Hi all! I’m am raring to go for the new year! As much as I love the coziness and sentiment of the holidays, come January, I am ready for a fresh, clean start for the new year. I spent Sunday and Monday getting all the Christmas decor packed up and put away and the house looks so simple and clean again:)
Although we only bought James a few gifts for Christmas, our family brought lots of presents and with all the toys he’s accumulated since birth, I knew that now was a good time to start getting his toys organized.
I started by gathering up all of the toys from the living room and putting everything in his room so I could put like toys and small parts together. His big race car, tricycle, dump truck and wagon went into the garage.
I kept some toys in the living room, but I am happy that it doesn’t look like a toy box anymore (see below, the toy box version of the living room:)
I found a $50 organizing shelf with bins at Target along with a few big canvas bins and got to work organizing and throwing out the broken toys and books. Are all kids this hard on books??
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LOVE it….I need to run to target and see if I can findone of those….BTW where did u get the huge J rug at?? I love it
thanks
Felicia
felicialetran@yahoo.com
so… my family room looks like the "before" pictures. We do have a separate living room that is adults only, but we never go in there. You did such a great job with the toy organization.
Sidenote- can you believe our little ones are going to be 2 in just a few months!?
About to get in reorganisation mode today once I have taken my two children to school, I have the whole week to blitz the house!
It is a very good idea to teach James how to tidy up, I did this with my children and I never have any fuss from them when I tell them its tidying up time before bed/going out/when I have had enough of the mess, and they are now 8 & 6!
Where did you get those chevron striped bins? I love them!!
Kayleigh
@ The Gotta Have It Girl
M-
My kids are that hard on books. Well, really, just Moose was. Once James hits 4 like Moosey, the toy situation is colossal.
I now have an entire closet dedicated to toys. So that way I rotate them, otherwise, my house looks like a sea of plastic crap.
I have the expedit shelving from Ikea to house the kids toys in our frontroom, b/c I don't let them in their room to play.
That's where boring timeouts happen. And they happen often.
Happy nesting and organizing…I'm in that January mode as well…
I had that same toy organizer in my son's room when he was that age! I believe if you make putting toys away easy on them they'll be better at doing it themselves. Good job momma!
I am in total organization mode right now. I haven't touched my son's room yet though, slowly but surely… I am making my way back to that toy-explosion of a room lol.
Happy new year!
I love the reorganize bug! I have had it too for the last few days. I love those bins from Target. I was eying them yesterday when I was there. Hope you had a great New Years!
Oh the days of Big/Many Toys, I remember them well! I love the bins you've chosen though – where did you get the Chevron striped ones?
You are so smart to start the "put things away" routine now while he still at the age where he likes to help and do things like that!! Love those bins on the floor.
I got hardcore with the stuffed animals right after Christmas and am getting rid of ones that the girls haven't looked at or touched in months. Even if they were gifts…they're just taking up room. :s I felt awful at first, but they haven't really noticed and it made their room feel so much more open.
I love all your organizing tips and tricks! And the bins you found for James' toys are too cute!
XO,
Sam
http://www.ThePeakofTresChic.com
Note to self – USE the tubs that Santa got as part of Squiggle's new bedroom furniture… Thanks for the inspiration!
the way you organized his toys..they looked almost like home decors.. 🙂 nicely done! 🙂
I want those chevron bins! Are they also from Target?
Wanna come by and tame my closet full of shoes 🙂
This is the part I dread about my little girl growing up… toy explosion. I am trying to plan now and allow for space to store toys as she grows but I can already tell it is going to be hard. Purging is definitely necessary.
Great job!! I do love your organizing posts 🙂 I was doing this today as well! I haven't really gotten serious in Jacob's room just yet though. Just banished the stuffed animals to make room for the big task. This year was especially crazy with toys, as my grandmother bought everything at the store in Jacob's age range!!! I have a job ahead of me!
Looks wonderful. this is an on going battle in my house. TOYS TOYS TOYS
Aw his little toys are so precious : ) The bins look great and I'm sure little James loves them too… now he can see all of his toys and play with them easily! Great job!
I just did the same thing in our bonus room! My triplet's toys were seriously taking over! Take a look at what I did here:
http://moonpiedreams.blogspot.com/2012/01/toy-storage.html
Thanks for sharing! It looks awesome!
I MUST have those bins! Yes, my 20-month-old is VERY hard on books. I don't understand why, because it's just a book, but I've had to toss some because they were in poor condition to even give away.
Oh goodness! I am going through the same thing. They have SO MUCH STUFF! I think the challenge is that we want it to be accessible, but still look organized. It looks great! Love all your new containers!
I love the big toy purge every year!!! I made my kids donate more than they received…so everything fits in closets and cabinets. James' toys will get smaller as he gets older…but for now, the cubbies are great!!
You did a nice job-the toys are still accessible and yet it still looks like a little boys room. Love the canvas bins. So cute.
and you can now come over and work your magic here!! I am in major need of toy overhaul & organization.
p.s. we need to get together soon & hit up the design center!
I just scooped up some of those chevron bins in green and white. His room looks great. I heart bins in a major way so the kids can put it back themselves.
Wow – what a transformation! I bet that feels good to get all of those toys organized. With three kiddos I feel like I am constantly corralling toys. We are moving soon and I can't wait for all of these toys to find a new home. You've done great job!
Great job! I was just posting about organizing kid toys. It's so important to include the kids but you don't want to make your house feel like a 'toy store' either. Great balance!
I love those shelving units with the plastic bins when our girls were little!! I still can't believe how many stuffed animals our girls own(ed)!!! I have boxes of beanie babies in the basement!!! LOL
Great job organizing all those toys! I just wish our little one's bedroom was that big…we barely have room for her furniture!
Loves great! Ikea makes great storage options in the Trofast line, that way you can either do shelves for books and/or bins in the same unit and they come in so many sizes.
These are great tips! I know my niece is just about overrun with toys. It's nice to weed things out every once in awhile!
Thanks for
Allyson
http://cupcakescandycanes.blogspot.com
This is so great. Just what I needed to read to encourage me to get my daughter's toys organized. I love the way everything is so tidy in your son's room! It looks adorable.
the kids' toys are going to be the end of me. seriously. they've taken over my life.
http://www.etsystalkers.com/
Toys are so much work, and your organization is so easily dismantled. But doesn't it feel great! 😉
He's darling and it looks like you had a fabulous Christmas.
What I really need to know is where you bought your rug in the living room. I *need* to know! It's beautiful.
Happy 2012!
Abby
wonderful, wonderful post! Ive been trying to figure out what to do with all Morgans toys and this is awesome!! Thanks for such a great post
I am loving this post. Organizing the chaos of the toys is my top resolution this year. I am so tired of stubbing my toe on a block or toy car. These are good ideas.
He is such a cutie! That organization bin looks so helpful. I noticed you didn't have many wooden toys. If you ever wanted to give them a try, I adore everything by Plan Toys. Their ride on toys are even pretty enough to be displayed in the living room. Just a thought as wooden toys can add beauty to a space.
Ok I seriously need to do this. I feel like we have toys everywhere in our house it stresses me out. and the ones with a million little pieces are the worst. I so wish we had a playroom I could just dump them all in. You have some mad organization skills girl!
We had to buy more cubbies for toys as well. And yes, I have a 21 month old and he is just as hard on books. He likes to bend the books backwards and then pretend he is a montser and says rawr with it in front of his face!
I have that same toy organized from Target for my 6-yr old and it is a lifesaver! I plan on getting another for my 17-mo old, or maybe Target's 9-cubby shelf. Love your blog! http://www.justhadabrightidea.blogspot.com
Apparently toddlers LOVE to destroy books. I had to stop getting mine those pop-up/fold-up books because she kept ripping them apart and putting the pieces in the trash. LOVE his room!
Really really organized! Love this.
Online Toy Shop
Where did you get your dog plastic stackers? It's in your sons red toy bin tote from target. I remember that from when I was a kid and can't remember what the name of it is. Love your blog !!!
Good eye! Those were my husband's toys from when he was a kid. His parents brought them over!