Declutter Diaries: Toys

By Y.M. Lowy

Welcome back to Declutter Diaries! Whether you have a full playroom, a toy closet, or just under-the-bed storage, playtime fun can be improved with a little organization. Let’s make sense of the mess!

Organize This:

1. Sort the Mess: Group toys into categories like puzzles, games, cars, dolls, and art supplies with fun labels. Toss all broken items or those with missing pieces, but never in front of your kids.

2. Using Bins: Transparent bins allow kids to see what’s inside without needing to empty them. Soft bins for teddy bears and costumes can be placed on higher shelves for easy access without the risk of heavy objects falling. Choosing a large number of bins in the same color helps create a uniform appearance.

3. Rotate Toys: To prevent clutter, store some toys away and swap them out every few weeks. If toys are overflowing, it might be time to donate ones that aren’t played with anymore.

4. Make Cleanup Simple: Keep the bins and baskets that hold favorites low and accessible so kids can help clean up independently. Each child should also keep one bin of their small trinkets and prizes to keep clutter to a minimum.

One-Item Purge Challenge:

It might be a good time to dump that one loud toy that seems to go off every Shabbos afternoon for hours driving everyone crazy. It probably doesn’t get much use anyway, does it?

Myth Buster:

Myth: For a child’s development, the more toys, the better.

Truth: Too many toys can overwhelm children, making it harder to focus and enjoy playing. A smaller, well-chosen collection helps foster creativity, focus, and independent problem-solving.

Did You Know?

Since 1958, Lego has been following a standard system that promotes consistency. Any Lego block that was produced in 1960 and on will work flawlessly together even up to this date.

How Do You Do It?

Do you give away the toys that your children have outgrown? Or do you carefully tuck away the beloved Playmobil sets, holding onto them for your future grandchildren to play with? Let us know in the comments below!

Photo: Shutterstock