Storage Tips and Ideas for Your Kid's Toys

Is your child's bedroom or playroom overrun by toys? Now that the holidays are behind us, this is the perfect time to take action and organize your child's play items.

Toys collections seem to add up quickly and the visual clutter created may be an issue. In an article on Parenting.com, Katy Koontz explains that, "[Too many toys] can have negative effects on kids' psyches. For toddlers and preschoolers, an overload of playthings can be overwhelming and distracting." Simply put, by reducing the number of toys in your home you will not only prevent accidents, but may also improve your child's health.

The first step in organizing is to get rid of any unused, broken or duplicate toys. One way is to give back and help your community by donating gently used toys to women's shelters where toys are needed. Another way to purge toys would be to sell them either on eBay, at a yard sale or through a local consignment store. If there are toys you can't part with and have sentimental value, one option is to ship them to a grandparent's house to be played with on special visits.

After you have gone through the process of reducing the amount of toys in your home, evaluate how you store toys. If you have limited storage space, I strongly encourage investing in vertical storage units or shelving. Pottery Barn Kids has some great storage wall systems that would be ideal in most playrooms and could be easily scaled down for a bedroom.

If you'd like to conceal your children's play items, this Under the Big Top Storage Tent from Land of Nod is a darling and affordable {$119} option.

This Jenny Lind Bookcase at Land of Nod caught my eye. Love the intricate woodturnings!

If you do decide on having a shelving unit, one nice way to store smaller toy collection such as dolls or cars is in a bin, box or basket. Land of Nod has some stylish vintage train cases and colorful suitcases perfect for housing small trinkets. If you are looking for personalized storage bins, the Macbeth Collection also has some great options.

Another storage solution is a toy chest or bench. Serena & Lily's custom upholstered bench would be perfect at the foot of the bed or under a window. This tufted bench flips open to store toys, stuffed animals or spare blankets. It's available in any fabric from Serena & Lily's extensive line.

Available at Target, this three-piece stacking storage bin set is a great option for keeping toys, games or sports gear neatly organized. The bottom bin has wheels to easily move from room to room.

Storing children's items under your child's bed is another storage option, but can be a dusty one. Posh Tot's storage chest for Sam Beds is a great alternative to storing items neatly and dust-free.

Once you have found a storage systems that works for you and your home, the next step is to keep organized by setting up a daily schedule to put toys away after use or before bedtime. Ask toddlers and older children to help clean-up and reward them with hugs, kisses and praise - rather than food, TV time or more toys.

Do you have a toy storage system that works in your home?