August 15, 2011. Bill Szydlowski
credit: Kıvanç NişIn the house, no room can get quite as messy as a child’s playroom. Toys can quickly become disorganized as a child plays and forgets to pick up. Plus, there are often sticky hands and germs being spread around, making a breeding ground for bacteria if parents are not careful. But how can the playroom be kept organized?
There is a way. It will take a few hours of set up, but afterwards, you and your child will enjoy a cleaner, safer playroom.
Start by going through your child’s toys. There are certain to be some that are broken or that your child has outgrown. These toys can be donated or sold if in good shape, or thrown away if not. You also may see some that your child just doesn’t play with. These should meet the same fate, as they are just taking up space if your child doesn’t enjoy them.
Next, consider implementing a toy rotation system. This cuts down on the amount of toys in the playroom, as well as increases your child’s enjoyment of the toys that are out. Taking a few bins, fill them with toys from the playroom. These bins should then be stored somewhere the child cannot easily access, like the basement or garage. In about a month, bring them back out and get the toys out again. It will seem like Christmas morning to your child! Then, while your child is distracted playing with his ‘new’ toys, fill the bins with different ones and put them away.
Finally, make sure that the toys in the playroom are easily accessible. Toy boxes are fine for larger toys, but you really need a toy bin organizer to sort the smaller ones. The See and Store Toy Rack with 12 Bins and the Beck Children’s wooden toy bin organizer with fabric bins are both well reviewed models. Make sure you use labels to encourage your child to put the toys away in the right place.
Updated August 15, 2011. Published June 12, 2011. Bill Szydlowski
