In the home of a busy mom, the playroom is where our nightmares go to haunt us. It doesn’t matter how many times per day we walk through and tidy. It will still be a mess at the end of the day.
But are there things we can CONTROL
in the playroom?
Yes, I believe there are!
What if You Don’t Have a Playroom?
First, what if you don’t have a playroom?? When we downsized and got rid of half of our belongings, we didn’t have an extra room for a playroom. I came up with an organizing system that worked for our home. We store my kids’ toys in their rooms and we have a “toy” closet for puzzles, games, crafts, coloring, and a few extra bins for toys that aren’t played with as often.
When I coach other Moms, I always leave the ultimate decision to YOU! It’s your home and you have the right to do what works for you and your family. I act as a guide giving you options, action steps, and practical solutions.
Whether you have a playroom in your home or not, toys still exist and are frustrating! Moms have told me that they are frustrated with AND without a playroom. And that there is never enough space for ALL the toys.
Can You Relate..?
Have you thought or said some of the following…
“Walk in, walk out, close the door.”
“The constant mess.”
“ I just wanna give up.”
“I don’t know how some moms have such clean houses”
“My kids won’t even play in it.”
“We just have way too many toys!”
As a Mom, I get it! But why are toys SO frustrating??
Why are Toys So Frustrating?
I surveyed over 40 Moms and these five struggles came up over and over again when asked
“What is the most frustrating thing about your playroom?”
1️⃣Lack of organization/storage.
Moms struggle when they can’t “hide the toys”. There’s no designated space for them.
Certain toys- big and small cause frustrations, because HOW do you really store them?? Every toy should have a home- that just makes playing easier for the kids.
2️⃣Too many toys/visual clutter.
“Toys are everywhere!” It’s overwhelming and overstimulating for kids when there are too many options.
Kids typically will just dump the bins because they don’t know what to play with creating more mess and visual clutter.
3️⃣Toys aren’t played with.
When toys aren’t played with, this should send a message to us as Moms.
Why aren’t the toys played with??
Have they outgrown them?
Is it boring?
Do they have 5 of the SAME toy?
Really figure out what the message is!
4️⃣Constant clean up.
It’s always a MESS! The constant clean up cycle that never ends.
And you can’t even get the kids to HELP clean up. It’s super frustrating!
5️⃣Out of sight, out of mind mentality.
Many moms are so overwhelmed they just shut the door, because they just don’t want to deal with it.
I get it!! I’ve run into these frustrations too.
There is NOTHING wrong with you or your kids for feeling this way.
But, you don’t HAVE to feel like this! There are solutions to these problems and I’m excited to share more with you. Keep reading!
I Just Need More Storage Bins
Most Moms think that the main problem is lack of storage.
Lack of organization isn’t the problem!
The problem is the amount of STUFF.
Cleaning up after everyone else is frustrating! Decluttering your kids' toys will actually lead to less clean up and more time to do what you want to do!
LESS STUFF + LESS CLEAN UP = MORE TIME
I always tell Moms to declutter FIRST, then organize what you decide to keep. Otherwise, you run into the constant clean up cycle of the same toys that get dumped out and not played with.
We are the Gatekeepers
Did you ever think that YOU may be part of the problem?? Not trying to be harsh, just trying to give you some insight into the root of toy frustrations. Yes, the mess comes from the kids playing with the toys, but where did all the toys come from??!
As Moms, we are the GATEKEEPERS of our homes.
We are usually the one that controls what comes in and what goes out of the home.
Think about this…
Do you buy more toys without getting rid of old, unused toys FIRST?
Do you have boundaries with your family on what you allow in your home?
Do you still have baby toys around when your kids are preschool age or older?
If you answered YES to any of these questions, then the mess isn’t ALL the kids’ faults!
Why Declutter Your Kids' Toys?
So, WHY should you declutter your kids’ toys??
There are SO many benefits, but here are my Top 5!
1️⃣Less clean up. Like I already mentioned, with less toys, there is less to clean up. Mom WIN! The toys you KEEP are more manageable and actually played with.
2️⃣Frees up space. There will be less visual clutter and you may actually be able to see your floor! And you may not need all of those organizational bins like you thought, which saves you money in the long run. I'm all about saving money!
3️⃣Improves focus & attention. With overstimulation of too many toys also comes lack of focus and attention on what they actually have.
Less is more for kids. You will see an increase in their ability to focus on the toys they actually enjoy playing with.
4️⃣Decreases anxiety & overwhelm. Toys will end up less scattered throughout the house if they feel less anxious and overwhelmed by the amount of toys they have.
They will be able to play more calmly at times and actually enjoy their playtime. Less stuff will also give YOU less anxiety and overwhelm.
5️⃣Less STUFF. Ultimately, this is the main goal. Less stuff will give you and your kids all of the above benefits.
Are you feeling the itch to declutter yet??
Teach Them Young
When I began my decluttering journey, my kids were still pretty young- like baby/toddler age. And depending on the age of your kids, there are different ways to approach decluttering.
Kids are easily overstimulated & overwhelmed by the amount of toys that clutter their rooms. They tend to leave more mess because it’s just too much to choose from.
Most of the time there are just TOO MANY TOYS!
Here are 5 tips to help you introduce decluttering to your kids:
1️⃣Teach them the basics of decluttering
2️⃣Let them help make choices
3️⃣Show them the value of donating
4️⃣Teach them how to treat their toys
5️⃣Teach them how to clean up
I get that sometimes kids can add more frustration during the decluttering journey. Involving your kids in the process is up to you, but it can be very rewarding. It’s interesting how some kids won’t even notice that toys just disappeared.
Something Just for You!
If you’re still reading, you’re at the BEST part!!
I have the ultimate solution JUST FOR YOU!
My Playroom Decluttering Guide!
Get rid of the excess toys and bring more peace to your home before the Holidays.
12 MUST-HAVE toy storage options
A step by step guide to decluttering your playroom
5 tips to involve your kids during clean up
You don’t want to miss out on this opportunity
to get rid of the clutter and give yourself more time.
Click the link below to get the Playroom Decluttering Guide!!
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