Ask the Organizer: Too Many Toys
Q. My kids’ toys are taking over our house. How can I organize them so it doesn’t feel like they’re scattered everywhere?
A. This is a very common problem for families, with more and more access to cheap toys from places like Amazon and Target, the problem is only growing. Most of the time when we help a household with children’s belongings get organized, the biggest issue is that there are just way too many toys for the space (and also too many toys to play with!). Studies show children play better and focus better with fewer toys, so the steps below will help you declutter those toys and get your household back on track.
Step 1: Choose A Home
Frequently, kids are given multiple spaces in the house: a playroom, a basement friends’ zone, their bedrooms, the living room, etc. If toys are spread throughout the house, choose one location where they all will live from now on.
Sweep the house and gather all of the toys into your new toy home so you can see the true amount at once.
Don’t worry that everything doesn’t fit. Now that you have a firm space limit, you can follow the next steps.
Step 2: Pre-sort (without the kids first)
Before organizing, cut the total volume down so you’re not just rearranging clutter.
Immediately pull out broken, missing pieces, and outgrown toys and either trash, recycle, or donate them.
Reduce duplicates you know they won’t miss (four nearly identical trucks, eight balls, etc.). Keep only the “best” one or two from each type.
Step 3: Create A Toy Rotation System (with the kids)
Rotating toys keeps them from feeling like they’re everywhere, even if you still own quite a few.
Tell your child, “We’re putting some toys on vacation, so you have more room to play.” When you know toys can rotate back in, the decision feels lighter and far less permanent.
Let your child choose what definitely stays out, for example, “Pick your five very favorites that we will always keep out.” This gives them control, which decreases the chance of a power struggle.
Pack half (or more) of the toys into labeled bins (“Dolls”, “Race Cars”, “Dress Up”, etc.) and store them out of sight.
Every 2 to 4 weeks, swap a few toys from storage with ones on the shelf; suddenly, they feel “new” without adding more stuff. (If a toy sits in storage for a few months without being missed, that’s a strong candidate to donate or pass along.)
Put “toy swap day” or “donation day” on the calendar and mention it ahead of time (do this bi-weekly or monthly). Say, for example, “On Saturday, we’ll pick a few toys to send to new homes.” Predictability lowers anxiety and tantrums because it isn’t a surprise.
Step 4: Set Clear, Visual Limits and Reframe “Letting Go”
Use simple physical limits like “one bin per category” (one bin of stuffed animals, one of cars, one of blocks); when a bin is full, something has to leave to make space. The bin becomes the “bad guy,” not you.
Invite them to choose where some toys can be donated, for example, a younger cousin, a friend, a community center, or “a child who doesn’t have many toys.” Say, “You get to decide which toys go on a new adventure.”
Let them help pack the donation box and decorate it or draw a picture “for the new kid.” That sense of pride often offsets the feeling of loss.
Take them along for the drop-off so that they can see the full process.
