Kids Stuff...Outside Toys

Ok, so you've taken charge of the inside of your house... Time to combat the toys scattered about your yard making it appear as though you're throwing a yard sale.

The same way you did a walkthrough of your house, I think it's a good starting point to do a walkthrough of your yard and garage. Take into account what types of toys your kids play with outside, where they are stored and what you would like to have happen with their outside toys. Is it okay if they keep their bikes and trucks and sandbox toys outside, or would you rather they be stored in the garage? Where do the kids commonly throw their bikes after they get done riding them? What are you using for kid toy storage in the garage right now? How can you improve it and make it easy for the kids to pick up after themselves?

Where you go from here really depends on what you want to happen and what your needs are for kid storage.

If your kids play sports it may be handy for you to find a storage cabinet for your garage to house all of their sports equipment. These cabinets are great, durable, child proof and not only store sports equipment, but other toys, too. I think that large plastic storage chests are fantastic for garage storage as well - pop the lid open, dig around and find what you're looking for. Storage chests are very resilient and can help you contain a lot of toys, like basketballs, rollerblades, beach toys and remote control race cars. A set of really sturdy shelves dedicated to kids toys is a super idea also. Shelves can store sidewalk chalk, bubbles, rain boots, sandbox toys and gardening toys.

Another wonderful alternative is hanging your kids' things from the walls or the rafters of your garage. There are special hooks you can buy at the hardware store that help hang bikes from the ceiling. That is a great way to get the bikes out of the way, at least in the winter when the kids don't ride them. In addition to getting bikes off the ground, you can utilize hanging shelves from the ceilings to store more permanent items that the kids may not need to get at very often, like off-season clothes or toys.

If storing the kids' toys outside is acceptable but you'd like them to be contained, consider a shed. This can offer more benefits than just housing toys - you can use it for other storage purposes, like storing the lawnmower or the hedge trimmers. A shed can be a big investment, so if you aren't up for that, think more in terms of a large plastic storage bin that you can find an inconspicuous spot for. The bins are great because they are waterproof (if your kids remember to put the lid back on!) and can store an army of toys.

The most important thing about keeping your kids toys organized is making them responsible for following through. Some more non-parent advice is to make it a game for them - create a reward chart for their organizational habits and responsibilities and give them praise when you see them pick up after themselves and put their toys away - especially without being asked.