Methods for Organizing Children's Toys

My 18-month-old son's toys are currently residing in our living room. We are rearranging all of the bedrooms in our home, so everything except for his crib has been moved into our main living space. Seeing his toys heaped into a giant pile has made me realize that we already need to unclutter his collection. He has toys he hasn't touched in months, and he has a new cousin who would love to play with them.



I've also noticed that my son has difficulty recognizing his toys when they're in a giant pile. He simply sees a mound of stuff, not dozens of individual toys. This is normal for children at his age, and even some adults. The aphorism related to this that you commonly hear is: "He can't see the forest for the trees."



Although traditional toy boxes are great for storing toys when not in use, they're not necessarily developmentally appropriate for children. Additionally, little pieces of toys (like doll shoes and Lego bricks) fall to the bottom of the container, never to be touched again.



Instead, it's better for toy storage containers to be smaller and dedicated by type of toy and/or activity. All dress-up clothes can be in one container if your child has just a few, or you can separate shoes, hats, and clothes into three containers if there are many. Label each storage container with the word describing what is in the box ("Costumes," "Train Engines," "Coloring Crayons and Books") and an image of the toys if your child is still developing language skills.



Also, be sure that all toys are accessible for your child so she can get them out and put them away without assistance. Let your child know that playtime isn't over until all toys have been returned to their storage container.



One storage solution: Ikea has a two-level Expedit bookcase (put it on its side, instead of vertically) for $70 that can attach to the wall and hold eight storage boxes.



How do you organize your child's toys? Share your methods in the comments.