If it looks like a bomb went off in your kid's room at the end of each day, then chances are, you and your child need help clearing the clutter. It's especially important to make room for the upcoming holiday season and all the inevitable new toys it will probably bring. {relatedarticles}Start early so that you'll have a clean, organized space with room to spare. Before you rush off to the store to buy giant plastic bins, assess your needs first. Start by sorting toys. It may help to start three large boxes - one for the toys you'll keep, one for donations and one for trash. Explaining to your child that less-fortunate kids who don't have many toys will receive hers may help take the sting out of the separation. If you think your child is going to have a tough time separating from toys she hasn't played with in two years, then it may be a good idea to do it while she isn't home. Another good way to sweeten the toy purge for your child is to offer her profits for any toys she contributes to a family yard sale, if you plan to have one.
After the big job of clearing the unwanted, broken or outdated toys is done, then it's time to determine your storage needs. For large, cumbersome toys like balls, playsets, trucks or dressup clothes, choose those large plastic containers. Toys with small pieces, like small doll clothes, figurines, Legos or puzzles call for shallow, small bins that keep them from getting lost in the bottom of the container. {relatedarticles}Use shelves for books, board games and collectibles. Make "stations" if there are certain activities that your child particularly enjoys. A girl who enjoys drawing, Barbies and dress-up, for example, would love a table stocked with her art supplies; an area where she can play with Barbies, while keeping their accessories contained; and a bin chock-full of clothes and shoes, with a mirror hanging above. Use your imagination to create a space that kids want to use - and want to keep clean!