How to Organize Puzzles

I don't know about your kids, but mine absolutely love working on puzzles. Over the past several years, we have acquired quite the collection. Which is amazing, however storing more than a dozen large puzzle boxes meant we were quickly outgrowing the cabinet where they were kept. Puzzles on the bottom of the stack were rarely used because it was impossible to see down into the drawer and the one-off pieces I found around the house were slowly making me crazy. I'm not sure if that's #organizerproblems or if that speaks to mamas everywhere.

Then I discovered these "puzzle pouches" and they were a game changer at our house! (Please note: the technical name for these are "document bags" but that's boring and I'm making it my personal mission to make puzzle pouch a thing.) Not only are they large enough to fit at least 50 large kid's puzzle pieces, but they're slim, zip at the top, and are easy to transport. Did I just hear all the moms shout Hallelujah?? That means we can grab a few of these bad boys to take on vacation or throw a small one in my purse at any time without worrying about the pieces spilling out.

These are my favorite and I highly recommend them as they come in a pack of 24. BONUS: they're color coded so my kids know which ones belong to them (no fighting!) They measure 13.5" x 9.5" (A4/letter size) and are waterproof - I feel like that's a requirement for families of small kids!

But how do you know what puzzle you're grabbing? I'm so glad you asked! I cut out the image of the puzzle from the front of the box and insert it directly into the translucent front of the pouch. In an effort to minimize clutter, these little beauties help contain all the tiny pieces without the added bulk of stacked boxes.

With a few pouches leftover, several even found their way into my pool bag to corral sunscreen, goggles, and small pool toys. One is even stored in my purse and holds clean face masks in case anyone forgets theirs when we leave the house. (Which has saved the day more than once over the past few months!)

Here are a few other options if you're in the market.

1. 36 Piece Zipper Storage Bags - If you need more than a pack of 24, these are your best bet. Plus they have zippers with two different shades of pink if you have anyone into that at your house!

2. Here is a hanging option if you don't have space in a drawer or cabinet. Full disclosure - I haven't used these myself, but would be a good, sturdy option as an alternative in a playroom closet or to keep them more out of reach from little hands.

How do you organize puzzles? Would love to hear as I'm always looking for new alternatives with my clients!

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Cheers!

Emily