When you have children you are constantly accumulating TOYS

I like to have my daughter pick out toys to give away to needy children. It helps get things in order. I have considered buying one of those outdoor storage bins for the basement play area, too.

I use clear plastic bins. You can see what is in them, but it keeps them neat and organized. I have several of the larger- I think they are 40 gallons or thereabout. If you want to keep the house neat, you could make a rule that only one bin of toys can be out at a time, it must be put away before another comes out. I also have a large bookshelf- floor to ceiling- in my living room. The bottom 3 shelves are for my son's books and toys. The toys are the ones that he plays with most often, and he is free to take out the books whenever he wants. The rest of the shelves are my books and things. It works well for us because he can take things out and put them away independently.

I have 2 kids and let me tell you it is nearly impossible. My daughter does not have that many toys of her own. She plays with a lot of her brothers toys. They are in the living room in the corner a few in the bedrooms and the rest all over the basement.