Toy rotations. I’ve heard of it. I know people who have tried it. BUT… is it really necessary or worth the time?
YES!
OMG! Yes, I did just type that and yes toy rotations definitely deserves an OMG! It has been a game changing, life altering experience for me. Our house used to be jammed packed, full of toys, hidden in all corners and behind the couches. Now, I feel like I’ve gotten my sanity and my house back.
The concept is easy, I am not sure why I didn’t do this sooner. I think it may have been just a little bit overwhelming and also the fact that we are home everyday, I kept telling myself that’s just the way it is. Toys will just be everywhere. Well, guess what I found out….. it doesn’t have to be that way!!
The process was simple, just a little time consuming at first, but well worth it in the end. I started with a plan and a vision. For me, I wanted our playroom (which is in the basement) to be set up with all of our big toys. Plus a quiet reading area and an art area. I also knew I wanted just a few sets of toys available upstairs for the kids to play with in their rooms or around the house.
With this game plan in mind, I took inventory of what I may need to help with the organization and storage of toys. I didn’t end up buying much, because I always like to use what I have first and only buy what we truly need. In the end, I bought a Costco size pack of 3M hooks for hanging dress-up clothes and other items around the playroom. I also purchased matching storage containers to hold the toys to rotate upstairs. I love the Dollar Tree for finding the perfect storage solution. I bought these stackable bins. They are super cute, but, as they are only a dollar, they don’t always stack perfectly.
Once I had all of my supplies, I started in our playroom. I wanted to get that organized, purge toys that the kids had outgrown, and then see what what’s left to rotate upstairs.
- In the playroom, I basically organized the toys into categories based on what we had:
Library
- House
- Dress up
- Train table
- Workshop (Tools)
- Art
- Farm
All other toys that did not fit into those categories left the playroom. I set them aside to organize into sets for my toy rotation.
Back in the playroom, I decided where I wanted to set each play area up and got to work. My main goal at this point was organizing and making it all accessible and easy. Easy to find, easy to use and most importantly easy to clean up.
After setting the playroom up, I started organizing the additional toys into categories. I knew I wanted only 6 sets of toys available each week, and I wanted to make sure I had a variety available. So I created this grid to help me organize and plan. It was very helpful and made the physically “doing it” part of the organizing a breeze!
In the end, we had enough toys to make 18 sets, or three weeks worth of bins. (There’s no right or wrong number here, this is just what we had) So I bought 6 purple bins, 6 blue bins, and 6 turquoise bins. Each week has its own color. That made it easy to rotate and organize and most importantly visually appealing!
After organizing the toys, I took two sets downstairs for storage and left one set upstairs for playing. I showed the kids where to storage was and we talked about how I plan to rotate the toys. They were a little skeptical, but went with the flow. I think they were happy to know that their toys were not gone, but just in storage.
Upstairs I showed the kids how to stack the bins and organize the shelf. As you can see, the bins stack nicely on top of the shelf. We have a few loose toys and clear bins, which are mainly for Grace. She needs things that are easier to access.
I also decided that a few favorite toys will always be available. We always have our doll baskets and strollers out as well as our Paw Patrol set and race track out. I did however split the cars up and rotate them out. I keep Grace’s bin of baby toys (which is usually left open on the floor during the day) as well as her puzzle and stacking buckets out all the time.
In the end, there is no right or wrong way to rotate toys. You need to do what is best for your family and your home. But I do promise, rotating your toys will change your life! There will be LESS mess; your kids will play with MORE toys; they will not be overwhelmed with it all; and they will be able to clean up ON THEIR OWN. Now that sound MAGICAL!
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You may also be interested in this blog post on How I Survive Being A Stay At Home Parent.
