strategies to cycle toys

[Sweetum]

We have noticed that DS is into some toys at one point and some others at a different time and the ones he doens't play with are lying around doing nothing till their turn comes again. In the meantime we keep adding more :) so, I was wondering if any of you had some toy cycling strategies, more logistics related, that I was hoping you could share. For example, when you take the toys out of the toy shelf, where do you store them, in what and which part of your home and how easily accessible do you make them? thanks.

[elephantmeg]

it depends on the kids but I use clear shoe boxes under their beds for the most part. The toys they are using are in cubicals in their rooms and the other are under the bed. Close enough if they really want to play something but otherwise not just dumped everywhere.

Things that I am hoping to cycle OUT but am not sure if I will get away with it go upstairs in an attic eve in a black bag :)

[maestramommy]

We keep some of the toys in the basement. If the kids ask for something, they essentially have to trade something of equal size or play footprint. For example, if they want the toy kitchen, the dollhouses have to go downstairs. they can have the tent or the mini trampoline, but not both.

[ellies mom]

We didn't have much "out of sight/out of reach" storage so cycling toys didn't work very well for us. We really didn't have any place to put the totes other than the playroom so the girls just got into the toys that had been put away. But a friend did it with great results. She had multiple large tote (maybe six?) and she divided the toys into the six totes. She would keep four totes in the garage and two in the house and every month or so she rotated them. I know that sounds like a lot of toys but a lot of the toys were on the medium side so there wasn't a ton in each tote.

[Simon]

I regularly box up and remove toys that are not being played with. I use plastic bins or just diaper boxes, which are a good size, IMO. They go onto shelves in the basement or garage and are not available to the kids at all, they need adult help and permission. Usually, I will return a toy that is being requested, but not always right away.
ETA: sometimes I remove toys just because there are too many out and other times I remove them to be replaced right away.