Simplifying Toys (UPDATE)

His Toy Shelf  (photo credit: Blue Window Creative)

I previously wrote (Here) about limiting the number of Theo's trains (his most favourite toy) and tracks to a small circle and 3 trains that seemed to encourage prolonged periods of imaginative play.  I promised to update whether this trend continued and if we were able to limit his entire toy collection.  

Well, here we are a few months later and I think we have been pretty successful at simplifying his toys and happy with the results, though more can still be done.  We have kept the train tracks to a circle (albeit a bit larger circle that he can sit inside of) and have limited the number of train engines to about 6.  Grandma spoils Theo with almost every train he can name so we have more trains than six but if he asks after certain trains we trade them out the next day, saying we just happened to find them.

With regards to limiting his other toys, we packed away one entire bin of toys and he's never asked after them again.  I systematically removed stuffies (hidden in my closet) and after a month or two of him not mentioning them, donated them.  Now his shelves have one or two larger toys per shelf that he can access, one canvas bin of trains, and a small pouch of mini trains and hot wheels (for the car rug, pictured in the previous post). I have found his play to be longer and more imaginative with less toys to choose from and by switching out the key toys every couple of months. Also, clean up has been much easier as Theo knows that everything has a place and can mostly differentiate which toys go in what bin.  

Things I still want to do better at... he has taken a real interest in music and dancing so I want to keep all his musical instruments in one bin (Currently they are on his shelves or mixed in with blocks or trains).  His art supplies are growing and are a mess!  I have no intention of having less art supplies but our sometimes bratty boy cannot have access to his art supplies all the time or my house will never be white again. I have to keep them up high but would like them organized so he and I can find what he needs easily and is quick and easy to clean up.

So I will be on the hunt for a smaller bin for his musical toys.  I usually lean towards Pehr Designs as I find the quality high and the design fits in well with our decor.  As for the art supplies, I think that will take a bit more hunting around for solutions, Pinterest and At Mine are calling my name.