Brightly colored Lego bricks cover the living room floor.  The half-completed masterpieces have been left behind as the kids start playing with another toy.  Sound familiar?  It seems that with all the toy storage ideas you will find, parents are always looking for the best way to store those Lego blocks.  (This is a sponsored post for Pley.  All opinions are 100% my own.)

I’ve been there.

It all started with a simple plastic drawer storage unit.

The three inch deep top drawers were perfect for the smaller sets, like Lego cars and Mixels.  The two deep drawers at the bottom held the larger creations.   All the Legos had a home, and it was awesome.

And then our Lego collection grew.

The drawers got more and more crowded.  The Lego Friends tree house my daughter spent days building was too tall to fit in the drawer and had to go on top of the stand.  Christmas came and the Frozen castle (so cool, by the way) wouldn’t fit.  And I was tired of my son’s huge helicopter set always getting broken and having to help him fix it.

We had outgrown our Lego storage.

After a bit of scratching our heads to think of a new solution, we came up with this idea.

My son agreed that he wasn’t really using the train table anymore, so we moved it out to the living room and turned it into a Lego table.  Under the bed storage units hold extra pieces and sets not being played with.  The top is perfect for the really big sets.  And the kids love being able to keep their Legos set up, ready to play.

There is just one problem I can foresee.  My kids are just 6 and 8.  We have many more years of Legos ahead of us.  I know we will outgrow this solution, too, if we’re not careful.

That’s where the Pley company comes in to play.  (Yes, that pun was intended.)  You can control that Lego clutter with the help of Pley.  

The Pley company offers access to over 400 different Lego sets.  As a bonus, they even have hard to find sets and sets that have been retired.

How does that help reduce the Lego clutter?   The Pley packages get delivered to your door and when the kids are done playing, they can return them for a new toy.  This will greatly reduce the amount of storage space needed to house all those Lego sets, some of which don’t get played with once they have been put together.

Besides having access to a variety of toys, kids also learn the concepts of sharing and reducing waste for the environment.  Bonus!

Those brightly colored bricks will be in the living room for a long time.  And parents will continue to search for the perfect Lego storage solution.  But with the Pley company, you don’t have to worry about outgrowing that storage solution faster than your kids outgrow their clothes.

Check out the Pley website for more information and start controlling your Lego clutter today!

The post How to Control Lego Clutter with Pley first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

The holidays are over, and the living room floor is littered with new toys, all needing a home.  Just how do you organize toys?    Today I’m going to share with you some of our very simple toy storage solutions!

Organizing Stuffed Animals:

Stuffed animals — they are everywhere!  And, when it comes to toys, it is never easy to talk the kids into getting rid of stuffed animals.

There are all kinds of storage ideas out there for stuffed animals, from bean bags you can stuff them in to nets that hang on the wall… The problem with those is that if they are hanging in a net, the kids can’t get to them easily.  And in a bean bag my kids are likely to dump them all out, and not pick them back up, looking for just the animal they want.

My solution?

A clothes basket in the closet!

At the start of the school year, when they had super deals on brightly colored clothes baskets, the kids each got one for their larger stuffed animals.   We made a deal:  they could keep as many animals as they could stuff in the basket.

My son has another, smaller basket for his Beanie Baby-sized stuffed animals.  My daughter has a stool that opens for her to put hers inside.  We have similar deal with these small stuffed animals — they all must fit in the container we bought.

The nice part is that they can find the animal they want, and generally they are pretty good at tossing the rest back in the basket.  (I have found the easier it is for kids to put the toys away, the more likely they will use it.)

Organizing Toy Collections:

When it comes to collections of similar toys, like Hot Wheels, construction trucks, animals, and princess dolls, we use clear storage containers.

I love these clear storage drawers for containing several similar collections all in one spot!

We have a set of these drawers in the living room to hold our massive animal collection, dinosaurs, and other shared toys.  The clear drawers make it easy for the kids to see what’s in each of them, and because they don’t have lids, it is easy for the kids to toss in the toys once they are finished playing.

My son has a set in his room to hold tractors, construction trucks, and other vehicles.  What I really like is that the top is the perfect place for storing larger items, like Hot Wheels mini track sets.

My daughter also has a set of drawers in her room, perfect for containing the miniature princess collection, Polly Pockets, and more!  And all those tiny accessories that make those toys fun to play with?  We put them in zip-lock baggies, right inside the drawer, making it easy to find when she wants to play.

Storing Larger Toys:

What about those larger toys, like the endless princess castles, Littlest Pet Shop homes, etc.?

I found these great plastic shelf units that fit inside each of their closets.

I love that the castles and other larger toys no longer are sitting on the floor, waiting to be tripped on!

Barbie Doll Storage:

I have tried numerous ideas for keeping the Barbie, and similar-sized dolls, contained.  From clear storage containers, to a storage drawer under the dresser, they always seemed to be everywhere!

I have seen this idea, using an over-the-door shoe storage bag all over Pinterest.

I finally decided to give it a try, and I’m so glad we did!  Finally, she is no longer dumping every doll out to find the one she wants.  With clear pockets she can easily see all the dolls, even the smaller ones.  The dolls in the picture aren’t Pinterest-perfect in how they are all lined up, but they are off the floor, and that’s all that matters to me!

Looking for more toy storage ideas?
Follow There’s Just One Mommy’s board Organizing and Cleaning on Pinterest.

And be sure to check out my post on how to get preschoolers to clean up toys!

Have a way to organize toys that works for your house?  I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!

The post Simple Toy Storage Solutions first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

I’ve got so many posts I’ve been wanting to write, but something about the start of a new year and organizing…  I’ve learned when the motivation to get organizing hits, you just better go with it!

One of my latest spots that needed organizing was our book center.

The sling back bookcase was great when the kids were toddlers because it let them see the covers of their favorite books, all at their eye level.  (And it wasn’t as tempting to climb as a traditional book case.)  But, our book collection has far outgrown its cloth pockets.

Both Peanut and Monkey have a crate of books in their room, there were books on the closet shelves that I rotated in periodically, and then there was a stack of books in MY closet, just because I’d run out of room.

We needed a change.

And then I remembered the little bookcase I had in my classroom years ago, the one covered with all those boxes full of memories and lesson plans.  It was just the perfect size!

Once I brought it upstairs and started shelving the numerous books, I realized something.  Picture books come in a variety of sizes!  It would be so much easier if they were all one standard height!

After several adjustments to the shelves, I came up with a solution.

At the very top of our bookcase I decided to place books I want to showcase each month.  I’m thinking they will mostly be seasonal, for instance, Valentine’s Day books in February.  And I know our Dr. Seuss collection will be gracing that top shelf come March!

All the larger books are on the bottom shelf, the taller ones rest so their spines face upwards.  (And, yes, I tried to put all the ones from the same author — like our Dr. Seuss collection — all together.)

The paperback books went in a couple magazine holders I had picked up from the dollar section of my beloved Target store.  One magazine holder has the shorter, more square books; the other holder has the “standard” sized paperbacks.

All of the animal books (we have quite a few) went into a clear plastic shoe box.

When I arranged the books I even found a place (finally) to put the Leapfrog Reader books.  For years now they have sat on the end table in the living room.  They finally have found a home with the rest of the books!  (Yeah!!  Definitely time for a happy dance over here!)

Both my readers have been enjoying looking through their books in their collection this week.  And I’m enjoying having the space back in my closet!

I did keep a crate of books in each of their rooms.  Most of the car and truck ones are in Monkey’s room, while Peanut has all the Fancy Nancy and princess books in her room.  I think it’s important that they each have books that are just their books, which they can enjoy during quiet time in their rooms.

One area of the house organized!

How are the children’s books organized at your house?  Are they all in one spot, or do you have them in multiple areas?

The post How to Organize Children’s Books first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

In a few days my daughter starts kindergarten.  No longer will we roll out of bed, play a bit, and then eventually meander to the breakfast table.  Our mornings will be all about waking up on time, getting dressed, and out the door in time to get to school.  This past week I’ve been trying to get organized for school mornings.

There are some simple ways to get the kids out the door a little more smoothly in the mornings.

• Have your child lay out their clothes the night before.  This will eliminate the last minute search for that special skirt that matches their favorite shirt.
• Get backpacks packed the night before.  Skip the drama of looking for last night’s homework or those gym clothes in the morning.
• If your child packs lunch, get that lunch made the night before.

Along with those simple ideas, you can also make school mornings go more smoothly with a bit of organizing.

Organizing Lunch Box Items

It’s amazing how quickly the collection of sandwich boxes, drink bottles, lunch boxes, and other lunch related items you can acquire when your kids start school.  These items need a space of their own where they can  be in one spot instead of spread out throughout the kitchen.  This will make lunch packing go much more smoothly.

We are fortunate to have a small cabinet with pull-out shelves that works perfectly for this.  I like having the cabinet down low so the kids can help put items away once they are clean and can even help pack lunch.

Organizing Lunch Snack Choices

When it comes to lunches, it’s also helpful to organize school-friendly snacks and desserts.  We created a separate place in our pantry for desserts, fruit cups/applesauce containers, and other snack items (Goldfish crackers and dried fruits) to be stored separately.   This makes it easy to quickly find items you are looking for.

I like using what we already have on hand, so I recycled a couple mismatched baskets and even a sturdy cardboard box.  You could always find matching containers at the dollar store if you want a more cohesive look. Having them stored in separate containers also makes it easy for kids to find the snacks they are looking for.  Letting kids have a say in what gets packed means they are more likely to eat their lunch.

Getting Ready for School Checklist

Finally, what I think will be the biggest help in getting us out the door in time is this simple flip chart.

I used some over-sized paint samples I had in our art supplies and wrote out each step of our morning process.  I also included a simple picture on each card to make it easier for my non-reader to follow.

By punching a hole in the corner of each card and threading them onto a large metal or plastic ring, you can make a getting ready for school flip chart.  (I like using what I have on hand, so I recycled a baby toy link and just wrapped a bit of tape around the opening in the ring to keep the cards from falling off.  You can also use a metal binder ring.)

Are you ready for back to school?  I hope these simple tips help you feel more organized for school mornings!

Other back to school posts you may like:

• DIY I-Spy Back to School Craft
• Awesome First Day of School Books
• Questions to Ask When Choosing a Preschool

The post Getting Organized for School Mornings first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

First, I want to thank each and every one of you who helped me start off my spring cleaning by giving me that push to get rid of some items that have been lurking in my closet for way too long.  (Things from high school, over 20 years ago…Wow!)  (Thanks especially to The Dose of Reality, A Happier Girl, Chris Carter of the Mom Cafe, Jacklynn of the MamaMama, Cathi, Susie of Homemaker-Mom, Ginny Marie of Lemon Drop Pie, and Single Mom in the South for your comment help!)

I took the advice from those who commented on that post, and it all got donated.

Not only that, but you helped jump start a HUGE clean out of the closet.  I tried on over 20 pair of dress pants that I haven’t worn since teaching, pulled out sweaters that have seen better days, and even found a blue velvet dress in the way back of the closet that, let’s face it, is never getting worn again.

Well, maybe it will be worn again…  Just not by me!My daughter found the dress, and fell in love with it.  It’s the perfect length for dress up, so it is actually going to stick around, just not on a hanger in my closet.

I also found a black poncho.  Are those things still popular?

When I put it on my daughter, she asked, “What is this, Mommy?  A lampshade?”Got to love it!

All said and done, A LOT of stuff left my closet.  Nine pair of pants, 5 sweaters, various shirts, all the items from my last post, and a couple pair of shorts that were in a storage bag in there.Yes, that is a pair of elastic waist pants there and some plaid ones that my sister said I should only wear if I play golf.  (Another reason I’m thankful to talk to my sister on the phone, she has better fashion sense than I do!)  Oh, and don’t you just love the black and white, silky, paisley blouse?  Yeah….

The final result?  A more organized closet with clothes I might actually wear!

Notice that box on the shelf in the corner?  That has my wedding dress…  Maybe it will be worn again in another 20 or so years….

When’s the last time you went through your closet?

The post Cleaning out the Closet — What Got Donated? first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.

It’s that time of the month.

No, not THAT time… I mean the time where I am overwhelmed by…

TOYS.

They have taken over 1/2 my kitchen table with newly acquired Legos.  (Okay, I admit, I am the one who told them Legos had to be played with at the table…but I didn’t think they’d take up residence there and never leave.)  Strawberry Shortcake and friends have another corner of the table.  Their craft/school table is cluttered with various cars, books, and dress-up jewelry.

The living room looks like every boy’s dream:  monster trucks, Hot Wheels, superheroes…. pretty much everywhere.

And then I entered my daughter’s room…

Wow is all I can say.

Why is it that little girl toys always have so many itty-bitty parts????  And how do you organize all the princess castles, Barbie cars, Littlest Pet Shop play sets?

I’s love to store some of the stuff under her bed, but it seems My Little Pony has already claimed that spot.  I am pretty sure there is a village-worth of ponies in the under the bed drawer.

About once a month the toy-chaos gets to me, and I find myself looking around for anything they haven’t played with recently that might “disappear.”  The problem is, they play with it all.

At one point today I called my sister, knowing as a mom she’d understand.  I was actually hoping that her 21 years of parenting and dealing with toys would give her some wisdom to share with me.

After ranting to her about how I had just spent 20 minutes trying to figure out a better way to organize all the Barbie paraphernalia, and telling her that I just wanted to show my Peanut where all her stuff was now, my sister started laughing….  She knew before I even said it that my little girl didn’t care how it was organized.  There was no, “Oh, thank you, Mommy” moment.  In fact, I almost had to drag the child in to show her the Barbie box and the drawer that now held all the dolls.

My mind is still churning, trying to find a solution (other than just pitching it all out, which was sounding pretty good to me earlier today)….

Thankfully this usually only hits me once a month, and tomorrow I won’t be driven nearly as crazy by the mess.

But, since I know it will hit me again eventually, how do you contain the toys?  I’d love to hear your suggestions!  In fact, I’m thinking of sharing all the wonderful ideas you leave in the comments section in a future post.

The post S.O.S. — Save Me from the Toys! first appeared on There's Just One Mommy.