ADVICE RATING |
  4.38 (Worth a try) from 16 votes (421 Visits) |
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Contain Yourself |
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by tracey  (August 2006) (rank 8th) |
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I’m a big fan of containers. It doesn’t really matter what kind of container it is really; bins, boxes, bags, I like them all. When I put things into a container, I feel more organized. For the record, I’m not really organized at all so it’s
just an illusion. Regardless, I still do it and I will say that when it comes to my children’s toys, nothing works better than containers for all the little pieces. As kids get older, their toys get smaller and there are more and more tiny parts. Containers (preferable with lids) help keep all that stuff together, in one place so that you’re less likely to vacuum up the Legos or beads that are scattered around the carpet. It works for larger toys as well, like a plastic tea set (lot’s of plates and cups), or dolls and their accessories.
Buying bins is one way to get things into containers. It can be great when they all match. It depends on how organized you are. And labeling them helps too. Like I mentioned, I am not really all that organized, so buying matching bins isn’t necessary for me. I have been known to use recycled food containers for toys. Or plastic backpacks that often are the packages for some toys.
For puzzles with many pieces (like board puzzles for young children) I use small zippered purses for the pieces and then I put all the zippered bags and the boards they go to in a larger bin together. When it’s time to “play puzzles” we get the bin out and do each puzzle, one after the next. When we’re done, we put all the pieces away in their bags and put the bin away. I have found that the taking out and putting away has become such a ritual, that it is part of the game. And it teaches kids to take the time to put things where they go, to take care of their things, and that they’ll always know where to find them when they need to.
. She likes to help put everything away too just not as much fun as making a mess.
