The two words that will get those toys organized!

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“Please no. Wha…what is that smell? ”  

I beg my stomach to stay strong.  This is horrible.  I’d take a fresh poopy at this point.   Yes; I said it – it’s that bad.  But I have to face the sea of toys before me and conquer this suffocating odor.

Oldest banana I’ve ever seen.

Now this is probably a good time to assure you I’m a clean person.  I mean, very clean. So for this to happen?  Well it means only one thing:

I’m a mom.

Am I the only one amazed by how much “stuff” kids acquire?  It’s incredible.  Stuff, stuff, stuff and more stuff.  Everywhere.  And bless their emerging imaginations, but all household items hold the potential of merging into a toy.  Toilet paper rolls and colanders immersed among Fisher Price and Melissa & Doug everything!

If this didn’t seem like the perfect opportunity for one of the many organizing systems I force my family try to implement, what was?

I learn so much from trial and error.  Organizing and finding efficiency in a household is always an evolving process.  But, there are two words that always ring in my mind for all organizing projects:  SIMPLIFY and CATEGORIZE.

Do you need it?  Most likely the answer is “No.” So,  SIMPLIFY!  (I promise you won’t miss it!)

Do you have a place for it?  Make one.  CATEGORIZE!

Below are the steps I took to create toy storage that was efficient and easy easier to keep clean.

I started with One Large Compartment:  a basket trunk from Ikea that fits nicely with most home decor.

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Byholma Chest from Ikea – $59.99

From there, I decided to use smaller, plastic containers within the basket to subdivide and eliminate another place to throw miscellaneous toys.

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This toy storage organization solution has worked wonders for our family!

If my kids want to play with toy cars, we get out that specific container. Only that one. Only one at a time.  Not everything.  In addition, it’s been a great tool in teaching them to participate in cleaning up and finding the right place for each toy.

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Every two weeks or so, I do some usual maintenance on the storage basket.  It doesn’t take long and it’s less overwhelming than tackling a random pile of toys.

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If you want to feel more organized with toy clutter, take a chance and see how these small steps make a BIG difference!

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Kelley Morrison
Kelley Morrison was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, snatched a business degree from Saint Mary’s College in Northern California, and has 8 years of Commercial Real Estate experience under her belt. So you’d never guess that her true passion always lied in dreaming of being a mother, organizing, owning her own business and somehow merging these all into one day. Her husband of 6 years and two toddlers are the absolute loves of her life. Having a boy and girl allows her to tap into both her tomboy and girly side: playing ball and dressing up as princesses…just in time for weekly date night with her handsome hubby. And if this wasn’t enriching enough, developing Organized by Kelley, her personalized blog and Etsy Shop, has now become her creative outlet for living life efficiently.

3 COMMENTS

  1. Love it! I wanted to recreate in my house. What room do you have this in? And is it behind a chair?
    Thanks!
    Desi

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