I feel like all I've been writing about lately is how to stay on top of clutter, but in all honesty, all I've been doing lately is attempting to stay on top of clutter. So much clutter. Everywhere. Seriously, I tidy up one room only to turn around and the toddler has trashed another one.
So here's some easy ways I've been attempting to organise all her toys, as well as some changes I want to make in our home going forward in an attempt to keep on top of it all. Because, decluttering is a full time job!
Clever storage
Honestly, you can never have enough storage. I've written lots and lots in the past about how I tackle storage issues in our small home, but this one is crucial for us. Nearly every piece of furniture we own has some sort of hidden storage within it (my top five pieces I couldn't live without are here), and on top of that I have lots of baskets dotted all over the place. Baskets are fab because they look like a stylistic interior choice, but in reality they're just there for chucking in whatever plastic junk is laying on the floor at any given moment. Drape a throw over the top to hide it all, and there you have it: a stylish feature.
Utilise every space
And I mean every space. Under beds, above wardrobes, under the sofa, nowhere is off bounds! Get yourself some thin but wide storage boxes - I've got some cheap IKEA ones above our wardrobes which store so much more than you'd think, but there's some prettier wicker versions I've got my eye on for under the sofas.
Dedicate a corner of your least used room to a playroom
The absolute dream for me would be a proper playroom, somewhere I can chuck all her junk and shut the door on at the end of the day (or during the day, I won't judge!) But until that's possible I've dedicated a corner to toys in the conservatory - where her play oven and table and chairs live. And for the times when its too cold out there (which is all winter), we've got two large baskets filled with toys in the lounge, tucked away the other side of the sofa meaning I don't have to look at them, obviously.
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| Two baskets of toys live behind the arm of the sofa there - not that you'd know it when its all packed away thank goodness! |
Rotate toys
This is something I've done since she was really tiny - I've always packed away half her toys into the storage within our TV stand, with had the other half 'out' in the accessible baskets on the floor. This way, I've got less toys spread across the floor, and when she gets bored of those things, I can swap them over. This also means I get a guaranteed half hour of peace while she's engrossed with everything she'd forgotten all about. Win win.
Make all your items 'double up'
When buying new things, I always try and think about how it could have more than one purpose, and even contain hidden storage within it. So for example, when not in use, the play kitchen stores lots of little ladies toys and books, whilst the chalkboard drawing station I recently upcycled for her also doubles up as somewhere she can eat dinner.
Think about all large purchases
This is something I definitely need to get better at myself, but if you're not lucky enough to have a dedicated playroom, its a good idea to really think about all the big toy purchases you make. Do you have somewhere this item will go? Or will this be stood in the way taking up valuable space? Our IKEA play kitchen is probably the largest item little lady has, but I made sure there was enough space for it in the conservatory before I bought it. And my final point will definitely help with this too ...
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| Oh the hoards of junk this oven hides inside it! |
Reguarly declutter
And finally, this is the only way I can keep on top of things in our house - have a clear out of any unused toys, especially just before big events like birthdays and Christmas It'll make a huge difference to the dreaded chore of packing everything away come January 2nd!
How do you tackle an ever-growing mountain of kids toys in your home? Any tips would be much appreciated!
Thanks for reading,
Sam Xx
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