Pro secrets to organizing toys {issue 16}

Plus, the 30 best grocery store snacks for kids

Jan 21, 2021 No. 16 It's week three of our Great Cubby Clean-Up. Now is where the magic happens: organizing toys so they actually stay organized. We're cheering you on! (Just getting started? Catch up here on week one, Identify the Problems, and week two, The Great Toy Edit.)     Pro Secrets to Organizing Toys So They Stay Organized It's Week Three of the Great Cubby Clean-Up, and this week, we're talking about toy storage systems. This is a part of toy organizing that doesn't get enough attention, but decluttering and a bunch of bins will only get you so far. What you need to get organized and stay organized are thoughtful systems to help you and your kids get the toys back into the right places without extra effort. What you need to do is "create a system for the children, not the adults," advises Tanisha Porter, founder of Natural Born Organizers in Los Angeles. "Simplicity is the key," she adds. Here's how to create a system that works for your family: read more > cubby follows If you're not one of Jennifer Anderson's (MSPH, RDN) over 1 million followers at kids.eat.in.color, it's time! We're endlessly inspired by her freeing perspective on nutrition for kids.      eat     The 30 Best Grocery Store Snacks for Kids We called on fellow parents, registered dietitians, and pro-level grocery shoppers to curate this list of must-buy snacks. read more >     The Absolute Easiest Banana Muffins Got bananas? The easiest muffins that everyone will love (no mixer required; put your kid to work stirring instead). read more > play     Make This Your Go-To Birthday Gift in 2021 So unique and fun for them (and so easy for you). read more >     My Trick for Bringing Old Toys Back to Life In my house, we've been hearing a lot of complaints from our son lately that his toys are "boring." Here's how I got him excited about our same old toys. read more > live     This $35 Target Buy Dramatically Improved My Family Bathroom This organization gem is (almost) as good as a remodel, and certainly a whole lot cheaper. read more >     How This Family of Four Lives Large in a 200-Square-Foot Airstream Two kids, a dog, and life on the road in a solar-powered Airstream—here's how they make the adventure happen! read more > cubby finds: snack sacks Blue Wave Lunchskin LilyBee Wrap Snack Bag Stasher Silicone Snack Bag Bumkins Rainbow Unicorn Snack Bags ask maxwell I've got two daughters, one in first grade and the other in third, and they are prolific artists. I love it all and don't want to throw anything away—but I don't know how to keep up. What should I keep? What's the best place to store it all? - Nadia Dear Nadia,   I have very firm opinions on this and kids' clutter in general, which is far less special than their original art. Here we go.   As a teacher for seven years I not only curated and collected my students' art, I was the chief instigator in that I taught them to draw and to paint. We covered A LOT of paper and sent most of it home (poor parents!). All of it was amazing in its own way and humming with life and energy as soon as it was finished, shining up from their desks. I had a strong feeling to preserve each piece (also to make sure they put their initials on it so we could keep track of each one), and we spent a lot of time making sure it all went home in timely manner each month after it was displayed in class. read more > Maxwell Ryan is a father and was an elementary school teacher in NYC before founding Apartment Therapy. He'd love to answer your question: askmaxwell@cubbyathome.com ( trust us ) Tantrum-tamer game-changer Unsubscribe or Manage Your Preferences  View this email in your browser  Apartment Therapy is full of ideas for creating a warm, beautiful, healthy home. If we've inspired you, we may receive a share of purchases made through this email. Apartment Therapy Media 270 Lafayette Street, Suite 1300 New York, NY 10013 ABOUT | CONTACT US | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS OF USE