The "toy closet" (actually it should be the coat closet) was attacked today. Olivia thought that we were having a free-for-all when all her toys were being scattered around the living room. I am on a mission to do some major purging around here. So much time is wasted "keeping up" with things we don't really need and frankly, don't really care about. I sorted the toys into 4 groups
GROUP #1- Toys to save for AJ
GROUP #2- Toys to play with with mommy (i.e. play doh)
GROUP #3- Toys that Olivia actually plays with
GROUP #4- Special Furry Friends
Everything else went into either the yardsale bag or trash.
I would be curious to know how you keep toys organized and under control. Several year ago, I heard a statement that stays in the back of my mind when I consider the toy situation around here: "PLAY IS PRACTICE FOR LIFE". I want Olivia to have quality playtime. Not everything has to be abc's and 123's, but having too many cheap little odds n ends toys around can overwhelm and discourage her from playing with her toys altogether.
Now that the toys are under control, on to the next MISSION SIMPLIFICATION!
1.19.2007
Mission Simplification- Part 1
Posted by Leah (Parrish) Millan at 5:51 PM
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
10 comments:
I'm anxious to hear everyone's ideas. We already have this problem and Esther is only 1. Yikes. She didn't really have a whole lot of toys actually til her birthday and Christmas. I think she gets overwhelmed at times also. She loooves to play in the church nursery with organized bins, etc. In fact when it's our turn for nursery, she plays so well independantly, but not so well at home. So we're working on that. Anyways, we got a toy organizer with bins, that will help her in these areas as she gets older..hopefully. sorry for this long post
Yes Shannon! Olivia is the same way. She plays great in the church nursery, but she isn't into playing independently at home. Sometimes I think that she needs to learn how to play. When I play with her and her dolls, I show her how to wrap them in blankets, feed them, burp them, rock them, and so on-- then she continues to play with them on her own for a while.
I think almost everyone has toy troubles! We do frequent purging of unused and unwanted toys. The toys we save are grouped (Little People, Geo Tracks, Thomas, Polly Pocket, etc.) and put in bins or baskets. We try to keep a rule that only one bin comes out at a time. When they are done with that bin, the toys get cleaned up before the next bin or basket comes out. It helps keep things tidy and they have more fun because there is more room to play! Of course, there are always exceptions...like when Polly Pocket wants to ride Thomas the Tank Engine over to visit the Little People at their castle!
I keep a box at the top of our closet (out of view) with a few fun toys that I only pull out at those times when you're trying to make supper and the phone is ringing and the kids are whining and everything else is happening. It works great at my house! I like the rotating toys idea where you put some away for a few months and then pull those out and box up some others. There are only a few favorites that always stay out like the IKEA train set we couldn't live without!
What a great post, my friend! This will probably be a mission for my whole life!!! We are weeding through every single thing in our basement right now and it is unbelievable how much accumulates. It's almost sad...gone are the days of the one treasured doll or truck that lasts for generations! [except a little lamby, maybe!] Awhile back I was going crazy because the living room looked like a Playschool land. So I put all the toys away (boxed up or in Drew's room) and then put one of those plastic drawer units (black looked a bit less "cheesy") and the only toys that stay in the living room are the ones that fit in there. Of course, throughout the day many random toys find their way in there...but at the end of the day...that's it. Now our living room is quite tight, so that's why I felt like I had to limit it. I like the bits of everyone else's ideas! John is definitly strong in the philosophy of "less is more." It does help them focus more and teaches contentment. Also with the church nursery...I think there is also an aspect of "territory" where there is a limit/boundary in the nursery as opposed to at home it seems kind of "limitless" in a sense??? I think that it's very normal!!
What great and helpful ideas! Elaine- putting one bin away before another comes out is a great rule. I could apply that lesson to myself sometimes :) Beth-- love the idea of having "special" toys for times mommy needs to focus. Better than resorting to a video (which is what I usually do-- sigh). Erin-- I feel the same way about toys in the living room -- the plastic drawers is a great idea! Thanks all for sharing!!
Well I am hardly qualified to weigh in on this particular topic - our current plan is not to buy Aaron any toys - and somehow at 6 months he has enough toys (a shocker!) We still have some in original packaging that we are saving for later. I love hearing all of your ideas!
Hey Leah, I know this is a little late, but if you get a chance, we'd love to hear AJ's birth story. I knew it was a big decision whether to have the vbac or not, and Erin filled me in a little but I was wondering how it all went?
Sure thing Shannon!
What we do at our house is very similar to Elaine's system. It has been much easier to have the toys sorted into separate containers so the kids don't have to search through to the bottom of the toy box for that one thing that specifically goes with the toy they are using at the time.
I have found clear bins that are the size of a large shoe box and have handled lids that clip to the box on boths sides. They are easy for the kids to carry and open. The contents can be easily seen and they keep the toys organized. In addition, they are stackable. So, I place them stacked and beside each other on the shelves above the kids hanging clothes in their closets. It is a great way to enforce the cleaning one up before pulling out another (because I have to get them down). It also keeps an organized look to the kids' closet shelves.
We have one for Little People, one for Strawberry Shortcake, one for the cowboy toys, one for Lincoln logs, one for Thomas Train Engine trains, etc. You get the picture. The larger items (like the Little People house or schoolbus) sit beside the boxes on the high shelves.
Post a Comment