! We gathered the toys and sorted them.
Next, we decluttered and minimized, so that only awesome toys remained!
If you missed Steps 1-3, check them out in the links below:
Steps 1 & 2: Gathering and Sorting
Step 3: Finding Keepers
We are now halfway through the Sustainable Toy Organization series, and maybe you’re needing a little inspiration!
Check out EYT’s Pinterest board Pretty Playrooms.
Let’s keep this momentum going!
Step 4: Decide Where to Keep ‘Em
In Step 3, we decluttered and got rid of stuff. Now we have a curated mass of toys that will keep our kids engaged and thriving.
I bet you’re ready to organize.
But there’s still one more step to get through, and it’s a good one!
Before you put toys away, you have to know where to put them!
These questions will help you determine how you will organize toys, so give them some serious thought before you move on to the next step.
- Where do the kids like to play? Do you need to change the location?
- Which categories have the most toys? Can you create special play zones where those toys will stay permanently?
- Do you want to rotate toys or further limit the number of toys that are accessible?
- Will you display toys or will hide most of them away?
Keep these questions in mind as we talk about play zones and toy rotation.
Play Zones
Play zones are special areas limited to one category of toy.
Think about it this way, our homes have dining rooms for eating, bedrooms for sleeping, kitchens for cooking, and so on.
We keep stuff we need for those activities in the rooms we do the activities in.
You won’t find pots and pans in the bedroom!
Play zones work the same way.
Books stay in the reading nook. Food toys stay in the play kitchen. Trains stay with the train table.
If you zone out playrooms or play areas, it will help kids understand that toys have specific places and it will be easier for them to mentally and physically organize what was once a jumbled mess of toys.
A big playroom is obviously the easiest to create play zones in.
However, if you don’t have a playroom, you can still create play zones within your kids’ main play areas.
Play Zones in Our Home
We don’t have a playroom. Instead, our kids have two main play areas: their bedrooms and the family room.
Play zones are set up within these two areas.
In the kids’ bedrooms, I have some toys out for them to access at any time. These are “zoned” appropriately.
The rest are packed up in their closets.
Our play zones in the kids’ bedrooms include a table, a rug for floor play, a few hooks with dress-up clothes and a basket of pretend play toys, and a reading nook.
In the family room, we have one cabinet reserved for kids’ toys, and a stocked play kitchen hangs out next to the TV.
A little table and chairs wait nearby for art projects, snack time, and any imaginative play scenario requiring a table and chairs.
All art supplies are stored in a supply closet, and half our book collection lives in crates in the reading areas, while the rest are displayed on a couple IKEA picture ledges.
Books, food toys, dress-up, crafts, and dolls are what our two-year-old daughter enjoys most right now. Our play zones reflect her interests and will change as her interests change.
Adjust Play Zones by Interest
You can start by creating play zones based on the volume of toys you have per category.
Do you have tons of food toys? Set up a short, sturdy bookshelf as a food market to display the toys.
Do you have lots of Legos? Dedicate a space for building and displaying Lego creations.
Make sure your play areas meet your kids’ needs and interests, and toys will finally be played with and have a place to belong!
Toy Rotation
Rotating toys is a great way to breathe life into old toys and to keep toys from becoming stale and boring.
Kids can only play with so many toys at a time anyway, and having too many toys creates a cluttered environment that is overwhelming both for us and them.
Another great thing about rotating toys is that most of your children’s toys can be put away neatly in a closet or storage area.
Toy rotation is PERFECT for homes with small play areas.
To rotate your toys, every week, or biweekly, replace the toys that are out with toys that were previously in storage.
You can select toys by theme (like animals or trains) or by type (such as one from each toy category).
Just make sure to have a variety of types of toys out.
Having toys that are too similar will keep kids from being able to practice all the skills they’re working on.
And then they’ll be bored and whiny, and we definitely don’t want that!
Summary of Step 4: Where to Keep ‘Em
We are now halfway through the series.
Today you thought about where you want to keep the toys and you may have started putting some of them away.
Great!
You’ve got a head start for tomorrow’s challenge!
If you missed the first two posts, check them out in the links below:
Steps 1 & 2: Gather and Sort
Step 3: Finding Keepers
I hope this series has inspired you to declutter and get toys organized!
Please shoot me an email or leave a comment here or on Facebook letting me know how toy organization is going for you!
I’d love to improve on this resource and make it a guide that can help everyone succeed, and I need some input from you guys!
Step 5 is up next!
See you there!
PS: If you like this series, pin it and share it!