DeclutteringThis post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our Disclosure Policy.
Over the last year I have pulled apart, reorganized, and put our toy area back together at least four times. Unfortunately, the systems I come up with never seem to last for long, and the room ends up in shambles in no time (meaning as soon as the kids walk through the door). Needless to say, it’s driving me crazy!
My sweet little ones are going to be in for quite a shock soon because I’ve finally come to the realization that simply organizing isn’t going to be enough to keep the room clean on a regular basis. We’ve tried it over and over again, and it’s not working. We need to take more drastic measures and seriously pare down the toy collection. I’ve lost count of the number of times the kids have come up to me and said they’re bored, and I know it’s because they’ve been overindulged. I think they have too many options and end up overwhelmed.
I will admit to sneaking toys out of the house here and there. Anyone else relate to this?
Who knew my love for Breaking Bad would actually come in handy in my personal life? That kind of terrifies me to be honest, but black garbage bags are a necessity when it comes to secretly decluttering.
So today I thought I’d share some of the posts I’ve come across recently that are inspiring me to adopt a “Less is More” approach. I’m not 100% sure what I’ll be doing yet. Sometimes I’m tempted to just throw all their toys away and make a nice little crafting space for myself, but I think I’ll go the rotating toys route (or something like it) instead.
Why I took my kids toys away & why they won’t get the back {Living Well Spending Less}
The boy with no toys {Natural Life Magazine}
How to rotate toys {Little Stories}
15 Ways to Organize Kids Toys {Clean & Scentsible}
What are your tips for reducing/organizing toy clutter? What rules do you have for your kids so things don’t get out of hand? Please share, I’m desperate!
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– Alma
Thanks, Alma! 🙂
I’m right there with you! I’ve tried and tried to organize our playroom, but it just keeps falling apart! There has got to be a system that works. I would love to write a post about your lovely playroom, but until I can keep it clean and organized for more than 30 minutes, it’s not happening! Thanks for the inspiration & good luck to you!
Thanks, Lindsey. Sometimes it feels like a losing battle, doesn’t it? Good luck to you too 🙂
Yes!!!! I love the Living Well Spending Less post! She just posted an update about it too! Keeping up with the clutter is so tough! Thanks for linking up. I’m so glad you’re here!!
It’s great, isn’t it! I just read her update a couple days ago. We really need to do something similar around here soon. I think it would help everyone.
Those are great links! I’m in the same boat, girl! I’ve learned that you can rearrange junk as much as you want, but it’ll never be organized, until you get it down to where there’s not an overwhelming amount. I’m not sure that we’ve bought Karlee one toy (outside of a few Christmas presents), but you can’t seem to even walk into her room. It’s time to throw away! 🙂 Thanks so much for linking it up at Tips & Tricks… you’ve motivated me to sneak some of those things outta this house!!
Sneak away! Trust me, they never notice. I used to ask my kids what they wanted to get rid of, which never ended well. Those black trash bags and I are great friends now 🙂
I was always able to keep toy clutter down with the philosophy that less is more. My son was allowed 8 stuffed toys. Receive one more? One has to go. Hot Wheels? There is a Hot Wheels storage box that can accomodate 50: once cars don’t fit, some have to go to make room for the new ones. We got rid regularly of toys my son didn’t really care for anymore: puzzles, board games, trucks, books, playdough, building blocks. Action figures, Legos and other construction toys stayed a long time, but they had a home. I had to bend the rule sometimes for Legos: after spending so many hours building a space station, boats, ports, etc. they got to stay for weeks at a time on the floor, at the price of dust. Too bad for vacuuming!
I had a small plastic storage unit with 3 drawers on wheels: that was for the art supplies. My son played in the playroom (in reality the family room) or at the kitchen table, not his bedroom. Bedroom is to read and sleep. And eating has always been sitting at the kitchen table or outside at the picnic table. No food in the rest of the house or in the car.
Definitively, rule #1 is to stop the flow of junk that comes through the front door! When kids have too many toys they don’t cherish and value a few special ones anymore: they all become undistinguished ‘junk’. I believe it also makes children distracted, unfocused, impatient, restless. Less is more.
The only thing I have bought a lot of are books. The same decluttering rule applies: every so often we decide which books stay and which ones go.
My son (15 now) is content with what he has. He spends his money on outings with his friends: he treats them on special occasions. He almost never spends money on stuff. He knows spending time with friends is more important than any stuff. His bedroom is uncluttered. Keeping it simple helps keeping it clean and manageable. Once in a while we do a clean up, letting go of what is not loved or needed anymore.
I wish I’d had that philosophy when I became a mom! Some days I feel like we’ve moved into a disorganized toy store. It’s a nightmare. It really does all become undistinguished junk! We’re making progress (slowly but surely), and I can’t wait to be finished.