Toys, toys, everywhere... the story of my life.
That is... until we put our house on the market and boxed up 95% of what we have. Seriously, I really did go through every room in the house and put away ALL of the toys I saw.
We had a lot of toys and I wanted our house to look clean and uncluttered... and stay that way. I kept out two knights, a princess on a horse, a fairy (all from this set), some wooden blocks, some cars, and a few craft items (crayons, paper and glue) with one craft book.
Am I a mean mother, depriving her already TV deprived kids of fun and exciting things to do? HA! Far from it. First off, our house sold in less than half a day. (thank you God!). The couple who bought it don't have any children and were able to envision living here thanks to the clean uncluttered floors, shelves and walls.
Secondly, the kids have never been happier. Their play has become so imaginative. They build endless numbers of houses, boats, towers, and castles with their blocks and castle kit. They spend hours outside in the yard running around, digging in the mud and splashing in the water, and they draw and color and craft with our meager craft supply, never complaining of being short changed in the 'stuff' department. In fact, I think they are appreciative of how easy it is to keep their room clean, and how fast it is to pick up their toys before bedtime.
I think we will be having a big garage sale when we move into our new home and get rid of most of what is in storage!!
Here is some more food for thought in the blog world about the toy challenge:
The Lazy organizer talks about paring down her daughter's toys to one stuffed animal and one dress-up dress, and the ensuing happiness that followed...
In the Trenches of Motherhood: talks about Aesthetically pleasing, child friendly, and most of all practical toy storage advice and has great photos to inspire you.
Shawna, at As Simple as Two plus Two, another mother of 'twins' has great advice on A Little Toddler Psychology: Keep it New, Keep it Few!
1 comment:
OK, I have often wondered if my kids' stuff actually makes them bored and discontent...and your post is confirming my theory! Why do you think that is? Is it because when they have so many options, they think that being entertained should be easy, and therefore don't want to put out the effort...but with less, they kick the creativity into high gear? I'm intrigued. Yeah for you...congratulations on clear spaces and happy children!
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