Getting organized this year.....

yeah, I think it was easier to control the toy mess when it was just my son...then my daughter came along and they were 4 yrs apart, so it was still somewhat easier to control....now with all three, being 8, 4 and 1 its near impossible because of the age differences with all the toys...the younger one wants all the bigger toys and I dont have much room but a 4 shelve bookshelf in there room to keep the toys seperated as much as I can. not as easy as it sounds. LOL thanks for the response and have a great day!! Happy Mylotting. :)

Well, I would say for the various age groups that you have you may want to do open totes for the everyday toys they use. Put some type of picture on it of the toys that go in that bin, and work to teach the kids to put the toys back in the bin. I recommend open bins because that is much easier for kids just throw them in any way, and they will fit. Lids can be challenging for kids. For the stuff you do not want them in on a regular basis like the stuff that get into a big mess easy consider totes with lids that are not that easy for the kids to open. You could even put the totes of that stuff in the closet or something. Think of it as the stuff your kids can play with and clean up independently verses the stuff that they need supervision and assistance to play with and clean up. That might help you to sort out the toys. A suggestion might be like each child gets their own tote, and picks their 5 favorite toys. You can make that tote the special place those toys go. After all most kids play with only a few toys on a regular basis. For the older child, you might just make a simple list on the side of the tote of what toys they chose. You may be able to use something like a wet erase visa expo marker. For the younger children you can take picktures and tape them onto the the tote so they know what toys go in that bin. If you use tape or a marker that you can wipe off some way then when the kids get bored with certain toys you can teach them to trade them out for different toys. Then you could just have the basic rule like their are 5 toys out at a time.

Here is a tip for puzzles. You can color code the bottom of puzzle pieces with stickers are use a Sharpie marker to write a number. Then put the color coded sticker or number on that puzzle box to correspond to the puzzle. That way if you end up with random puzzle pieces or worse the kids have multiple puzzles out that get all mixed up then you will have a system for how to get them all organized back into their corresponding boxes.

thank you... I have been working on it a little here and there, eventually i will get to the point I feel organized!! LOL thanks for the response and have a great day!! Happy Mylotting. :)

Garbage bags are definitely a must to organizing and cleaning up the clutter. I have to go out shopping today to get garbage bags at Target. Now, I just need to find my Target rewards that came in the mail. I believe they are somewhere on the dinning room table. Yeah, that is about how organized I am here in my apartment.

thanks, I have 3 kids and lots of toys...they seem to have taken over the house. LOL Some days it is easier to control than other days. thanks for the response and have a great night!! Happy Mylotting. :)