10 Tested Ways To Declutter Your Home

Tell me I’m not the only one whose living room occasionally looks like a Lego-nado touched down. With a 4-year-old and a 7-year-old, our toy collection could stock a small store. If you’re ready to declutter your home without losing your mind (or stepping on another tiny plastic dinosaur), here are my top ten playroom organization hacks.

Do a toy check-up now and then—some might be ready for retirement!

You know which toys get played with and which are just taking up space. If something hasn’t seen the light of day in weeks (or months), it’s time to let it go. Will’s room is only 9’ x 11’ with no closet, so I have to make every square inch count. Clearing out unused toys helps me maximize space and keep things manageable.

Put some toys on “vacation” and bring them back later—they’ll feel brand new!

Once you’ve cleared out the toys your kids don’t regularly play with, you can gradually reintroduce them. The best part? They’ll feel brand new all over again! Remember that when you bring in new toys, try removing the same number. Otherwise, the clutter will slowly creep back in and take over again.

Bins, bins, and more bins!

Clean-up becomes much easier when every toy has a spot (especially when the kids know exactly where things go).

Designate a specific area for play to help contain the mess and keep the rest of your home clutter-free.

Instead of having toys scattered from one end of your home to the other, designate a specific area where most of the toys live. For us, that space is the basement—it’s our dedicated play zone. All the big items like the play kitchen, dollhouse, and train table stay down there, which helps keep the rest of the house more manageable.

Outgrown toys? Pass them along! 

Don’t let outgrown toys take up precious space – donate them! Check with your local kindergarten classroom, park district, or women’s shelter. Chances are, they’d be thrilled to receive gently used toys that can still bring joy to other kids.

Old toys collecting dust? Sell them and put the money toward something new!

Sell old toys your kids don’t play iwth and make a little extra cash! Try listing them on eBay, hosting a rummage sale, or bringing them to resale shops like Once Upon A Child.

Toss them!

It’s perfectly okay to toss broken toys, games with missing pieces, and anything that can’t be fixed or reused. Not everything needs to be saved!

Keep toys organized by category

Keep similar items grouped – Legos in one bin, cars in another, and all the dress-up outfits in a trunk. When everything has a designated spot, playtime is easier for the kids, and clean-up is quicker for everyone. Plus, it helps cut down on the mess in a big way!

Label!

If you’re saving toys from older kids for younger ones, be sure to label the boxes clearly. There’s nothing worse than digging through a pile of mystery boxes in the attic, trying to find that one set of age-appropriate toys. A simple label makes everything easier when it’s time to pull them out again.

Have fun!

If cleaning feels like a chore, no one, especially kids, will want to do it. But when you turn it into a game or add a little incentive, tidying up once a month becomes something they enjoy. Try making it a race, or offer a small reward for a well-done job. In our house, racing doesn’t fly, but a reward does the trick and if it means toys get picked up and put away, I’m all for it!

Decluttering your home, especially regarding toys, doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With some planning, smart storage, and a few fun strategies, you can take control of the chaos and create a space that works for everyone. Remember, progress is more important than perfection. Start small, stay consistent, and celebrate the wins when decluttering your home, no matter how tiny. Your sanity and family will thank you!