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  1. #1
    alkagift is offline Sapphire level (2000+ posts)
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    Default Coralling the Toddler toys, etc.

    I'm struggling with the transition of DS's "nursery" to his "room" with the addition of all these big boy toys. His room used to be pretty spare, furniture wise, which is how I liked it. Right now there's something along every inch of the walls of his room, including:

    2 small bookcases
    Crib
    Changing table/chest of drawers
    diaper pails (one for cloth, one for sposies)
    rocking chair
    train table (UGH that thing is huge)
    tiny little roll top desk (was my mother's, it's his size but he doesn't use it--I don't know where to put it)
    big bookcase

    In his closet are all his clothes (current and future), my long dresses and shoes, plus the packnplay and the jogging stroller, folded. I'm losing my mind! The room is only 12 x 12! The tricycle, play house and small toys are in baskets or stored in my den, so that room is packed too. I really like to keep things neat and this is making me nuts. How do you have his toys organized if you don't have a seperate playroom that the rest of the family doesn't use? Did you just make your den your playroom?

    Allison
    Mommy to Matthew Clayton, who is TWO!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
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    Default RE: Coralling the Toddler toys, etc.

    We have a bonus room that is our playroom. It's the room over our garage. We looked at some other houses without a playroom and we would've made the formal dining or living room our playroom if we didn't have the bonus room.

    -Sonia
    Mommy to my Strawberry Shortcake lovin' Martie

  3. #3
    bluej Guest

    Default RE: Coralling the Toddler toys, etc.

    We have toys scattered about the house. Some in his room, some in the dining room (a room we don't use), a small basket of toys in the family room, and then some in storage to rotate. As soon as we move, all big toys will go in the rec room, but otherwise we'll probably keep the same arrangement.

    The key to my sanity is how I store the toys in each room. I can't stand to look at toys all day, so I store them in something that goes with the decor of the room they are in. In the dining room, they are stored in the sideboard, in the family room they are in an antique basket, in his room the bigger toys are in the closet, smaller toys are in some of the drawers in his chiffarobe.

  4. #4
    lizamann Guest

    Default RE: Coralling the Toddler toys, etc.

    Baskets. And a coffee table with storage underneath - her toys go in the baskets under there, and she is free to pull them out and put them back.

    We don't have a playroom now and are moving to a ginormous new home but still won't set up a dedicated playroom. I want her to be able to play wherever, integrated with the rest of the family. For the same reason, she'll never have a tv or computer in her room.

    My only other suggestion is to get rid of a bunch of toys. Seriously, they don't need that much. I plan on "disappearing" some of the more obnoxious ones during the move. And I stay away from big things like playhouses and train tables, though I am currently debating the toy kitchen, but will probably not get one because I don't want to look at it and it won't fit in her room. Poor deprived child - but I think she'll live! We do have those collapsable crawl tubes, but they stash behind furniture when not in use. Thinking of getting a collapsing tent to go with it. Wish they made collapsible kitchens!

  5. #5
    slknight is offline Platinum level (1000+ posts)
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    Default RE: Coralling the Toddler toys, etc.

    We don't have a playroom and have a very small house. It's 1000 square feet with another approx 300 square feet in the basement. Doesn't sound too bad, except that I work from home and DH is a SAHD. So we are all here, all the time, with a dog. Believe me, it gets cramped, especially when we're snowed in!

    In his room, he has almost nothing. It's a tiny room (approx 8x11)"
    mattress on floor
    changing table (cloth diaper pail and sposie trashcan next to it)
    glider and ottoman

    That's it! I can't stand clutter in there. On the bottom shelf of the changing table there are a bunch of baskets for toys (small stuff like blocks). There's a big stack of books on the ottoman. All his clothes and some toys are in his closet.

    In our living room, we have this Pottery Barn console. It is perfect because it has the tv on top, but toys in the bottom.

    http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/26944.jpg

    We also have a PBK kitchen and a HUGE basket of books in the living room. Our spare bedroom has the train table and more books. Our basement has a small lego table and more books. He does have a small riding horse, but it's usually in the hallway where I trip over it. LOL. I would like a table and chair set or desk for him, but we just don't have the room.

    I am pretty ruthless about getting rid of toys. I don't like anything too big and plastic which is fine because DS loves playing with matchboxes.

    Do you have a garage, basement, or attic? I would recommend putting the trike, jogging stroller, pack and play, etc there. Also, maybe get rid of one of those bookcases. We have a TON of books, but even so, I can't imagine having 3 bookcases for his room. Most of the books are in baskets.

    HTH! I can take pictures of anything if you're interested.

  6. #6
    alkagift is offline Sapphire level (2000+ posts)
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    Default RE: Coralling the Toddler toys, etc.

    The two bookcases that are in the main part of the room are small, just about 3 feet high so he can reach everything...and they have books, little people sets, puzzles and blocks on them. The big bookcase has stuffed animals, cloth diapers and all my parenting books, not to mention all that "heirloom" stuff your parents give you for various occaisions. So it's really more of a display thing.

    Yep, we have a coffee table in the den with storage underneath. Right now in those baskets we have books, puzzles and assorted junk like a Mr. Potato head and matchbox cars. I think I can make a dent in those and move out some toys.

    Good idea. The PNP really needs to go up to the attic!

    Allison
    Mommy to Matthew Clayton, who is TWO!

  7. #7
    lynettefrancois Guest

    Default RE: Coralling the Toddler toys, etc.

    Ok, this may not be what you're looking for, but I read this great book called, "Making Peace with the Things in Your Life" and I cannot say enough good things about it! It examines WHY we keep things we don't use and helps you make peace with your inner struggle of what to do with all your stuff. Not that you need to get rid of everything, but if it would be helpful to have fewer things, this book will help you be mentally ok with that. So you don't have to feel guilty about giving away/selling items that were given to you, or that you "spent good money on" etc. Basically, it helps you decide what to keep/give away/sell and be HAPPY with your decisions! Also, "Organizing from the Inside Out" has helped me organize a LOT of things (no small task, so I'm still in the process). There are informative reviews of both of these on Amazon. HTH! :)

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
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    Default RE: Coralling the Toddler toys, etc.

    Thanks for the book suggestions. I really need to read those. I have a ton of things that need to find a new home...
    -Melissa
    Mom to M (2002) & M (2014)

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