If you have young kids, it’s far too easy for your home to turn into a war zone of toys and clutter. Reclaim your living spaces with these simple tips:
1. Gather all toys and games from the whole house into one area. Ruthlessly edit down to the favorites. Your kids can help by letting you know what they love and what they no longer play with. Donate the rest to your local charity.
2. Sort all of the “keepers” into broad categories. Try to limit yourself to no more than ten broad categories so you have less to manage. I suggest storing no more than 3-5 categories in your shared living spaces. In our house we keep board games, wooden blocks and magna tiles in our living room and an art cart in our dining room. We store books, babies, dress-up, and a toy kitchen in our girls’ room. If you have nice toys for your children to grow into, relocate them to a high shelf in a storage closet, or child’s bedroom.
3. Contain your categories in pretty open bins or baskets that go with your overall style and decor. Clean-up is much easier when you just have to toss things into large floor bins.
4. Remember that children are endlessly creative. They truly don’t need a lot to stimulate their imaginations. Instead of giving them the latest gadget or toy, try providing them with clear, open spaces to run, play and create.
