During a weekend dinner party, I believe most of our toys were removed from their designated spot by one of the nine little ones. All the children had a great time and helped to pick up the mess before going home, so we awoke to a clutter-free living room. Though the mess was cleared away, my children could not locate their favorite toys. To my children, the suggestion of reorganizing their toys was a bit overwhelming. To ease their dilemma, I placed the toys back in their designated homes with a little system.
THE PROCESS
I began on one wall of my living room.
- I removed toys that did not belong in that space and placed them on the floor in front of the couch (center of the room).
- I then put the toys away that did belong in that section.
I then moved to the next area which is a small bookshelf.
- I found items in the pile on the floor in front of the couch that did belong in this area. I put those items away.
- Any other items that did not belong on the bookshelf were added to that mound in front of the couch.
I continued this process along the three walls of my living room until all the toys were put away.
I then put away the remaining toys in front of the couch.
THE RESULTS
By going through each section of the living room, I was able to put together a train puzzle, place all the Potato Head accessories in our green basket, sort the vegetables and fruits from the play kitchen, and find a loose magnet in a fishing pole which my fabulous husband fixed.
Having a designated spot for each item made the pick up quick and thorough. My children helped sort the items and put them away. After completing the thorough reorganization of my living room, my children were able to find their toys and play. When they finished enjoying their toy, they remembered to put it back in its designated place, so they could find it again later.
Do you have an assigned place for each item in your house? Do your family members know the placement chosen for each item? Having a special place for each item saves me so much time cleaning up. You can save time as well and accomplish a quick pickup in 15 minutes or less.