Saturday, September 13, 2008

Toys, Toys, Toys

Ever have these kinds of toy troubles?

Empty Toybox

Living Room full of toys
I think this happens just about every day. D just doesn't play with any one thing for longer than a few seconds. Everything just comes out of the toybox and he plays with it long enough to throw it. Then he might climb in the toybox and hang out in there for a while. He's got baby sister in on it too.

I'm really fed up with it. I know we have entirely too many toys. A few times now I have gone out and bought some totes for toy storage, with the intention of switching out toys on a regular basis. But in all honesty, I'm lazy. So the odds of ever getting around to switching out toys aren't good at all. And even though he barely plays with anything, there are some things that he will play with once in a while... and there are things that I can't bear to put away - things that cost a lot of money, things that were gifts... etc... now we have B's toys (which most are D's old baby toys). I'm really bad when it comes to deciding which toys to put in storage. I start out meaning to put away quite a few toys, then it ends up to be much fewer than I'd hoped.

How do you handle the toy situation? Found anything good that works?

10 comments:

Nut Nut said...

I feel for you. We go through the same thing, but we only have one kid to deal with. I store Mateo's toys in fabric cubes, and he'll often walk over to one, pull it out of the bookcase it's sitting in, lift up the side, and dump out all the contents. And walk away.

Since he's in daycare all week, we tend to let the mess sit there until the end of the weekend, and then we clean up. I take care of his room the days I work at home.

Other than that, I have no ideas how to keep a handle on the toy situation. We started making it "fun" to put the toys away, but that lasts for one or two toys....

And I too have a hard time deciding what goes because right when I think he's never going to play with a toy again, it becomes his favorite toy and he carts it around with him everywhere.

Awake said...

We use shelves and a few smaller bins but I agree, it is a neverending struggle.

That picture made me giggle though. I think kids have the most fun just emptying whatever storage system their moms pick out.

Missy said...

Yes! We have the exact same problem here! I try to throw out the random junk toys (like a toilet paper roll or toy from McDonalds) on a regular basis, but the other stuff... just sits in the toybox, gets dumped out, where I end up picking it up again.. ugh!
When I thought we would be moving a few weeks ago, I packed up a large box of toys in an attempt to help keep the house clean for showings. I packed away stuff they rarely play with and probably wouldn't miss - which they haven't. The box is still in the garage, and now that we are not moving, I am not in any hurry to unpack it - I may just keep them out there, at least for now. It's a start!

Suzie said...

My house looks like yours. I just wanna take a big trash bag and throw everything out!

Anonymous said...

One word: Goodwill! Otherwise, we used to hide Will's toys in the top of Mom's closet, and bring out new ones every few months. I don't remember there being more than 3 or 4 toys out in the living room while he was growing up.

Momisodes said...

I've given up. We have a toy basket and an organizer. Both are usually empty and looks like they exploded toys all over the room. I just have my kiddo help toss them all back into one of the receptacles at end of the day.

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

I feel ya.

The only toy solution I found that works is... oh wait, that's an oxymoron.

Have I mentioned I feel ya?

Kmommy said...

@ everyone who's commented so far:
I'm sooo glad you all are having the same problems! I feel better :)

Trooper Thorn said...

Just give children the toy box but no toys. They'll still play in the box and all you have to do to clean up is close the lid.

Anonymous said...

I have that problem pretty much daily. But I do have a pretty awesome system. This is a dated post but even though I have another kid and tons more toys we still use this same system - http://gohnfamily.blogspot.com/2007/09/works-for-me-wednesday-toy-organization.html

 
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