Last week, in two posts of the 144 Plan to Happy Homemaking two readers shared their toy rotation and girl room organization ideas which totally inspired me to implement something similar in our home. The result is what I am sharing with you today.
Making Room in the Closets for Toy Rotation
To begin, I decided it was high time we start implementing a toy rotation system to our play room since the girls seem to always be playing with the same toys. In addition, I thought I would take it a step further and begin rotating our books so that every book rotation is about as exciting as a visit to the library (which for us is like Christmas).
Our problem–finding the closet space. We live in a 1960s home with little closet space (or at least not as much as desired) so I knew I was going to have to get creative. Through much manuvuering I was able to clear a shelf off in the cleaning closet for toys…
And a shelf on my side of our clothes closet for books.
The plan is to rotate these toys and books out at the beginning of everything month. We will just have to see how it goes. As far as immediate results though, since storing some of their games and toys, the girls have taken more notice of the toys that remained. So yes I can see where less toys really does mean more play!
Girly Organization
Next came the girly organization project in Peanut’s room. The girls have accumulated quite a few doll clothes since their Christmas presents of two Our Generation Dolls (great American Doll alternative by the way–the girls LOVE them and they each come with stories just like the American Dolls too). In addition, we have moved the play kitchen in Peanut’s room to make more room in the school room for…well…school. 😉 Thus, Peanut’s room was in desperate need for a makeover.
To begin, I used a bookshelf we already had and divided it into two parts–a doll clothes side and a kitchen side.
We put all the small clothes in plastic shoeboxes from the Dollar Tree and added descriptive shipping labels on the outside covered with packing tape for durability.
We then added a small curtain rod at the top and purchased these cute doll hangers to hang the girls’ doll clothes on.
On the other size, we incorporated a few baskets from our play room and then made one shelf a pantry for the dishes.
The dish shelves are also conveniently located right next to Peanut’s grocery cart and kitchenette for ease of use and realistic-like play.
And for Peanut’s personal touch, she likes to keep her doctor’s kit at the bottom as she is really getting into Doc McStuffins and loves doctoring up her dolls.
We’ve actually had this girly organization in place for several weeks now and I’ve been amazed at both how much the girls play in Peanut’s room and how much pride they take in organizing and cleaning up their girly toys afterwards with this setup. All that to say, for now, this setup is a keeper in our books. I’m sold.
Inspire me more and I just might reference you as I take on my next project! Please feel free to share your links in the comments below.
Take it to the next level with these resources:
- Kathy’s Play Room Organization
- Homeschool: Spaces and Home: Kids Space Organization Pinterest boards for more play room, toy and kid organization ideas
