We tend to live in a world where more equals better.
However, when it comes to child development we have found that not to be the case.
There are toys that are marketed out there to help encourage every single skill.
The truth is though…you don’t need to buy ALL of those toys.
Children do better when they have less!
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Messy House with Toddlers
If you have a toddler…or two you know that it can seem IMPOSSIBLE to keep a house tidy.
To tell you the truth…it is not an easy task!
I have struggled with myself a lot.
Being a stay-at-home mom made me think that my house would magically stay tidy all day because I would be here to do just that.
The problem is…my children are here the whole time to undo everything that I clean up.
You can gain some control over the level of “mess” in your house and one of the best ways to do that is by limiting how much you have and storing it properly!
Does your child suffer from too many toys syndrome?
The signs and symptoms of too many toys syndrome can be seen as:
- Your child bounces from one toy to the next…never really engaging in anything
- There are toys everywhere…it is impossible to keep clean
- When it is time to clean up they don’t know where their toys go.
- You are tripping over toys..
If any of these sounds familiar then it is a good thing you are here reading this! I will help you get it under control!
Positive Effects of Minimalism with Kids
One of the top benefits of a minimalism, lifestyle is your house and your child’s room will stay tidy!
With less stuff to pick up and put away, there will be less mess.
It also teaches your child not to rely on things for happiness. Experiences create happiness…not toys!
If there are toys left out all over a child’s room at bedtime, it can make it a difficult transition from play to rest time.
By making sure all toys are put away in their place and out of sight, it becomes a room focused on sleep.
If you are struggling with your toddler’s sleep and they play with toys when it is time to rest you may want to remove all toys from their room and put them in another designated playroom.
Lastly, it will teach them to be tidy. They will learn that their toys have specific places that they go and they will start to pick up things on their own.
Minimalist Kids Room: How to Declutter like a Mother!
Simple Rules for Decluttering Toys
You need to look through ALL of the toys.
You can gather them all up and put them in a pile as that will force to actually look through all of them.
The first and easiest thing to do when going through the toys is to get rid of any toy that is broken or missing crucial pieces.
You do not need to keep anything broken so discard it immediately.
You will most likely be surprised by how much smaller the pile is once you get rid of the broken items.
How to Decide What Toys to Keep
You want to keep toys that are developmentally appropriate for your child.
Most parents do not have a problem picking out new toys that they think their child will enjoy but they often times forget to get rid of the ones they don’t play with anymore.
Really look at the toys and think about the skills that they encourage. Have you seen your child play with the toy recently?
These are things you will want to think about as you go through the toys.
Minimalist Toy List
I like to think of toys in terms of categories.
Here is a good way to decide what toys will be best for your little one to have that will encourage development:
Toys to Build With
These toys include anything that your child can build or create with here. Here are a few examples
Toys that Encourage Movement
These toys get your child moving (which is always a good thing)! Depending on your house size you may have some of these indoors or they may be stored outside or in a garage.
Toys that Encourage Imagination
These toys encourage your child to pretend or imagine. You can read more about the benefits of imaginary play toys here.
Things to Help Them Create
This will include your art/craft supplies. Most of the time you will want to keep these in an area that your child can not access on their own because they may create a mess when unsupervised.
Books…they just get their own category!
Early literacy is so important. Books get their own category because they are so different from other toys.
However, like all other toys, they need to be gone through. Your child can get overwhelmed by having too many books as well!
RELATED POST: Reading Tips for Parents of Toddlers
Organizing Toys on A Budget
The task of creating an organized room for your child does not have to cost an arm and a leg.
If you are looking for ways to store things make sure to ask friends and family if they are getting rid of any toy chests or storage containers.
I picked up an organizer like this for my son’s room for $10 at a thrift store and it as worked out well.
I added curtains to the front because it helps keep the room looking tidy and it actually prevents my son from pulling out all the toys at once.
I love storage containers that have multipurpose as well!
We have storage benches similar to these in our playroom and they are the perfect place to store toys and provide seating.
Also if you have tons of stuffed animals…this may be the perfect solution for those!
You could also decorate shoe boxes or any other box and use them for storage if you are not wanting to purchase any containers.
Toddler Closet Organization
I am completely guilty of shoving everything in my toddler’s closet to make it appear cleaner!
However, that is not the answer.
Once again you need to see what is in there and think about WHY it is in there.
You should ask yourself these three questions when going through your child’s closet:
Do the items in it serve a purpose?
Does your child still use the item?
Does it actually belong in your toddler’s closet?
If you answered no to any of the questions then you know the items need to go!
Make sure you have a large donate box and a trash bag so you can get rid of unwanted items right away.
You may also want to keep a small tub for “memory” items.
If there is a special toy or clothing item that you want to hold on to for sentimental value…go for it!
Put it in the memory box and store it somewhere you can access it whenever you want.
Organizing Toddler Clothes
Toddler clothing is small so you definitely won’t need as much storage space as you would for your own clothes.
We are able to fit most of my son’s clothing into a small dresser and we do have a couple of items hanging in the closet.
In the dresser, we are actually able to fit clothes for all types of weather.
If you don’t have that much space then I would recommend rotating the clothes out depending on the season.
Need more help organizing? Check out some more home organization tips HERE.
Grab your FREE Milestone Guide HERE.
Related Posts You Will Enjoy
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Reading Tips for Parents of Toddlers
Strategies to Encourage Language Development in Early Childhood
What To Do When Stressed Out By Toddler Tantrums
5 Ways to Promote Positive Behaviors in Toddlers
Kayla O’Neill has a master’s degree in education as well as a bachelor’s degree in special education with an emphasis in early childhood education. She has been working as a developmental therapist with babies and toddlers in early intervention since 2012. She is also a mom with two young children.