--- title: Eco-Friendly and FREE Christmas Toy Storage description: Eco-Friendly and FREE Christmas Toy Storage --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2011/01/01/eco-friendly-and-free-christmas-toy-storage#) # Eco-Friendly and FREE Christmas Toy Storage Jan 1, 2011 1:00:43 PM  |  by [Guest](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/guest) ![](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_8378_thumb-113x150.jpg?width=113&height=150&name=IMG_8378_thumb-113x150.jpg "IMG_8378_thumb")Nothing overwhelms me faster than a new toy with zillions of parts and no logical way to keep them together. As much as I'd like to have visions of sugar plums dancing in my head when I think about December 25th, **dancing excesses of toys is more likely the reality. ** Do you know this syndrome? If your kids are the only grandkids, I guarantee you do. If you're the type of person who has beautifully coordinated cloth and wicker baskets for everything in your home, you may not need this post. **If you like a bit of organization without spending any money**, keep reading! ### Save Your Junk The first step to reclaiming free storage containers is to make sure you stop throwing them away and recycling them. Itís a mindset change of repurposing and usefulness, really. I have a few boxes in my basement where I collect cute small boxes, bottles, jars, bags, and more - anything I think might be useful to contain something again later. [![IMG_8382](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_8382_thumb.jpg?width=532&height=404&name=IMG_8382_thumb.jpg "IMG_8382")](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_8382.jpg) I'm always ready to store something, whether it's food, toys, or just junk. ;) 1. Crayons and colored pencils live in glass salsa jars: [![IMG_8158](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_8158_thumb.jpg?width=532&height=404&name=IMG_8158_thumb.jpg "IMG_8158")](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_8158.jpg) 2. Those plastic containers that you moved away from when you found glass containers can be reused to store little toy sets, like these piratey things: [![IMG_8376](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_8376_thumb.jpg?width=532&height=404&name=IMG_8376_thumb.jpg "IMG_8376")](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_8376.jpg) 3. Three oatmeal canisters taped together for the tall toys - hockey sticks, baseball bats, swords. This was an inspired and much-needed creation! [![IMG_8375](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_8375_thumb.jpg?width=404&height=532&name=IMG_8375_thumb.jpg "IMG_8375")](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_8375.jpg) 4. We always buy big bags of grapefruit this time of year. Keep the bags for sure - they're great for foamy puzzles, and even more appropriate for sand toys (the sand falls right out instead of piling up in the bottom of the bag): [![IMG_8380](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_8380_thumb.jpg?width=404&height=532&name=IMG_8380_thumb.jpg "IMG_8380")](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_8380.jpg) [![IMG_8372](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_8372_thumb.jpg?width=532&height=404&name=IMG_8372_thumb.jpg "IMG_8372")](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_8372.jpg) 5. Be sure to save any heavy-duty plastic bag that acts as packaging. This is from a blanket, and it lasted a few years as a puzzle stash: [![IMG_8379](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_8379_thumb.jpg?width=404&height=532&name=IMG_8379_thumb.jpg "IMG_8379")](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_8379.jpg) 6. For flat games cut from magazines or perhaps Montessori works like this one, Styrofoam trays like the ones I hate getting from my [reduced produce](http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/03/20/a-reduced-produce-primer/) section end up working well: [![IMG_8381](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_8381_thumb.jpg?width=532&height=404&name=IMG_8381_thumb.jpg "IMG_8381")](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_8381.jpg) ### ** Bonus: Free Toy!** Here's a simple toy that you can make from collected "junk" otherwise thrown away: [![IMG_8378](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_8378_thumb.jpg?width=404&height=532&name=IMG_8378_thumb.jpg "IMG_8378")](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/IMG_8378.jpg) Made from an oatmeal canister and caps from milk, juice and water bottles, it serves as an "in and out game" toy for 8-18 mos., then a small motor skill toy for toddlers (putting the caps in the slot), then a sorting by color and counting manipulative for the preschool set. And all for zero dollars. I kept a small bag under my sink to collect these guys for a few years when I was teaching. The caps can also be free math manipulatives. **How do you store toys and keep your sanity?** ***Copyright 2010 Katie Kimball*** ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2011%2F01%2F01%2Feco-friendly-and-free-christmas-toy-storage%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2011%2F01%2F01%2Feco-friendly-and-free-christmas-toy-storage%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2011%2F01%2F01%2Feco-friendly-and-free-christmas-toy-storage%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Eco-Friendly%20and%20FREE%20Christmas%20Toy%20Storage) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2011%2F01%2F01%2Feco-friendly-and-free-christmas-toy-storage%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2011%2F01%2F01%2Feco-friendly-and-free-christmas-toy-storage%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Guest](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Profile%203.jpg) ### [Guest](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/guest) We welcome guest contributors who graciously volunteer their writing for our readers. 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