Over the years I think I have tried everything to keep my kids’ toys and sporting goods coraled, and if you have kids I’m sure you have too. While the amount of toys in our house have dwindled as the kids have gotten older, a couple things the kids have used consistently through the years are their Ripsticks and scooters. (Do you know what a Ripstick is? It’s kind of like a skateboard but it bends in the middle. I have yet to master it.) At 15 even my oldest will still use these on the driveway when he’s goofing around with his friends. Do your kiddos love them too?
You know what I love? I love when the kids play outside. I love when they are shooting hoops, tossing around a lacrosse ball or playing football. ANYTHING but looking at electronics, which seem to be permanently attached to the hand of every teen, and even tween, that I know.
Go outside and play. Forget texting and Instagram and YouTube for half an hour. Get some exercise. Actually interact and laugh with your friends in real life. The scooters and Ripsticks and balls and bats and lacrosse sticks – I am glad to have all this junk crowding my garage because I want the kids to get outside and be KIDS.
The thing about Razor scooters is that they don’t lean very well. If you put them up against a wall they slowly roll away from it and fall over. We tried leaning the scooters in our bike rack that is similar to this one:
(truly I find those racks to be such a waste of money – the bikes don’t always stay up. More on bike storage later!)
Everything was always falling over, and it was hard to get a bike or scooter out without getting yourself all tangled – it was just a BIG MESS.
And then I discovered those little rubberized prong hooks that changed my life
I know, I’m like a broken record about these little hooks. But I love them!
Last week I showed you how I used them to hang our skis and skates.
I also tried them for the Ripsticks and scooters, and they are perfect!!!
They are a such a cheap way to organize your garage – they come 2 to a pack for less than $3 (I’ve even seen them for 2/$2 at some stores.) I just screwed them into the walls of my garage and that was it – problem that has been ongoing for 10+ years finally solved. It’s the little things in life!!!
Hanging these toys up means they are no longer a tripping hazard, and they still are easy to access. Even a 6 or 7 year old could hang a Ripstick or scooter up or take it down on their own (if the hook is low enough).
I’m not saying a child is MORE LIKELY to put away their toys just because there is storage for them, but at least there is a designated out-of-the-way spot for them.
I know – those handlebars have seen better days…..we’ve had these for years!
If you don’t have a garage you could throw one of these hooks inside a shed or storage closet.
(I’m thinking of my niece and nephew who live in a New York apartment and just got Ripsticks for Christmas!)
I hung this flat scooter-y thingamajig on a couple of nails when I ran out of hooks and that’s been just fine. If you have little ones, though, I would suggest the rubber coated hooks to keep those precious noggins safe.
Give the rubber coated hooks a try – you’ll be amazed at how many things you can hang from them!
You can find them at most hardware stores or on Amazon here.
