Decluttering And Organizing A Toy Room Or Space

Decluttering and organizing a toy room or space is not my favorite pass time activity I admit. I dread the thought of facing the numerous toys scattered all over the room or space that I have designated as a toy room.

My kids continually get toys for birthdays, Christmas, nothing in particular, all-year-round and it may end up collecting in a mass pile of toys that become missing or are damaged, etc. So I have been procrastinating getting their toy room decluttered and organized since forever because let’s face it, “It’s a lot of work”.

But I finally decided to take on the challenge (thanks to one more LEGO getting jammed in my foot) and to give them a space that is more organized to suit their growing needs.

I will give you tips on how to declutter and organize your toy room or space. What has your experience been? Please feel free to ask your questions or concerns below. I would be happy to help you!

“If I step on one more LEGO, I am going to scream!”

get motivated to start decluttering

My biggest issue with starting the decluttering process was actually having the motivation to do it. I peek into my kid’s toy room and see the mess they have created, especially with the little pieces of toys from puzzles, blocks, etc. lying all over the floor and I cringe and run for the door.

I am sure that you may feel the same pressure as I do. I however had to face reality and tackle the task, as my kids who made the mess, didn’t even want to stay in the room anymore. They took up residence in the living room. What’s the point anyway for having a toy room with no kids in there. So I had to get quickly motivated and set a deadline to get it accomplished.

So instead of buying more toys this year, that I know will end up on the pile of never-ending toys, I decided to surprise them with a newly organized toy room for Christmas (my deadline).

I had no choice but to get it accomplished. I thought if I just get it organized and fun enough, they would actually want to spend some time there. So here is how I got started after getting motivated to do so.

Get boxes to help with sorting toys

So the first step for me was to sort the toys. This took a LONG time because it was the worst part of the experience, but the biggest accomplishment after I was finally finished. Now it may be quicker for you to get it done if you’re, not a procrastinator.

The kids had toys that they outgrew, damaged, or were not interested in anymore that were just sitting there. So I decided to sort based on that concept. With their help, I was able to pack away the toys that they had already outgrown into boxes and garbage bags.

Then I decided to throw out the damaged toys and finally pack away the ones they were not interested in anymore. This did not happen overnight I confess.

The sorting actually took some months at its best based on my motivation or lack thereof. Whatever timeline or schedule that works for you, just do it a little at a time. We are all busy moms anyway.

Donate or sell toys

We decided to sell some of the toys and donate some to children’s homes, Goodwill, etc. See what is best for your family and remove the toys, so that you can be consistent in the decluttering process. There are many ways to do this.

Donating toys

This is a great way to give away gently used toys to others who are in need. There are children’s homes, charity organizations such as Goodwill, Salvation Army, Samaritan’s Purse, Toys for Tots, Lighthouse ministries, etc., or thrift shops that can benefit from your contribution of toys, especially the new, or gently used ones.

Check your local listings for areas that are accepting donations. Also be aware that because of covid many places may have stopped collecting toy donations, therefore before making a trip over to the facilities call ahead of time to find out what is actually happening.

Selling toys

Toys can be sold on various platforms, including, Offerup, Facebook market, eBay, etc. The funds you receive can go towards getting furniture, toys, etc. for the toy room or even donating it to charity. Whatever you decide to do is completely up to you.

Sort the toys that You actually want to keep

After removing the unwanted or damaged toys, we actually started sorting the toys they wanted to keep. my kids were included in this process because I wanted to show them as well as how to keep their toys together and organized.

They were actually excited about the process because of course, they ended up seeing all the toys they actually had or did not play with because It was lost in the pile-up of toys. This activity taught them how to keep things sorted and organized so that they are able to find them when they needed them.

It also cuts way back on the “Mommy I can’t find my toy” phrase as I am the missing toy detective in my household. I got bins and boxes from food supplies etc. and had them place all the toys into different categories. For example, LEGOS, trains, puzzles, building blocks, cars, etc.

Find a Toy storage bin or system

After the decluttering process was complete, now it was time to find toy bins, etc. to organize the toys. There are so many different ways available to organize toys on the market. I decided to go with Ikea because I liked the cost and also the style they offered.

Some places were just way outside of our budget for a toy room fix-up. After reading many reviews on toy storage ideas, I decided to go with IKEA TROFAST storage which is available on Ikea.com.

I loved this storage concept because not only was it stylish but also practical. I purchased two units that I used to store the majority of their toys. I was able to get bins with colors that I know they would love in order to brighten up their toy room. If you do purchase this option, make sure to get the larger bins as well to store the bigger toys.

Organize Toys in Bins

Now that you have already sorted the toys, it’s time to arrange them into the bins or toy storage system you have decided to use. There are so many ways to organize toys, but choose the one that is more practical and meets your family’s needs.

You can also opt-in for labels on the containers or storage units you choose. You can either make your own, or purchase from Etsy or any craft stores around. I didn’t choose to use labels as yet, because my kid’s toys may need to be changed or switched around as they grow. This option is totally up to you.

Find Creative ways to store other toys

Not all of your kid’s toys will fit into the storage units. Let’s be realistic, they may have a lot of toys and some are irregularly shaped or out of place. If you do have an additional closet in your toy room, then that would be another way to store away toys as well.

You can find or purchase additional white bins (Dollar store, Target, etc.) to store them away. Depending on your space, you may have to store some in the garage as well. I like to also rotate toys with my kids especially if they do have too many toys so that I can keep the clutter down and contained a bit.

It will also keep them interested in toys that they may not have remembered anything about later on.

A. Lego table with storage bins

I decided to DIY a LEGO table with storage bins, as this was a favorite toy for both of my two boys. Their LEGOs were always, misplaced, on the ground and all over the house. At first, I searched on Amazon for LEGO tables but did not find the price to be cost-effective.

These LEGO tables were so expensive. I decided to jump on Pinterest just to see what others were doing and I was able to combine a few ideas and create my own LEGO table (Ikea LACK coffee table).

Read my blog on How To Make A LEGO Table From IKEA LACK Center Table.

Now the LEGOS are contained and I couldn’t be any happier.

B. Book Storage

My kids have a lot of books and they are always all over the house. I wanted to purchase something that would keep some of the books in one area, so as to reduce the clutter with books being all over, but at the same time also being easily accessible.

There are many different ideas for book storage. Some opt for bins or spice racks etc. I found a book rack storage bin on Amazon that was not too big, that it would take up too much space in the toy room, but had space for a good amount of books that they could continually read.

Decorate

I decided to concentrate on three colors when I started to decorate. I love colors and I think they are attractive to my kids. Later on, the bins can be removed or swapped out based on their preferences as they grow.

My color scheme was orange, grey, and yellow, which I incorporated in different ways throughout the room. My initial inspiration was a school photoshoot that they both did holding the word “dream big”. I mixed the colors around based on this photo.

I also found the matching pillows on Amazon.com.

The picture and photo frames were purchased from Ikea. The letters on the wall were purchased from Micheals and the Nike shoe photo was purchased at Burlington. The alphabet and number charts were given to them by their grandmother (Not sure where she purchased them, but she did get them laminated).

Happy Kids

Since the big reveal at Christmas of the newly organized and decluttered toy room, I must say that my kids were in awe and now actually enjoy their own space. They are even more appreciative of actually cleaning up their toy room and keeping it organized.

It has been truly a wonderful experience getting this accomplished for them.

Overall I do hope that this blog will inspire you to create your own unique LEGO table as well. Hope you found it helpful. If you do need more information on how I made the IKEA HACK LEGO TABLE, please visit my blog on How To Make A LEGO Table From IKEA LACK Center Table.

Did you find the strategies listed in this article helpful? What were some of your favorite tips? How have they worked for you? Leave a comment below, I’d love to know what you think.

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