How to store wooden toys
Wooden toys have great longevity. They tend to be simpler than plastic toys, meaning they are far less likely to either break or go out of fashion. Plus if they do get broken they are far easier to mend.
But how do you store them for future generations?
Toys undoubtedly take up a lot of space, and so it can be tempting and even necessary to get rid of things fairly quickly once children grow out of them. However, there are certainly some heirloom-worthy toys that are worth passing down to future generations. If of course, you have the space to store them.
If you are lucky enough to be living in your forever home, or have a family home with storage space you can access then it’s certainly tempting to keep your favourite toys to pass on. And it’s certainly far better than throwing them away.
Open ended toys that require maximum involvement an imagination are certainly the best ones to keep as they are timeless. Think wooden animals, building blocks, simple toy cars and train sets. These toys have changed very little over hundreds if not thousands of years and are very unlikely to go out of favour.
How to keep wooden toys for future generations
If you decide that there are toys you would rather keep for your grandkids than pass on straight away then it’s worth thinking about the best way to store them to keep them at their best. The last thing you want it to have kept your precious rainbow or rocking horse for 20 plus years only to realise it’s covered in mould.
Brushing toys to remove any dirt before you store them is a great start, and you can even wipe them with a damp cloth to remove stains. Hardwoods last for a long time and looking after them will preserve them for far longer. We have a whole post of how to clean wooden toys here.
Many wooden toys will benefit from a coat of wax or oil to feed the wood and keep them in great condition. And it’s important to avoid storing them in damp areas or direct sunlight. Storing wood with silica gel bags that absorb moisture will and prevent mould and decay.
Once toys are clean wrap each toy in a cotton sheet to prevent damage and store in plastic boxes that allow air to circulate. It’s a great idea to sort toys and store similar items together. And to label your boxes to make sure you don’t need to do too much rummaging if you’re looking for a specific item.
Once your toys are ready to store you need to find the perfect spot to keep them. Ideally, you want somewhere that is dry, out of direct sunlight and doesn’t experience huge fluctuations in temperature. Plus you want to make sure you keep them away from pests such as mice and insects.
Other Toys you should think about keeping
Although we really love wooden toys we do think there are other toys you should think about keeping.
Lego. If your kids love Lego then you’ll know how expensive it can be to collect. Plus its relatively small size means it’s easy to store.
Toy cars and trains. These again tend to be quite little and are the perfect toys for kids to play with when they come to grannies house. There are plenty of space efficient ways to store toy trains and cars.
Books. So long as you keep them dry books store well and there’s nothing nicer than reading stories you remember as a child to your own kids.
