Children bring so much excitement and joy to the world, but they also bring the mess. It’s natural that with time, the rooms in your house will fill up with equipment, clothing, and of course, toys. Why does it take so long to clean and tidy playrooms, sometimes even days, but only a few seconds for the toys to start piling up once more?
Learning how to manage and arrange all the “child stuff” that takes up space in the playroom or bedroom is a necessary part of being a parent. Unfortunately, having too many “things” can make toy rooms dangerous. In addition to young children attempting to put little toys in their mouths, which can be a choking hazard, parents’ top concern is stumbling over and stomping on tiny toy pieces.
Toy-filled playrooms can be highly overwhelming for children and distracting. Here are some suggestions to clear the clutter and improve the play environment in your child’s room because children need to play to learn.
Organizing Your Children’s Playroom
1. Put the toys in the bin
Bins are an excellent playroom storage choice to arrange and keep toys, art supplies, and games, even if they are open bins, closed transparent plastic bins with covers, linen laundry bins, colored buckets, or baskets. When tidying up, it’s simple for small children to place all of their toys in a huge toy box and open container, but the bigger the bin, the more difficult it may be to find a certain toy without dumping the whole thing. Although they may be best arranged for usage within a closet, clear bins make it simple for children to recognize the toys inside. When constructing a playroom, colored or ornamental bins can provide a more eye-catching and minimalistic look.
2. Rotate toys
Having too many play options can make it difficult for youngsters to choose what to play with, which might result in their not playing anyway or playing with the exact toys repeatedly. Toys that are not in use or are only used sometimes should be put in storage bins or closets. Every few weeks, switch them in and out of the playroom. This provides youngsters with fresh toys to play with regularly, which can lower the likelihood of boredom.
3. Declutter toys
The lesser toys you have, the easier for you to clean them up! Involve your child in decluttering the toys. Look over the toys and discard any that are damaged or hardly used. This will enable you to make the most of the available space and make a place for the toys your kids adore.
4. Invest in space-saving toys
Are you unsure of the room’s capacity to accommodate a playhouse or tent? Be realistic about the amount of space you have when organizing the playroom. Despite taking up a lot of room and frequently containing many little toys, large toys like playhouses and kitchens may be a lot of fun. Look for playhouses, tunnels, and pop-up tents that have readily detachable and foldable elements for storing when not being used.
5. Donate toys frequently
Create a donation or plan for when toys are no longer used for play and should be given to new owners. It’s a good idea to involve youngsters in selecting the toys to donate especially during the holidays, a birthday, or the start of each new season. Find a neighbor who has a young child to help, or give to a charity, church, school, or daycare. After selling the toys at a yard sale or on the Facebook marketplace, you can even try to recoup a small amount of money to purchase new ones. Any unsafe toys that are damaged, dangerous, or that has been recalled should be disposed of.
6. Torn between shelves or cabinets?
Can’t decide between cabinets and shelves while looking for furniture to assist organize? It’s not just you. Storage options will alter as your children get older and more independent, depending on their age and abilities. Although keeping things in cabinets helps lessen the look of clutter, combining the two methods may be your best bet. The best place to keep toys that you don’t want children to use or that require adult supervision is in locked containers within a cabinet or closet that the child cannot access. To prevent them from toppling, fasten any furniture or shelves to the wall.
7. Utilize the walls
It’s excellent for youngsters to draw on vertical surfaces like easels, but they take up too much space, so think about utilizing walls as an alternative surface. To minimize space and encourage creativity, put a whiteboard or paint the wall to make a chalkboard. For voracious readers, bookcases can also be mounted at eye level on the wall.
8. Pick up as you go
Three five-minute pick-ups throughout the day are simpler to complete than one 15-minute pick-up at the end of the day once you are frazzled and worn out.
You overlook it one day, then the next, and the next few days because your brain overestimates how long it would take to clean up. What could have been quick pick up turns into a massive catastrophe that needs a whole weekend to clean up.
8. Tidy up with your Children
Set a routine to regularly tidy up the toys together. A good educational opportunity is to teach children how to classify and arrange items back into their proper places. Play some music while you have time who can put the toys away from the quickest.
How To Cleanup Your Children’s Playroom?
1. Provide proper air circulation
While constant air circulation is essential to keep your kids’ playroom healthy and sterilized, it’s not safe to leave windows open while kids are playing unattended. Therefore, pick a time when there is no children present and clean the playroom with the windows open the entire time.
2. Dust all the surfaces
Kid’s playrooms are frequently filled with objects on all floors and shelves. Start by carefully eliminating dust from upper areas and using a gentle spray to accurately sanitize them. To clean up the obscure areas, don’t forget to relocate items from their regular spots.
3. Clean and vacuum the floors
It’s crucial to keep the playroom floor clean and hygienic because most kids, particularly the youngest ones, spend most of the time there. To ensure that all bacteria and germs are eliminated, think about utilizing steam upright occasionally. For better and more thorough cleaning, try to consider removing all the toys off the floor.
Try to avoid making cleaning and organizing the playroom an unpleasant task, even if it can appear difficult and overwhelming. Your efforts will undoubtedly pay off. When children have an organized environment to play in, kids will have more incredible play opportunities to advance their learning.