https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 15 Apr 2026 17:39:51 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576638 Tue, 28 Jun 2016 08:54:21 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2576638@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: I still struggle with this with my 3.5 year old. She loves to combine toys to build whatever she's building and I don't necessarily want to restrict her but we have gotten rid of less used toys. There are also 4642943728 pieces to things, especially art supplies, which we "can't" get rid of. We have an 8 month old too so I'm always worried he will find something we missed and choke. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576579 Tue, 28 Jun 2016 08:23:00 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2576579@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: What size/shape is the closet? </p> <p>We do toy rotation under my daughters bed (no box spring so there is room). They each get a few toys on a shelf in their room, we have a few toys on a shelf below the TV in the living room, and on the sun room they have bigger toys and another bookshelf were I set out a few things and a toy box were we store the random parts/pieces (things like a random whistle from a birthday party, a toy from a happy meal, etc). So between those spots, I grab toys from under the bed and set them out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576568 Tue, 28 Jun 2016 08:08:35 +0000 looch 2576568@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I tend to go in the opposite direction, truth be told. I let my son have access to all of his toys at all times and I do not restrict how he organizes them. What I don't tolerate is duplicates, there is no reason to have several different kinds of a shape sorter for example. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576462 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 23:25:46 +0000 ALV91711 2576462@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrswin: We have that same shelf. I have baskets in three and the other is open and toys on the top. Though right now is a disaster with too many toys and needs to be organized. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576435 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 21:26:40 +0000 MrsSRS 2576435@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We store out of rotation toys in a closet in empty diaper boxes. Then we have a shelf with cubbies and do one toy/category per cubby. They play better with very few options. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576415 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 20:38:22 +0000 Cole 2576415@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We rotate and do a similar set up to Mrswin, it makes life sooo much easier! I have toys in 4 places through the house but only a few in each location. My daughter is 20 months and the vast majority of get past time is spent at her kitchen, on the slide or trampoline st it's easy to restrict the rest. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576400 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 20:05:07 +0000 SweetCaroline 2576400@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: we also have this shelf, it's fantastic. The bag of MegaBlocks fit on the top middle shelf, and the Little People barn fits on the middle bottom. Each side bin hold like items: one is balls, another play food and picnic basket, another dolls, etc.</p> <p>We will probably get a second one for downstairs eventually.</p> <p>ETA: The link <a href="http://www.wayfair.com/Atlantic-Outdoor-Storage-8-Compartment-Cubby-MPG-EF01L-L524-K~TNR1217.html?refid=GX71596705230-TNR1217&#038;device=m&#038;ptid=127642058249&#038;gclid=Cj0KEQjwncO7BRC06snzrdSJyKEBEiQAsUaRjHSaii2i6y_bsPNoKRUvLGkuHdKAgZehL7a_wzdvzSgaAn8S8P8HAQ" rel="nofollow">http://www.wayfair.com/Atlantic-Outdoor-Storage-8-Compartment-Cubby-MPG-EF01L-L524-K~TNR1217.html?refid=GX71596705230-TNR1217&#038;device=m&#038;ptid=127642058249&#038;gclid=Cj0KEQjwncO7BRC06snzrdSJyKEBEiQAsUaRjHSaii2i6y_bsPNoKRUvLGkuHdKAgZehL7a_wzdvzSgaAn8S8P8HAQ</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576398 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 20:00:15 +0000 SweetCaroline 2576398@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: I like to use lingerie/delicates bags to store small, like items. Especially helpful for things like this Leapfrog toy that has magnets for all letters in the alphabet.</p> <p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00XSHEJ90/ref=ox_sc_act_image_2?ie=UTF8&#038;psc=1&#038;smid=A147MP66DTO7DY" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00XSHEJ90/ref=ox_sc_act_image_2?ie=UTF8&#038;psc=1&#038;smid=A147MP66DTO7DY</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576342 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 17:42:44 +0000 maddyz 2576342@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just went through los toys and did the closet switch. When too many things are out he doesn't actually play with toys. But with fewer things he will take one toy out to play with.</p> <p>Books end up dumped everywhere, but they are easy to clean up. The duplo are currently up high because I can't handle picking them up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576318 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 16:38:43 +0000 mrswin 2576318@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: Hahaha this is after she had gone to bed for the night and I have picked up. I really do find she is more engaged with the toys she has when there are only a couple of things available.</p> <p>You mentioned that you DS is into putting things into thing. I would identify a couple of toys he already has (ie. A shape sorter and some stacking cups, etc) and put almost everything else away. It will help him explore what he is interested in and allow him to focus.</p> <p>Also I belong to a buy/sell group on Facebook so I am constantly selling stuff she isn't interested in anymore and buy things that I think she would like. This way I am not spending a ton of money on new toys all the time and if it is a bust I can just re-sell it, usually for exactly what I paid! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576307 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 16:25:47 +0000 macintosh 2576307@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrswin: duuuuude. that is so clean. I need to get some mega blocks, my LO is almost 14 months. I'm holding off on buying more toys because they are everywhere. I feel like maybe less is more right now, need to put some things in storage. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576290 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 15:58:29 +0000 mrswin 2576290@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: We have an open plan main floor and I cannot stand toys everywhere plus I felt like she never actually played with anything. We went out and bought this unit from Ikea and then I went through her toys and sorted what I thought would interest her and put everything else away in a storage bin in a closet upstairs. When I notice that she isn't playing with something much anymore I switch it out for something else.</p> <p>ETA: she is 14 months old. The bin on the left has her mega blocks in it and the bin on the right has a couple of dolls and a few books.</p> <p>[attach=1414/16/o9g7li.600x450.image.jpeg] </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576262 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 15:27:02 +0000 macintosh 2576262@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Look at poor Mickey Mouse, he's buried in E's pile! :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576261 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 15:26:20 +0000 macintosh 2576261@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Clearly I need to organize and find places to store toys so we can rotate! LO's closet is huge but it's currently a mess. Is there a better place than target to get some bins? </p> <p>I'm thinking I'd like big bins for the closet for storage and some small ones for the living room where he plays. I'm wondering if I should do something with drawers for the play area so he can open it. </p> <p>Anyone have pics they want to share? I don't do pinterest because it's intimidating to me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576226 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 14:54:25 +0000 JerricaBenton 2576226@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Lo has a lot of little things. We use clear Rubbermaid type containers. Shoebox size for shopkins, etc, bigger ones for barbies, dollhouse stuff, puzzles etc. Everything stays in separate bins and we *try* to enforce one or two bins open at a time rule. And she/we have to put one bin away before we take out another. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576175 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 14:17:11 +0000 youboots 2576175@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I vote toy rotation. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576165 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 14:00:58 +0000 brownepiano 2576165@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I can't stand clutter, or the mess that toy boxes always become (lost pieces). We have one toy box in a spare bedroom and store toys there, organized with all the pieces together in plastic bags. Then in the living room we have one low shelf that his toys in rotation live on. In theory they would all have their own tray, but that doesn't happen. I don't have a set rotation DS just asks to switch out his toys when he thinks of it. </p> <p>We also have some puzzles and other things with lots of pieces that I store high up on a shelf in the living room and he can ask to have one down at a time. </p> <p>His books are on the bottom shelf of our bookshelf and are usually a mess but as long as they make it to the shelf I don't care. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576136 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 13:44:34 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2576136@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Rotate for sure! </p> <p>And clear shoe box size bins. It seems to be the right size to keep toy "sets" together. His cars in one bin, plastic animals in another bin etc. The larger bins are good for the random big things. Plus the smaller clear bins are pretty cheap. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576132 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 13:41:02 +0000 lamariniere 2576132@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What works better for us is taking two bins into the living room (one for each LO) and switching toys out from time to time. </p> <p>And seriously, I've been weeding through and getting rid of things they are growing out of or never play with. With my son's permission, I just gave away a big bag of toy cars. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576131 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 13:40:34 +0000 hummusgirl 2576131@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Rotate! Keep like 5 toys in the bins and put all the rest in a box or two up high in a closet. Every few weeks, switch things out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576129 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 13:35:54 +0000 macintosh 2576129@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Maysprout: clear bins, yes! He was all about the clear bins at the toy store yesterday. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576127 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 13:31:23 +0000 Maysprout 2576127@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's a constant struggle here too.<br /> I have something like this for books in one of my kids rooms.<br /> <a href="http://m.target.com/p/tot-tutors-primary-book-rack/-/A-50286050?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&#038;AFID=google_pla_df&#038;CPNG=PLA_Storage%2BOrganization%2BShopping&#038;adgroup=SC_Storage%2BOrganization&#038;LID=700000001170770pgs&#038;network=g&#038;device=m&#038;location=9053011&#038;gclid=CJb31ffqyM0CFQckhgod6mUExw&#038;gclsrc=aw.ds" rel="nofollow">http://m.target.com/p/tot-tutors-primary-book-rack/-/A-50286050?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&#038;AFID=google_pla_df&#038;CPNG=PLA_Storage%2BOrganization%2BShopping&#038;adgroup=SC_Storage%2BOrganization&#038;LID=700000001170770pgs&#038;network=g&#038;device=m&#038;location=9053011&#038;gclid=CJb31ffqyM0CFQckhgod6mUExw&#038;gclsrc=aw.ds</a><br /> It works decent but doesn't hold a ton. Clear bins are a must for us, otherwise they pull stuff out just to see what's there.<br /> Toy rotation, I need to get better at this but it works well when I do it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/controlling-the-toy-clutter#post-2576120 Mon, 27 Jun 2016 13:24:41 +0000 macintosh 2576120@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm going crazy lately with all the toy clutter in our house. LO plays in the living room. I have 3 big bins to dump everything in, but he has lots of toys with smallish pieces that he just loves to take out and throw EVERYWHERE. It's so annoying having to pick up a million puzzle pieces, blocks, balls, cars, etc. </p> <p>I'm looking for a storage solution that might encourage him to play with one thing at a time, rather than dumping out a whole bin. Maybe I need something with bins that are harder to open? Smaller bins? Drawers? He loves containers so I'm sure he'd enjoy taking things out and putting them back in. Any suggestions, pictures, or links would be appreciated!</p> <p>He also loves to throw his books everywhere. Has anyone found a solution for that? </p> [attach=2625/16/o9g0nw.600x450.image.jpeg]