We’re back from vacation and ready to Play, but before we get those toys out they need a bit of organizing. Maja’s major headache is her Toy Room!

In our “Toy Room Tantrum” episode today we’ll explore what you need to create an organized and functional toy room that your kids will love, and will hopefully ease that clutter headache for all the moms who listen in.

How to do it:
1 - Shelves (tall ones are best)
2 - Baskets and Bins
3 - Labels or Graphic picture for front of the bin (take out your camera and snap pics of what goes in, your kids will pick it up fast and be able to put away toys in a snap)
4 - Ditch the big ole’ Toy Box (it’s a black hole!)
5 - Widdle down your toy collection and be ruthless. Don’t forget our Mantra - “Top to bottom, left to right, focus, Focus, FOCUS!”
6 - How to maintain it is simply to have quick cleanups twice a day, then it’s simple and fast to keep it organized and beautiful

*If you have an area in your home or office that requires organizing, but you just don’t know where to start, shoot us an email to: thesavvyorganizer@gmail.com and your question might be featured and answered in an upcoming episode.

Under the bed is a perfect and often used storage space for extra things in your bedroom. The trick is to use the space wisely by storing the right things in proper containers. The best stuff to store under your bed are things that have to DO with the bedroom; think seasonal clothes, duvet covers and blankets. You don’t want anything under there that you need to access on a regular basis nor do you want things that don’t belong to the bedroom - those stray items should likely find a home somewhere else. As for the containers, you need to find something that rolls, can be cleaned and has a lid!! You know how dust bunnies congregate under the bed - it would suck to have them party on your clean sweaters! I have been looking for a great bin for under our bed and I have found a couple that I think will appeal to you.

The first is a CUTE basket called the “DEGERNES” (pictured above) with a canvas tie on lid - perfect for those who don’t have a bedskirt and want something that will look good under the bed. You can still clean it by giving it a quick vacuum or wiping down the sides and the cover can just be thrown in the wash. It could be a bit tiresome untying it - so for this I recommend storing stuff that you would need to access a couple times a year. Find it here>

The next two are pure function. They are both plastic, and have plastic lids that can be easily put on and wiped off. I would recommend this only if you have a bedskirt hiding it - plastic containers/storage bins/ drawers are great, but look cheap sticking out in a bedroom! They are completely functional and great, but please hide them! Here are a couple that I found on line and liked - note the Ikea one is almost 1 1/2″ taller than The Container Store one - so measure your bed before you buy!

Ikea underbed storage>
The Container Store under bed storage>

Maja shares her ideas and hints for putting away and storing Christmas decor. She also helps you to organize her holiday decorations so that it’s much easier to find what you need next year!

Step #1: Get Bins to store your precious ornaments and holiday things in (sterilite containers at Walmart etc.)
Step #2: Get your Labels ready, mark down contents of every single bin (Maja uses 3×5″ inch cards and a black marker)
Step #3: Use the Mantra (top to bottom, left to right, focus, focus, focus)
Step #4: Tape gun at the ready
Optional Step #5: Create a Binder or Master list with the contents of each bin for easy reference, don’t forget to number the bins if you choose this method.

Listener Poll: “When do you think is the best time to take down your Christmas decorations?”. Please leave your comments in our shownotes.