5 Ways to Organize The Toy Monster

When my hubs and I started talking about having babies one of the things we discusses was TOYS. Matt mentioned that he would like if our house didn't look like a toys store and would love if the living room wasn't overtaken by toys. I agreed and thought that was a reasonable request. Thus, the "centers" began.

With just Maggie, our 2 bedroom 1 bathroom house was easy to keep clear of too many toys. Over the past 3 years we've double the size of our house and family. Here are a few key things we've set in place to organize and minimize the TOY craziness of life with kids. These tips are to know what toys to keep, which to share, how to maintain a pick-up home quickly while allowing your child to help in the process as well as instilling in them some independence.

  1. We purposely keep very few toys. We purge so often that it's often the 'talk' among relatives if their toy will make the cut {sorry guys!}. We want to keep it simple. Here is the criteria for keeping a toy: educational either physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. There are so many kids in this world that have nothing, we don't need to hoard crazy amounts of toys. Why not share!?
  2. We attempt to be purposeful about toys we have. We generally don't do Happy Meal toys, stuffed things, or small pieces. We enjoy basic things that can be used in a variety of play arenas {ie blocks- used from staking, pretend furniture, to detailed cities layouts; dolls- comfort, pretend friend, to parenting}. I will be sharing more about skill building through centers next week. We don't buy toys. Well, let me explain that one. Relatives and friends will more than likely always provide plenty of toys for our children and we do get our children 1 toy for holidays {mainly Christmas/Birthday...usually}.
  3. We have chosen not to have toys in our children's rooms so they know bedrooms are just for sleeping. Providing your child with a restful environment that is peaceful, dark, quiet, and almost boring is the best way to encourage good sleeping.
  4. We have had many ways to organize the toys. We used to have "adult colored" baskets of toys in the living room but they were easily slipped under the coffee table or off to the corner. When we moved into our current home and had the HUGE blessing of a playroom we still stuck with baskets but they are now there are more of them {as are there more children} and they divided more specifically.
  5. We rotate toys so our children stay interested in what they have and so there aren't too many scattered around the house. We never put all new toys out after a holiday. A couple are places among the other toys, a few older toys as well as the rest of the new toys are put into a closet and rotated out later. Some times our children have been know to be "grounded" from a specific toys for being selfish with it, or for mismanagement such as not it cleaning up when ask or playing with it rough or inappropriately.

Hope these are some practical hints to help you manage the Toy Monster that eeks into everyone's house the moment you find out your pregnant ;o) If you have any awesome ideas, we'd LOVE to hear them.

NOTE: We are about to transition to a new {smaller} home so we'll see what kind of organization comes with that and keep ya update!

Return for 5 Days of Organizing & Cleaning TOYS into centers!!!

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31 Days to Clean: Day(s) #27-31

31 Days to Clean Having a Martha House the Mary way

Day 27 - Becoming Friends with Goodwill

Mary Challenge: Get a box ready for Goodwill. No wait, get boxes ready for Goodwill.

We, as family, are HUGE fans of get rid of unnecessary things. BUT we have chosen to donate some of our extras in a different way. See:

Martha Challenge: Utility Room – Wash inside of windows and clean window treatments. Wash walls and dust ceilings.

LOVED THIS! My laundry room has one tiny windows and now window treatments so this went fast. The walls and ceiling were recently painted to I skipped the dusting part.

Day 28 – Who Are You Trying to Please

Mary Challenge: Are there areas in your life where you are experiencing a burden of guilt? Ask your husband what he thinks about what you are feeling guilty about.

Relief! LOVED this story and to read the tons of insight in this book get your copy at http://31daystoclean.com/.

Martha Challenge: Utility Room – Scrub sink and clean drains – use Drano or some other drain cleaner.

Once again, YAY for no sink in the UR!!! Check!

Day 29 – To Hire Help or Not to Hire Help

Mary Challenge: Spend some time in prayer thanking God for all that you do have. The areas in your life that you feel like you’re drowning in, ask God to show you where you can find some help.

Martha Challenge: Utility Room – Clean out and organize closet.

Weirdo Alert! LOVED this breezy last week of cleaning and of course the organizing!

Utility Closet Before:

Drug everything out to sort...What I found...

After:

Day 30 – Contentment in the Season of Your Life

Mary Challenge: Write down 10 things you are thankful for today.

1. My Lord who saved me from what I deserve and who desires a daily relationship with silly, mixed up me

2. My God-fearing Husband who is leading my family toward Jesus and loves me in ways I didn't know I needed

3. Magdalen Reese- my "3-in-June" preschooler whose brain won't slow down long enough for her to spit those newly learned big girl words out

4. Isabella Ruth- my ~1.5 year old who is the goofiest kid I've ever met, never siesting to make me laugh and smile

5. Benjamin Ryan- my 4.5 month old who is a physically strong baby with personality to keep up with his boisterous older sisters

6. My family in blood and law, for raising me, shapping me, and guiding me to be who God is calling me to be

7. Long distance forever friends- always picking up Right where we left off!

8. My church family, Central Baptist Pine Bluff, AR (esp- Journey Sunday School Class): friends chasing after Jesus together-

who knew it could be so much fun!?!

9. My home- HUGE (3000 square foot) BLESSING! Using it to host to the fullest of our ability

10. My Health- not just in a cheesy generic sense but for reals! I have the capability to physically and mentally enjoy the above blessings!

Martha Challenge: Utility Room - Trow away any expired cleaning products or bottles you have lying around. Sweep and mop floors.

Did this while cleaning out and organizing

Day 31 – Balancing it All

Mary Challenge: Kiss your husband, giggle with your kiddos, and soak in the Word of your God.

Martha Challenge: Rest. You’ve done a great job!

I WIN!!! I finished in MAY! Maybe not the way I thought I would but technically done! Thank you Sarah Mae for this amazing challenge!

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The “Monica” Closet

{reference for the title}

I am an admitted, recovering, HOARDER!

It's hereditary. Everyone's trash is my families treasure. Don't get me wrong, we don't save things like banana peels or something...well, unless we can come up with a great use for them. We are organized in our clutter. We have piles of scrap metal, appliances, clothes, non-perishable food, movies, furniture, cars, decorations for every holiday. The list goes on and on. We share our piles when someone is in need, it just might take a little digging.

I digress...as a RECOVERING hoarder- God Does call us to be a good steward of the things he blesses us with and I am NOT slamming my family or the billions of people who life this way but I believe He has called me, in my life, to live like the birds, depending on Him day-to-day to provide our needs.

This is our attempting to live a hoard-free life of "poverty", according to most of American standards, so that we may (Matthew 28:19 NIV) "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we have abundantly basic needs and even wants for our entire family."

The "Monica" closet may be under control right now but my next task it the guest room closet where I am storing all our things we intend to "get rid of" via giving to friends/family, a yard sale, consignment sale, and ultimately the good will.

These are just a few scriptures and or websites with godly insight that I've refered to before in our journey.

Abraham's Promise: Genesis 21:1-7, Genesis 22:1-19, Hebrews 6:15

Joseph's Preparation: Genesis 41:41-57

Rich Man's Store House: Luke 12:13-21

David Platt's Radical, the book

Gospel Poverty mentality

That being said...I now attempt to organize every space in my home to make it comfortable and super functional as well as keep my heart in check and out of the "stuff mart". Because of the physical goal, just like in the '90s sitcom "Friends" Season 8 Episode 14 "The One with the Secret Closet", I have over organized and this closet is where all the stuff goes that doesn't fit into an already existing category. Just another area I fail in my life as I am trying to fix things my own. I will praise God in these times to because when I am weak He is strong. When I have the false sense that I am somehow "handling" things without Him the destruction and fall come as a result of my pride and haughty spirit (Proverbs 16:18).

~Confessions of a Recovering hoarder~

*To see the newest attempt at this challenge click to see the original post.

**Friend me on Facebook to see the 1st attempt at the "Monica" closet.

***Insight in to the life of true Hoaders

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31 Days to Clean: Day(s) #22-26 Martha Challenges

31 Days to Clean Having a Martha House the Mary way

Day 22 - Developing a Workable Schedule

Day 23 - Dealing with Distractions

Day 24 – Organization

Day 25 -The High-Low Cycle

Day 26 – Laundry

In case you were wondering why I am posting so many days together it is because we don't technically have a home office and this series of days was devoted to that space so I've decided to use these days to work on my "craft" closet. Sounds simple enough, right?

These are the listed challenges:

Martha Challenge: Home Office – Wash inside of windows. Wash window treatments. Wash walls and dust ceilings.

Martha Challenge: Home Office – Steam-clean carpet or area rugs, wash hard -wood floors.

Martha Challenge: Home Office - Clean out your desk. Clean out and update files. Organize office supplies and drawers.

Martha Challenge: Home Office – Clean off and organize shelves. Shine and protect wood furniture.

Martha Challenge: Home Office – Carefully wash computer and printer (and any electronics) with a damp cloth. Use cotton swabs to clean out the crevices in keyboards. Clean screens with soft cloth.

but this closet has no windows, the floor had already been mopped when the bathroom was done, has no desk (the desk we have is in our bedroom and was cleaned during that challenge), the files were cleaned out and updated when we "closed out" Dec 2010 and started Jan 2011. So for the Martha challenges I skipped straight to the office supplies, drawers, shelves, computer, and general organization.

Ok, I started this project on a Thursday while my preschooler was as "Nanna Day" and the toddler and babe were taking their naps~ 10am

The Befores...I know- GROSS!

Yes...that is a floor under that pile of stuff I like to chunk in the closet behind the door.

                                                                                      Pile on floor                              Shelves

My discombobulated 1st attempt at simi-organizing this closet.

*anyone in need of a wedding gown or formals, I'll take the best offers! FOR SERIOUS!

My piles out in the playroom...trying to sort

Overwhelming Scrapbooking materials. Pretty sure more than 2/3 of this will be in my Aug. Yard Sale. Come on over!

AFTER!

                                                               On Going Scrapbook Projects  Bow-making Supplies Gift Wrapping Center

Close-ups

                                                                                                   Shelves             Scrapbooking tower   Random Pics to be sorted

I am hoping to finish these 2 scrapbooks by the end of summer, become disciplined at making more quality bows and paci clips to market, sale most of the sb tower, and find homes for all of the random pics so the hanging basket is obsolete.

warning: If you have ever made a single memory with me that happened to be photographed, you may have pictures coming your way, hehehe

                                                                                                Books             Craft Supplies    Scrapbook Tower on top of the filing cabinet

Close Ups

                                                                                 Writing Utensils    Paper         2 shelves of Craft Supplies

Who wants to come over and make something???

I can handle it...I think. Blow it up with "your crazy" or "this is ok, but...here's a better system" comments. I'm ready and open. BRING IT!!!

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Another Dream

Think I'm about to yard sale my 'dream'... Scrapbooking- just not practical n this season of life.

Can't deside...sort by -letters, paper, decor. -by theme -yard sale and trash pile. The task of cleaning my "home office" (craft closets sub for me) for the 31 days to clean challenge has become a spiritual struggle for me today. Torn.

I love the idea of having personally made scrapbooks and even enjoyed making the few I have BUT the desire to use the materials that taunt me from within my craft closet are just stressing me and bringing out my selfish pity party. It's sooo not fair that I have not time for myself. It's not fair that I don't have an organized space to keep my projects sprawled all over. It's so not fair that...you get the picture.

I am currently working on reorganizing my time. Managing each set of 24 hours I'm given should help me feel as though I'm begin more productive...right? I can't decide if I'm throwing in the towel on something that as possible or if this is something God is calling me to purge from my life at this time. BTW I have the same 24 hours all these other, overly productive, moms, and wifes have and been abundantly blessed with tons of random supplies (minus the books), a huge walk-in closet that I am currently using to house all my craft supplies, and my house is 3000 square feet.

Just a few stories in scriptures I'm sifting through today:

Abraham's Promise: Genesis 21:1-7, Genesis 22:1-19, Hebrews 6:15

Joseph's Preporation: Genesis 41:41-57

Rich Man's Store House: Luke 12:13-21

Got any godly advise or stories to share out there?

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