Simple Toy Organization That Really Works!

Keeping toys organized can be a huge pain in the butt! I pride myself on being pretty organized, so I figured it wasn’t going to be that hard to keep stuff organized after AJ was born. And then all of the sudden the house was a friggin’ mess with baby stuff and toys EVERYWHERE! Oops. 🙂 I’ve tried out a few different ways of keeping toys organized, and this one is by far the best. It’s so simple to set up, and simple to maintain, and that’s why it works; even the baby can help keep her stuff cleaned up with this toy organization system!

Simple toy organization system that really works!

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Originally AJ’s toys were in a large toy box, and that worked well for giving us a place to put everything when we were cleaning up. But AJ couldn’t really find her toys; the box was too tall for her to reach into, and even if she stood on her step stool, the toys at the bottom were under three layers of more toys. The other problem was that toys that had multiple pieces (like puzzles or stacking cups, etc.) got separated from each other and lost in the box. It ended up being easier for her to just leave toys right next to the box rather than in it, which kind of defeats the purpose.

Simple toy organization system that really works!

So I decided it was time for a change. I thought about the things that we needed in a toy organization system, and my top priorities were:

  • AJ needs to be able to get at her toys, both to put them away and to play with them
  • Toys with small pieces need to be kept together so we don’t lose anything
  • Needs to look nice (meaning, we need to be able to hide the clutter if we want!)
  • It needs to be simple so that we can keep up with it and maintain it

The perfect solution that meets all of these criteria is cube storage! I went to IKEA and bought a 2×4 KALLAX shelf and turned it on its side. I also bought 4 DRÖNA bins to go in a few of the cubbies; I wanted to leave half of them open for books or larger toys. (If you don’t have an IKEA near you, you can find tons of cube storage systems and bins on Amazon!)

Simple toy organization system that really works!

And the most important piece is mesh laundry bags for keeping everything together! Every toy that comes as a set or has small pieces goes in its own laundry bag in one of the DRÖNA bins. That way all the pieces stay together, but the bags are see-through so it’s easy to flip through the bags to find the toy she wants to play with.

Simple toy organization system that really works!

When she was really young, we would help her take toys out of the bag and put them back in, but now she can do this part herself. Plus zipping and unzipping stuff is half of the fun for her at this age!

Simple toy organization system that really works!

We have books and larger toys on the open shelves, and smaller toys plus the laundry bags in the bins.

Simple toy organization system that really works!

The toys don’t always end up on exactly the same shelf or in the same bin they came from, but at the end of the day all of the toys are in the bookcase and everything looks tidy.

Simple toy organization system that really works!

This toy organization system works great for us! AJ knows exactly where all of her toys are, and it’s easy for her to pull open a bin to grab the toy she wants.

Simple toy organization system that really works!

And at the end of the day, when it’s time to clean up, she puts her toys on a shelf or in a bin, then pushes the bin closed!

Simple toy organization system that really works!

Every once in a while the toys in the open shelves and on top of the bookcase get a little disorganized looking, so I step in and tidy things up a bit, but other than that, AJ is able to keep her toys organized all by herself! That’s the beauty of such a simple system; if it’s easy to maintain, even the kids can do it and it won’t get out of hand.

Simple toy organization system that really works!

How do you keep toys organized in your home?

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Jessi Wohlwend

I believe that anyone can do crafts and DIY projects, regardless of skill or experience. I love sharing simple craft ideas, step by step DIY project tutorials, cleaning hacks, and other tips and tricks all with one goal in mind: giving you the tools you need to “do it yourself”, complete fun projects, and make awesome things!

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Reader Interactions

  1. Renee says

    6 years ago

    Love it!!! the bags are brilliant. I’ve used 2gal clear ziplocks before but I like the laundry bags better… where’d you find those?!

  2. Lynnee says

    7 years ago

    Great post! I love the pictures and the idea of the zip bags

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