Monday, June 13, 2011

Simplifying Life: Toys


{This is what our living room looks like when Z is asleep. ;)}

Kids have toys. Most kids have so many toys that they don't even play with them all.

Ziva has her fair share of toys, and having her birthday a little over a month before Christmas it seems like she gets all her new toys at once! She has a very generous family, and we are so very thankful for all they give her, but sometimes the toy factor can be a little bit overwhelming when you're trying to keep a tidy house.

Last night I decided to sort out Ziva's toys to rotate. What this means is I chose a few toys and books to keep out in our living room and put the rest in a box in the closet. I'm planning on rotating out different toys weekly or biweekly, whatever feels right and replacing what's in the living room with a few things from the closet to try to renew her interest in them.

I also decided to move her toys from a basket, to a small bookshelf. This way she can easily see what she has there to play with and not just see a big overwhelming basketful of toys. With just a few things on the shelf, it's super easy for me to keep it looking neat and tidy, and to teach her how to keep it tidy as well!


{Top Shelf: Melissa & Doug Stacking Train, Plan Xylophone, stuffed animals.
Middle Shelf: Books, wooden puzzles.
Bottom Shelf: Drawstring bag, mini disc golf frisbee, old cell phone, balls, M&D alphabet blocks.}



I'm really excited about the fact that I'll be able to clean up the living room at the end of the day, and with hardly any effort it will look organized. There were times when the basket was overflowing with toys and books and stuffed animals, and even though everything was picked up, it looked anything but organized. I find it so much easier to relax with the hubs in the evening when my relaxing space is neat and tidy. =]