TOYS GALORE?

I watch 2 little girls everyday on top of my two and let me tell you... my living room is a disaster! It wouldn't be so bad but we live in a 1200 sq ft home and the walls were starting to close in on us.

Does your toy situation need to improve?  Ask yourself the following questions.  Do you dislike the amount of toys that your children have?
Have you stepped on GI JOE'S or Barbie dolls?
Spend A lot of time coaxing your kids to pick up toys?
Have you ever wanted to take all of the toys and Goodwill them?
Do your kids have so many books that they haven't read all of them?
Do you want to change "the toy situation" but have no idea where to start?
Well.... If you answered yes to any of these then please read on.......
I FINALLY found a system that WORKS....( for me at least). I have tried the toy rotation before and I don't have the time to sort through toys. Here is what you do: Go out and buy 3 to 6 totes (Wal-Mart, target, Kmart etc.) I bought 3 of them for $15.00. Also a must is wipes containers or small shoe containers( I bought mine at Costco) I also used 3. I took an hour one evening and separated all of the kids toys. I separated all of the hot wheels and train sets and divided them between the 3 shoe boxes. I took 5-10 books in each tote, as well as… baseballs, games, activities for my 1 year old and activities for my 2 year old.
I keep 2 totes in my master bedroom and switch them out everyday. The other tote stays in my living room. I don't keep toys in my kids bedroom because I need to help them with sharing.

This system helps in sooo many ways now.

• I don't have as much toys to pick up each night with the kids and they love this part too!
• Toys that the kids don't play with stay in the tote so it's easy for me to evaluate what I can send to Goodwill. (if something goes untouched for a couple weeks, I know they don't need it)
• When I first started to do this I was surprised at how much they play with their toys now. The less toys you keep in your totes the better.  More options are overwhelming for them.
• If you have WAY too many toys to fit in 5 or 6 totes this system still makes it easier to rotate some out and evaluate what your child hasn't asked to play with.
• your kids will only play with the toys in each tote every couple of days so they love to see the toys they have been missing. (you don’t realize what ya got till it’s gone.. right?)

EXTRA TIPS:

• keep the toys that aren't in totes in a locked cabinet or put away so your child can come and ask you for them. (this also helps toddlers to learn to communicate) you can tailor this system for older kids too. Keep a draw pile of toys on a certain shelf and ask them to put toys that they have used on a different shelf.... this way you can see what toys are left behind and not used.
• remember to put a game in each tote so your more likely to play a game as a family.
• you don't have to do it all at once
• remember that toys are just "things" and less is more
• have your children help you donate things when it is time to start weeding through the toys.

BEFORE:  TOYS TOYS TOYS

 

AFTER:  SOOOO MUCH BETTER!

 

below:  this is all I have in that corner now

Thanksgiving, and a project

If anyone knows me I am a big list maker. I like to know what is going on and be prepared, lest I forget something. lol Although I have also been known to jot down a few things on my list and then leave it in the car! Anyway, this year I'm in charge of Thanksgiving. For some weird reason I actually volunteered to have my parents over this Thanksgiving. Yes. I'm 35 (I mean 29 again) and I've never had to host a Thanksgiving. Luckily it's just my parents and us, so I won't have to make food for thousands, but.... it's my mom and dad! I want it to be edible you know. Perhaps even enjoyable. So in my quest for making this holiday a little special I started to make a list. Turkey, taters, gravy, rolls, you know, the usual Thanksgiving fare.

I wanted to see what spices I had and opened my spice cupboard. I was hit by the bag of marshmellows. I can't believe I'm showing you this but here goes.

This, is my spice cupboard. Notice all the things that aren't real spice like? There are some real interesting things that you can't see as well. I found a brownie scented candle, reciept for a telephone that we don't even have anymore, those wheels from the skate shoes, nail polish and a local phone book. My kitchen is almost done and after having all this new clean space, this cupboard looks real bad. And what if my mom looked in there? EEK!

This is my goal for the week. To clean out the spice cupboard. I can't believe how horrible it has gotten. So I encourage you all to go out and clean that one spot that has gotten out of control and see how much better you will feel.

Dont forget to eep checking back for some great tips, recipes and ideas for the upcoming holiday. Only 22 more days!