Toy Management

Occasionally I feel embarrassed about the amount of toys in my house. We have toys in our TV stand cupboards, stand-alone toys, toys in baskets in the dining room, toys in our little boy’s room, bath toys in the bathroom, and an entire toy closet. So. Many. Toys. Dad has a hard time saying no, Grandma and Grandpa don’t even know the word no, and I add to this by having an obsessive compulsive need to own complete sets. All of this combined could amount to incredible toy chaos, but we have a few ways we keep things under control around here!

Organization.

We probably have around twenty storage bins of a variety of sizes throughout our house. Each one has a specific purpose and holds a different category of toys. My two-year-old boy has always been particular about many aspects of his day – he thrives on routine and he likes things the way he likes things. So my organization of his toys works really well for him because he understands that everything has a specific place and he is extremely good about putting toys away where they belong!

Versatility.

Most parents would agree that kids are able to turn any object into what they want it to be thanks to imagination. But an easy way to further along the imagination is buying versatile toys that automatically serve many purposes! Toys that are safe to chew on, water proof, and harmless for all ages are examples of versatility in toys. Versatility helps insure that each toy gets a good amount of playtime, since they can be played with in many situations! My favorites, when it comes to versatile toys, are toys that travel well, toys that grow with my kids, and toys that can be passed down to my younger babes. Oli & Carol products are excellent examples of versatility when it comes to toys! These products are perfect for the tub, make excellent chew toys, add a good amount of creativity to playtime, and can easily serve as decorations for bedrooms or playrooms. So much goodness in one small toy!  

Quality.

Obviously, quantity isn’t a priority around my house. But quality is! Buying good quality toys makes all the difference in the world. Cheaply made toys are quicker to break, become distorted, and often aren’t as well taken care of as higher-quality made toys. Often, an extra few dollars goes a long way when it comes to the lifespan of a toy. One thing to keep in mind though, just because something is nicer or more expensive, doesn’t necessarily mean kids will like it more than other toys!

Rotation.

Rotating toys has become our favorite way of keeping things fresh, exciting, and in good condition! The toys downstairs near the television get played with exponentially more than the toys upstairs in the closet, as we spend the majority of our day downstairs. Because of this, every few months we switch the bins around to mix things up and get everything played with! This is a particularly good idea when it’s a grumpy day and I need an extra boost of happiness or distraction around here.

 

I love experiencing the ebb and flow of popularity of toys at my house. It’s rather entertaining and has become pretty telling of different phases my son is going through. And while I’m SO incredibly excited to get our basement finished and send the vast majority of the toys downstairs to their own domain, I’m happy with our methods of keeping things organized and functional where they’re at now.