Making the Most of Monday - Are your kids suffering from toy overload?

As some of you know, I'm a pretty positive person when it comes to Monday's. In fact, I'm one of those people who may have you thinking, "shut up already it's Monday". Well I hope to change your mind about Monday's and hope that you can fall in love with them like I have.

Mondays to me signify one important thing, a fresh start. It's like a new years resolution at the start of every week. Hopefully by Monday you've taking some off time during the weekend to rejuvenate, spent quality time with loved ones and friends which makes Monday your chance to really get to work and make the most of your week.

New to MMM? Visit this link for the original set up for it.

If you enter your URL in the Mister Linky box below, please be sure to include a link directly back to Vintage Indie at each Monday's URL in your post or to our home page http://vintageindiemag.com.  Now lets get started! (Check out the handy how-to list below)

This week is all about getting your kids organized. I'm not sure if you are facing toy overload at your house, but it had become an all consuming issue here at ours. Ask yourself these few questions.

1. Is cleanup time a stressful event at your house?
2. Does it seem like it takes them hours to clean-up their toys?
3. Do you tell them over and over, clean your room?

If you answered yes to all of these questions, we may have a simple solution for you.  Soon after my husband and I realized that our kids were getting overwhelmed during clean up time, we knew we had to do something about the toy overload.  The fact is they just had too much stuff. Play time would go something like this, get one toy out play for a second, launch across the room and get another. They weren't enjoying the toys that they did have, and most of all when it was time for clean-up it was become a fiasco.

So what was our simple solution you ask? GET RID OF TOYS! Sounds mean you say? Well think about it like this. Are they too old for half the toys they do have? Do you pull your hair out when it is clean-up time? Can you see your kids floor? Again, simple solution GET RID OF TOYS. Make it a family affair!

We explained to our boys that there was an easier way to keep their room clean and who doesn't like easy chores right?! Right from there they were on board. We explained some of the toys you have  are taking up room in your toy box need new kids to play with. This was also a great chance for us to talk about giving and how they could change the life of another child by giving. So we organized into three groups.

• Keep
• Give Away
• Broken/Trash

After we narrowed these down and we let them keep their favorites and of course new toys that had received for Christmas the avalanche started to dwindle and my smile started coming back. Next we purchased small to medium plastic tubs with lids and labels to sort toys. Each boy has a separate tub for their trucks & cars, legos, trains, action figures, play food and then one large bin/toy box each for larger toys ( you get the idea).  (Important Tip - What doesn't fit, doesn't stay). Last we set explained to each one where everything goes.

Most importantly, we don't worry about messy rooms during the day. In the evening before bedtime we tell them ONE time only they have a half an hour to clean up and put away their toys. Any toy that doesn't make it goes to the " toy jail" and goes missing for awhile.

Just these simple changes has relived their overwhelming feeling of there is just too much and their attitude of  I can't do it so I won't.  They both help clean up each others rooms and make sure their things are put away in the correct bins. Once again, life is good.

How do you keep your kids organized?

Visit THIS LINK for information on how to participate, (it's easy peasy, trust me)

If this helped you, I'd love to know. Please feel free to leave a comment.

Comments

[Karen Smith]

Sorry for the double sign in! Didn't quite understand how this worked. Well anyway as far as your toy overload post...great stuff. As a grandmother who now has a 4 year old grandaughter leaving with me, I couldn't agree more.
I actually attacked her room on Saturday,while my daughter was at worked and was dumbfounded at the amount of toys. Made me want to move to a country where the only things to entertain a child are simple wooden blocks,sticks and a whole lot of imagination.
Your tips were great to refresh a weary memory!

[Vintage Indie]

No worries! You commented just fine. You'll just need to add the url of your blog post related to Making the Most of Monday.

When I was a kid, mud pies and forts were my source of entertainment. I loved living on a farm. There also wasn't the need for so much plastic! We can day dream about it can't we!

[Vintage Indie]

Hello!

Here this link may be helpful to you!

http://vintageindie.typepad.com/vintage_indie/mmm-making-the-most-of-monday-how-to.html