Do I even need to explain why this post is necessary? Every mom knows. Puzzles are the perfect educational, motor-skill-developing, quiet toy. Until you have twenty of them and all the pieces are in a jumble.

Probably every parent has experienced this, and yet organizational solutions are in short supply (or really expensive). So I’m here to share my cheap and easy method!

It all starts with a simple item that is an organizer’s dream: two-gallon plastic baggies.

I bought mine over a year ago, and Target had the best deal then – 15 of them for $3. Hard to beat that price for an organizational solution. They measure about 14″ x 16″, which is large enough to fit almost any toddler puzzle. (I only had one puzzle that didn’t quite fit – the plastic “zipper” broke as I was trying to shove it in there.)

Slip those puzzles in there, then stack them on a shelf or in a cute bin!

Safety Warning

Please note that these bags are plastic and thus can pose a safety hazard for small children! I store our puzzles in a high cabinet with other special games and activities that I break out when we need something exciting and different, so the kids don’t have unsupervised access to them.

If you want something that the kids can have free access to, mesh laundry bags for delicates (like these at Amazon) would be a great option. Though pricier than the plastic bags, they are likely to last longer. I use these mesh bags for organizing other kids’ toys, like construction sets or other things that come with multiple pieces that need to stay together. I find them much handier than having tons of small plastic bins; the mesh bags conform to the shape of the toys, and then can be thrown together into a larger bin!

What is your favorite hack for organizing toys and games?