How to Clean Up Toys Fast + 3 Things That Really Work!

*This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.*

Knowing how to clean up toys fast would come in really handy at the end of a long day…

The kids are finally in bed but you’ve been left with the remnants of their play and imaginary games. It’s sweet that they had such a good time, but now you’re tired.

Ending the day with a messy home covered in toys can really be draining.

As a mom to three little ones very close in age, I’ve had my fair share of evenings where I’ve left the mess on the floor out of sheer exhaustion.

So, what’s the magic solution? How do you clean up toys fast and make the process easier? Is it even possible to have your kids clean up after themselves?

Keep reading for some real-life proven tips that work…

How to Clean Up Toys Fast (without doing it all yourself!)

I’ve lived in a fairly small home with my husband and three children for the past 6 years. Over that time I’ve had babies and toddlers and toys that come and go.

It can be easy to get overwhelmed by the mess or to think that if I had a bigger space it wouldn’t be so difficult to keep clean.

The reality is that we typically fill up whatever space it is that we have and therefore, more space isn’t necessarily the solution.

What we all need are proper processes and healthy habits that make cleaning up toys something that takes just a few minutes and isn’t overwhelming.

Below are three things that I have learned over the years. They have been proven to work time and time again.

#1 Get Rid of Excess Toys

Cleaning up toys is always going to be an overwhelming task if there is an overabundance of them.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, think about how your little child must be feeling. They haven’t got the same problem-solving skills you’ve had time to develop over the years.

It is too much to expect them to keep on top of the mess if even you are daunted by it.

Do yourself and your child a massive favor by decluttering excess toys.

I’m always amazed and how toys just seem to build up so quickly. Whether it’s grandma’s gifting them, cheap take-out toys, or just hand-me-downs, they just constantly seem to grow in capacity.

Having a regular habit of purging broken and unused toys makes a big difference.

I tend to do this in two different ways.

First of all, I include my children. I like them to see that purging is a healthy habit to adopt and it gives them ownership of their choices.

We make a habit of purging before each birthday and also Christmas.

Secondly, there are times when my children may not be so keen to get rid of certain things (even though I know they don’t play with them). When that is the case, I put said toys in a container and store them in the garage for a month or so.

If, after that time, they haven’t missed them, I donate them.

#2 Have Adequate Storage Solutions

Having proper places to put toys is a major win when it comes to cleaning up toys fast. This is both beneficial to you and your child.

Have designated toy storage solutions but don’t overcomplicate them.

In my experience, children lose their motivation to clean up as soon as the job becomes overwhelming. It’s okay to have some different categories for toys but don’t get too detailed.

In our home, our children have a toybox in each of their rooms which contains larger toys.

For the smaller more detailed toys, we keep them in cubes on a cubby shelf that is more closely monitored.

Once toys can no longer fit in their designated storage, it usually means a decluttering is in order.

#3 Create Healthy Play Habits

I remember wise moms telling me that they teach their children to tidy up before they take out another activity.

In my heart of hearts, I wanted to do that too. However, when I had three children 3 and under, I just did not have the mental energy to keep up with monitoring that.

As my children have gotten older we’ve implemented some basic habits that have made a big difference in how fast toys get cleaned up.

You see, cleaning up toys fast happens when there aren’t too many toys to clean up in the first place.

Here are the habits we have in our home:

First of all, bedrooms are tidied morning and evening. I don’t expect them to be spotless, but having the toys put away really does make a difference and stops it from becoming a total bomb.

I have these chore charts from Arrows and Applesauce that make this fun for the kids.

Secondly, we have cubby storage for the smaller toys and only one cubby is allowed out at a time.

This keeps the toys organized and much less overwhelming to clean up.

Another easy way to clean up toys is to have a basket for each child. At the end of the day, have them take their basket and pick up their toys off the floor.

I also tend to just put their toys in there as I see them. At the end of the day, they can just take their basket back to their room and put the toys in their toybox.

It really is a quick process when done that way.

Conclusion

The key to knowing how to clean up toys fast is understanding that less is more. Children don’t need an abundance of toys and they tend to play better with less.

When you have a manageable amount of toys in your home with good storage options, the final step is to establish consistent and healthy habits.

The last part really is the hardest because it takes some consistency on your part.

However, the payoff is more than worth it. Both you and your children can clean up toys fast without feeling overwhelmed.