Rotate your kid's toys and keep (most of) them out of sight.

This really is the best recommendation if you have the extra space/time to maintain this strategy. I usually am able to get to going during the summer but fall off the wagon once the crush of school and extracurriculars return. My child absolutely responds well to this method, especially if she knows that her toys aren’t being given away and that she can access them if she ever wants them brought back. Plus, the rotation allows for some pretty happy returns :)

As a professional organizer I go into a lot of homes, and a pattern I see repeatedly is well-meaning parents trying to store every toy their kid owns (even from the time they were babies). Unless you're a true minimalist, this is rarely a good idea. It's stressful on your space, exhausting for your peace of mind, a nightmare for your ability to tidy efficiently, and most importantly it's not improving your kids' ability to play. What I see in most homes is that if a kid's space is overloaded wit...