Now that the holidays are over, many parents are left wondering what to do with all the new toys and books their kids got as gifts.Today organizing expert and super mom Rachel Strisik shows Angie Goff some quick and easy ways to organize it all.
Divide Toys: From building blocks to dolls and art supplies in order to begin to organize, you must first see what categories of items you have. Contain smaller items together like markers, match box cars and Legos.
Label Everything: Labels help to further categorize and keep one category to a bin/box. Use picture labels to show children where toys belong. For younger children, label each box/basket/shelf with a picture of the item that belongs there. Use lots of individual pictures to avoid confusion. For older children, take a picture of the shelf or room at large so that they have an idea of what it should look like when it’s done. This will make clean up easier for everyone.
Visual Appeal: Work with your child when looking for containers and consider his/her needs at the time. The more attracted they are to the container, the more likely they are going to want to use it and re-use it. In addition, the easier it is for them to use (is it soft, can they carry it, is it open) the more use it will get. Whether you choose cloth bins or plastic buckets/boxes, there are tons of great options for organizing children’s toys while still incorporating the storage unit into your decorating in kids’ rooms or playrooms.
Think Outside the Box ... Really!: Be creative with how you organize... just because it says shoe bag or shoe box doesn't mean JUST shoes go in them. When you have kids, you want to be creative about how you use the space you have and the products that you might have already around the house. For example, a sweater bag or shoe box from your closet. Instead of holding adult items, these products can organize kid’s items like barbies, hair accessories and dress up shoes. Or a milk crate for books and games.
