Nothing is better on a Sunday afternoon than playing a game with the family. Nothing is worse than getting the game out to play and realizing not all of the pieces are there. And how many of you have tape on the corners of your boxes? It’s a pretty common site in many homes.
Here are some tips on how to get your games organized and keep those pieces together!
- Decide where you would like the games to be stored. I personally like having all of the games in one place. I place the games and puzzles that I do not want my children to have access to without an adult, up on a higher shelf. We have a set rule in the house, that once a game is finished, we put it back immediately. We have lost too many pieces in the last few years, and have learned the hard way, why this is an important to rule.
- Go through your current games and decide which ones are staying and which are going. We all like some games more than others. Our children outgrow games. Or maybe too many pieces have been lost to save a game. Whatever the case is, if you have valuable space being taken, now is the time to eliminate!
- To avoid loosing pieces, put all of the pieces together in a clear zippered bag, labeled with the games name. Make sure to include the instructions. If you do not want to keep the box, take the game board out and label the games name on the backside. So when you are stacking your games on the shelf, you have one side for game boards and one side for the zippered bags.
- If you must keep the boxes, consider storing them sideways on a shelf. Tip the games on their side and slide them next to one another. You might want to tape the sides, just to make sure no extra pieces go missing.
- Use the same concept for puzzles, place all of the puzzle pieces into a bag, take a picture of the puzzle box top, or cut it out and put it with the pieces.
- To keep the shelf organized, you could always get baskets and containers to fit the zipper bags. One for games and one for puzzles. You could also place a basket for all the cards, and smaller dice games. Keep a basket with extra pencils and tabs of paper. By keeping like items together and contained will make the space look and feel more organized.
- There are products available called Game Savers, you can purchase through Amazon.com. Which is the same concept of the zipper bag, however it is a plastic container. Easier to stack than the original boxes.
- If purchasing new games, consider the “Library Board Games”. Many of the classics are found in this kind of case. This is a much better storage solution than the cardboard box.
- Missing pieces happen, no matter how careful you may be. It’s a good idea to have a small basket or box to place missing pieces as you come across them. As you are playing a game, if you find you are missing a piece that will be the first place you look!
- Make Game Night a weekly activity. It’s a great way to connect and bond with your family. It teaches our children so many valuable lessons on how to win and lose graciously. It can be a great educational opportunity to really challenge us and make us think. And a great time to listen to our kids and find out what is going on in their lives!
I challenge you this week to turn off the TV and play a game!
Happy Organizing!
Nikki Kinzer is a professional organizer and owner of Take Control Organizing, and proud mother of two. She helps individuals and families build new habits and discover the benefits of organized living. You can follow her on Twitter and find her fanpage on Facebook.
