Free Printable Toy Decluttering Guide

Has your entire house turned into a playroom, and navigating it feels like an obstacle course? You’re not alone! All of us parents have felt the sharp sting of stepping on rogue LEGO bricks and other playthings at 2 AM – one too many times! A gazillion toys and no proper organization can do that. The cure? Grab this free printable toy decluttering guide to make your floors safe again and your home a welcoming, livable space!

My son’s toy collection went through multiple phases, eventually looking like there was a small electronics store in his bedroom. But honestly, it’s the same for boys and girls. Only the toy clutter appears in different forms and shapes!

This free printable toy decluttering guide is great for organization purposes, but there’s also a hidden benefit. I noticed that my son appreciated his toys more when he got them in a rotation. And once they were neatly sorted, it was a lot easier for him to pick up the ones he felt like playing with in the moment.

I know some parents say less is more when it comes to toys, but I don’t think it’s about that. You can have a great variety of toys for your kids, just make sure you’re not flooding them with too many at once. And when you have them spread throughout the entire house, that’s exactly the opposite.

🧸 Printable Toy Decluttering Guide

This toy decluttering guide will help you tackle several problems in one go:

• Sorting
• Decluttering
• Organizing

🤔 Decision-Making Questions

We kick things off with some simple, yet mighty, decision-making questions. For each toy you pick up – yes, even that tiny, forgotten action figure, you’ll ask yourself these questions:

👉Is it functional, still safe to use, and no missing pieces?

👉Has my child played with this in the last 6 months?

👉Is it still age appropriate?

👉Is it unique, and not a duplicate?

👉Is it truly special or deeply sentimental?

Obviously, there’s no winning formula that applies to all toys, but as a general rule of thumb, each toy that goes in the “Keep” pile needs to answer “Yes” to at least one of the above questions.

Once you get into it, you’ll see first hand how these questions simplify the decision making process. It works!

💸 The Sell Pile

Deciding what is worth keeping or not was the easy part. The items not worth keeping will go into three different piles: Sell, Donate, or Trash.

The “Sell” pile is for those items in excellent condition, complete, and with potential resale value. Think of it as reclaiming a bit of your investment.

• High-Value Playsets
• Electronics & Consoles
• Popular Character Toys
• Ride-On Toys & Bikes
• Large Baby Gear
• Complete Board Games

The categories above might not cover all types of toys but they make a great starting point. In general, if you’re not sure how valuable or potentially resalable a toy is, a quick online search will reveal if it’s in demand or not.

🎁 The Donate Pile

Not everything is sell-worthy, but so many toys are still perfectly lovable and just need a new home.

The Donate pile is for items in good, usable condition, clean, and safe, but might not be valuable enough for selling. Trust me, there’s a child out there who would be absolutely thrilled with a gently used building block set or a beloved storybook.

This section of the guide gives you a clear rundown of the types of toys that can bring joy to another family:

• Gently Used Toys
• Building Blocks
• Pretend Play Items
• Puzzles
• Books
• Art Supplies
• Baby & Toddler Toys
• Complete Board Games

🗑️ The Trash Pile

And then, there’s the “Trash” pile. As much as we want to avoid waste, not every toy gets a happy ending in a new home.

Items that are broken, unsafe, dirty, or simply beyond repair or reuse cannot be sold or donated and it’s okay to let them go.

There’s no decluttering trophy for holding onto junk! This part of your guide helps you identify those items that truly belong in the bin:

• Broken Toys
• Missing Essential Pieces
• Unsafe Items
• Ripped or Stained Plush Toys
• Moldy or Dirty Toys
• Expired or Dried-Out Craft Supplies
• Broken Electronics
• Junk Drawer Toys

✨ The Keep Pile

Finally, my favorite part: the “Keep” pile! These are the champions – the items that answer “Yes” to one or more questions in the decision tree and are still functional.

But keeping them is just step one, isn’t it? The real magic happens when they’re organized!

This section of your guide gives you practical categories to sort your cherished toys, making it super easy for kids (and adults!) to find exactly what they’re looking for:

• Building Toys
• Dolls & Action Figures
• Vehicles
• Pretend Play/Dress-Up
• Art & Craft Supplies
• Puzzles & Board Games
• Educational Toys
• Baby & Toddler Toys
• Outdoor Toys/Sports Equipment
• Stuffed Animals/Plush Toys
• Musical Instruments
• Books
• Figurines/Collectibles

Of course, if, for example, you have tons of dolls or action figures, you can create more granular categories – whatever works for your needs!

💡Tip: Looking to declutter your whole house? Check out my free printable decluttering guide – it’s not specific to any room or item category but it will help you go through all of your belongings and figure out if they’re worth keeping, selling, donating, or throwing away.

⬇️ Grab It Now

✅Enter your name and email in the box below, then hit the “Grab It Now” button.

✅In a few moments you’ll get an email from us with the download link to the free printable toy decluttering guide.

✅Save it to your device and open it with a PDF reader app (I like to use the free Adobe Reader but any similar app will do).

✅These printables are made to print on regular U.S. Letter paper. If you’re using this type of paper, you can just go to File->Print and hit the “Print” button.

✅For other paper sizes like A4 or A5 you can change the type of paper used from the File->Print menu, or adjust the “Scale” setting before printing.

🧮 Toy Organization Tips

It’s such a great feeling knowing you finally have that Keep pile, and you know exactly which toys are still purposeful. The above categories are great for the final sorting but at this point, how you organize them matters most.

No one wants to end up with a new toy avalanche just weeks after the great purge!

📌Choose the right containers for the job – For those bigger items like building blocks or stuffed animals, clear plastic bins with lids work wonders – easy to see what’s inside and stackable!

📌Smaller solutions for tiny pieces – For smaller pieces like figurines or art supplies, I found shallow drawers or smaller containers with compartments were a lifesaver.

📌Organize vertically and creatively – Don’t forget those clever solutions like toy hammocks for plush toys, or wall-mounted shelves for books and display items.

📌Clear labeling is your best friend – Even with see-through storage bins, it’s not always possible to guess their contents at a glance. But it is if you label them!

I heavily rely on these free printable storage bin labels for all my home organization, and they work great for toys too!

These editable labels have been an absolute game-changer in our house. There are various sizes, 1 row and 2 row title options, and you just need to type your categories in the PDF, print, cut, and stick them to your bins and containers. And they’re so darn cute!

Beyond the clutter, what’s a favorite memory tied to a toy you did decide to keep? Share a sweet story in the comments – let’s celebrate those keepers!