Your Child Will Put Things Away if There's a Place for All His Things!
Whether your home has a separate play area for children, or toy storage is contained in the bedroom, it can sometimes be difficult to keep these rooms from looking like a giant, messy toy box or toy chest! Encouraging children in their imaginative play doesn't end when playtime is over. It's vitally important to help your little ones learn the basics of cleaning, organization and storage at the end of their play session. By instilling this information in them early on, you will ensure they have the tools for success at school and later in life with jobs and their own homes.
Choosing the Right Storage Equipment
The right storage equipment can make toy clean up simpler, easier and more fun. If there is a place for everything, there’s a good chance you can get everything into its place! Children do better if tasks are broken up into small elements, so teaching them to put an item away before they get out the next toy will keep them from feeling overwhelmed at the end of the day.
What sorts of storage equipment will you need? If most of the playing is done in the bedroom, consider a bed with bottom drawers. Toys are close at hand and don't get lost under the bed. If you already have a bed, still include underbed storage. Use bins or boxes especially sized to slip into this area.
Toy Storage at its Best
A standard Toy Box or Toy Chest is always a favorite with kids. How fun to have a special space just for favorite toys! This is especially good for storing large or bulky items.
Another fabulous addition to a playroom or bedroom is a bench with built-in toy chest below. Besides storage, your child has additional seating when playmates come over.
Smaller items are held well in bins, toy boxes and baskets. Special furniture pieces have been designed to hold these items, and they look so organized and neat! There are many attractive options, and one is sure to perfectly match your décor.
Bookcases are also very handy for storage. Of course, books are stored there, but don't overlook the possibility of putting games, videos, or baskets full of toys on the convenient shelves.
Shelving can be added to the walls to hold baskets or bins as well. Perhaps you might want to attach baskets directly to the wall to create cubbies for stuffed animals or lighter toys. And don't forget the closet shelves are a great place to keep toy storage as well.
Bins and baskets are ideal for the toys and collections that flip in and out of your child's play day, keeping things sorted yet handy. Boxes are perfect for less-frequently-used items, keeping dust from gathering. Toy boxes, bins and baskets come in all types of materials, finishes and colors, making them easy to incorporate into any design scheme. A toy box or bin has the added advantage of being stackable. They can sit perkily right on the floor, making access easy for little ones.
Move Toys Around to Create Excitement
Many families use a rotating toy system. The toys are divided into days of the week. On Monday, the first toy box is opened and the toys come out for the day, returning to home at night. Tuesday, the next toy box comes down. This continues throughout the week. By the time a week has gone by, the toys in the Monday box seem fresh and new again. What a clever way to keep the fun in toys!
Whatever style or system you decide works best for your home, remember it won't go from clutter and chaos to being organized and neat overnight. Work patiently with your child or children in this process and you’re sure to get the results you want over time. Instead of spending your time picking up after your child, spend the time teaching him or her how to put things away and home will be a happier, more organized place for many years to come.
