3 posts from August 2009

Do your children's rooms look like a disaster area? With all the toys kids own today, it's hard to keep everything in its place. You walk in to the room and there's a teddy bear on the floor, a plush dog on the bed, and a doll by the window. It's like a toy explosion, as kids play with their toys anywhere and everywhere. But believe it or not, there are ways to instill some order into the chaos with some easy toy organizers. Here are a few suggestions to keep your child's toys in their place!

Toy Hammock

This probably sounds unusual, as when we hear the word "hammock" we picture a comfortable place to rest on the beach of an exotic island. But a toy hammock is a great place to "rest" all your child's toys, and is interesting enough that your kid may actually enjoy putting their toys away. It's also a great space saver, allowing you to hang it anywhere that works, whether it is a corner of the room or between a couple of pieces of furniture. Regardless of where you put it, suddenly you have a place to drop toys in, allowing you to not have to trip over them every time you enter your son or daughter's bedroom.

Chain Gang

While not able to hold as many toys as the toy hammock, this nifty organizational gadget can allow you to save some major space. Toys can be hung on a chain, which you can put on any door or wall, whatever is most convenient for you. Hanging the toys behind a door can be an especially good idea, because that way the toys are "hidden" away, and the room looks much less cluttered. This is a great way to store those toys that are most often used!

Ceiling-Drop Organizer

Similar to the chain gang, a ceiling drop organizer is a big bag that can be hung anywhere and hold many more of your child's toys. This organizer can even make a great decorative touch, as the bags come in practically any color of the rainbow, which allows you to get one that matches the room. Throwing your child's stuffed plushies into these bags allows also for easy clean up. A good place for this type of organizer is by the bed or door, but you can put it wherever works best for you.

Spiral Hamper or Storage Bins

Now it's time to move on from the "suspended" storage items. A spiral hamper or storage bin is a great and more simple way to organize your child's stuffed toy animals without having to put nails into the wall. This way all your child's toys can be put in one place, or you can buy a couple smaller ones if you want a little more organization, such as stuffed animals in one bin and balls and other sports equipment in the other. Just make sure that the hamper you purchase is soft-sided, as this eliminates the dangers of sharp corners. A soft cloth hamper would be your best bet, or even a laundry hamper. Some of these come with transparent cloth, which would allow you and your child to spot that teddy bear they need much quicker.

Toy Box

If you're looking for something a little more classy, and you have a bigger budget, a toy box is another great option. You can often find one that matches the other furniture in your child's room, in fact, some bedroom furniture sets even come with their own. You can put this chest under a window, or at the end of the bed. Just make sure not to set anything else on the top of the chest, as this is one lid that is going to be opened and closed a lot.

So there you go! Toy organization is a snap with these five ideas. You don't have to put up with a chaos filled bedroom, and you can do it without breaking the bank either!

If you have kids in your home, organizing toys is something you think about daily. And if your house is anything like mine, toys tend to take over almost every room in your home. At some point during the day, there are usually toys in the kitchen, family room and TV room all at the same time. Such is life with kids. So when it's time to clean up, I make sure that every one of those toys has a home to go to. All it takes is a little organization. Here are a few ideas to help you keep those toys organized in your home.

Contain the smaller items

Action figures, small toy cars, dress-up jewelry, and Barbie dolls and accessories are just some of the things that can be put in containers for easy small toy organization. If you can, stackable is the way to go here. Stackable containers give you more space and are easier to organize. Shoe boxes (plastic or cardboard) work well for these smaller items. You can even get the kids more interested in using the boxes if you let them personalize them. Get a sheet of stickers and let them go crazy on the box. Using different colored labels for the different boxes that the items go into can help kids who can't read yet put the right item in the right box.

Nets and shelves

Nets that stretch over corners can work well to hold lots of stuffed animals. If you'd rather display the stuffed animals so that you can see them, shelves are good way to go. Shelves also work well for putting away all of those containers you have of all the smaller toys. It also works well for those medium sized toys that are too small for the floor but too big to go much of anywhere else. Adjustable shelving (the kind that has brackets that screw into the wall) that can grow and change as your child grows and changes is the best investment. Many adjustable shelving units can be changed and modified into a computer desk for older children.

Getting rid of the old stuff

Because your child is sure to get more toys on his/her birthday and at special holidays, make sure that you schedule time to get rid of the old toys. Ideally, you want to get rid of toys that your child no longer plays with and has outgrown. If your child is old enough, have them participate in helping you get rid of the toys. If you will be donating the old toys, go through the toys with your child and explain that you are giving away his/her old toys so that a child that doesn't have toys can enjoy them. Also explaining that he/she will be getting new toys shortly can help ease the blow too.

Have you or your son or daughter ever had a favorite toy that's gotten a little worse for wear? With all the times your favorite plush toys get squeezed, dragged around, and played, with wear and tear takes an inevitable toll. Little rips can make your most beloved teddy bear look more like a Franken Bear, suitable only for Halloween. Luckily, this problem isn't as hopeless as you might think. There are a few steps you can take to fix almost any soft plush toy so that they are practically as good as new!

Step 1

Identifying the specific problem area (or areas) is your first step. The most common rips happen at the toy's stitches, which can include where the legs, arms, or head were sewn on to the body, which is what we are going to focus on. This is naturally the weakest point on a stuffed animals body, and when squeezed the stuffing puts pressure on these areas, causing the stitching to fail. These rips might not all be easy to fix, but they can mostly be approached in the same way.

Step 2

For the second step, you'll need to pick up supplies. There are some basic tools you'll need when the seams on a plush toy are unraveling: a needle and thread. The thread should match the stuffed animals fabric, or be as neutral or complementary in color as possible. Make sure the thread is tough too, otherwise you'll just have to do this again a couple of months down the road. Most needles you can get as part of a set, and that way you'll have needles in various sizes. This is important because a big teddy bear may require a thick, touch needle, while a small plush dog should have a small, delicate needle. Also, get a needle threader if you have trouble getting the thread through.

Step 3

For step three, learn what you need to do. Even an amateur sewer can stitch up a stuffed animal, it is not at all complicated. First, thread the needle with an arm's length of thread so that you make sure that you won't run out, as that complicates the sewing. Once the needle has been threaded, double the thread and tie a knot at the end. This way you'll have two rows of thread with a knot at the bottom away from the needle. Now it's time to start sewing. On one side of the split seam, push the needle through, and then push it across through the other side of the split seam. Pull so that the two sides come together, and then push the needle in again on the next part as you sew in a diagonal pattern. Keep doing this so that you stitch the ripped sides together. When you get to the end, have the needle go through the last stitch and wrap it around, so that the last stitch is strong. Then, tie a knot or two as close to the stitch as possible in order to make sure that no thread is showing. Finally, cut the thread.

So there you go, practically any stuffed animal can be fixed with a minimum of hassle. It only takes a couple of minutes of your time, and the purchase of a needle and thread is very inexpensive. Now you can think twice before throwing your favorite toys away!