Spring Cleaning: Toys Made Easy!

Oh, spring...I'm sure you are on your way, right? I mean that snowbank out my window is just a figment of my imagination...UGH!

Well, nevertheless, spring cleaning is in full swing at my house! 

If you missed out on our previous posts about "De-cluttering your home and your life", then you will want to catch up here:

 - De-cluttering: The Basics

 - De-cluttering: Part 2 - Your Mind

 - Spring Cleaning: The Shower

 - Spring Cleaning: The Mudroom

Since I last wrote, we have been busy cleaning out the "kid" rooms. These include the bedrooms and the dreaded playroom. Just hearing the word "playroom" makes me tired!  But, we had to buckle down and do it!  We did the bedrooms one night and the playroom on a Saturday.

One word:  Toys.

Two words: More toys.

Three words: Donate, donate, donate!!!

If you feel the same way, I am here to help!  

I think that if children have too many toys, it can be overwhelming. Also, if you think about it, the more toys they have, the less that each toy gets played with before they are outgrown or the batteries are dead! Right? 

Also, remember back to when you were growing up...did you have an entire room dedicated to toys, books, stuffed animals, remote control cars or iPads and Leapsters?  I mean, really. Do they REALLY play with EVERYTHING in there?  Doesn't it make you crazy to walk in and see the piles of "stuff" all over the place? I am a pretty organized person and our playroom always has had the little bins and the closet system to store games, etc. But, it was NEVER "nicely organized" all at one time except for the 10 minutes after we organized it! What a waste of time.

So, if you are with me and want no more of the craziness, here's what you gotta do!

1. First, you have to get over the fact that you will "hurt" someone's feelings by getting rid of a toy that they gave to your children. Most people understand that there comes a time when the toy is no longer needed or wanted. And, chances are good that they will never know anyway.

2. Next, you have to get rid of YOUR emotional attachment to the items that are no longer needed or used. See my post on Decluttering: The Basics.  Remember how clutter can affect our emotions, our actions and our relationships. Reflect on the benefits of de-cluttering. This will inspire you to donate away and know that you will still have those precious memories even so!

Are you ready? Are you detached?  Let's get started with a step-by-step for tackling the toys in any room!

1. The kids: Your first job is to make the children aware of what is happening. Talk with them about the fact that some toys are going to be donated and what exactly that means.  Talk to them about people in need and also about how you need to make room for more toys that will come in throughout the year.  You can even set up a reward system.  For instance, they get a "point" for each toy they donate and when they reach "25 points", they get to go to the zoo or bowling or something special!

2. Designate Areas:  Before sorting through toys, designate areas to put each and every toy until all of the toys are gone through.  These are the piles we used:

          -Keep

          -Donate

          -Save for the baby (or someone you know)

          -Sell at yard sale (I didn't want to have one, so we donated)

          -Trash

Donated Toys and Books

3. Set A Goal:  How many toys do you want to remove? How many do you have space for?  Set a goal and let your kids know. Remember the "point" system can correlate to this.  We got rid of about 1/3.

4. Get Started!  OK, here is decision time. I gave my kids 5-10 seconds with each toy.  I told them that if they took too long, mommy or daddy would decide for them.  It only took a few times before they caught on! :) 

***When we first started, I encouraged them by saying "find 5 toys you want to keep". Then, I had them find 5 they wanted to donate.  That way they felt comfortable with the process.

5.  Clean:  Now that you have 5 piles (or 4), you are ready to clean out the playroom. Dust the shelves, bookcases, whatever...clean the floors, wipe the walls. There is no reason you can't take the extra time to do this. Do you really want to wait until you "spring clean" next year? Ick.  Don't forget to wipe down the "keep" toys that need a bit of dusting before you put them back!

6. Sort The "Keep":  I know, I know, one more step. But, this will be easier.  Sort your "keep" toys into piles such as books, stuffed animals (ugh, my pet peeve!), balls, games, etc.  I love using see-through containers and shoe boxes to store them. When placing them back on shelves, you should put the toys with small pieces or the ones that need supervision in order to play in higher levels of the room.  The safer ones such as giant Legos, chunk puzzles, etc. should be placed within easy reach of the children.

7. Label: If your children are able to read, use a label maker to mark which bins are for what toys. Or, if your children are younger, take a photo of the toys that go in each bins and just tape them onto the container.

8. Rules:  No matter what, it is a great time to set some toy-playing rules if you haven't already done so.  Point out the toys that they are required to ASK to play with (the ones with supervision or that are too high for them to reach).  Also, let them know that if they want to get out a new toy, they need to put back the one they are playing with.

Other tips:

- Each night, grab a laundry basket and have the kids fill it with the toys that are lying around the house. Then have them put them where they belong.  This will eliminate you having to wake up to a house of craziness...well, with toys anyway!

- Rotate your childrens' toys if you still don't have enough room for your "keep" toys.  I love the expression on their faces when they "find" a toy that they have missed!

- No one needs more than a couple stuffed animals, if that.  I am still trying to figure out why they still make them? They get my vote for most useless toys in the world.

- When you are shopping for holidays, birthdays, etc...ask yourself if you will be so happy you bought the toy you are considering for your child in 3 months. Will it still be in one piece or will parts be missing?  Is it a "fad" or does it fit in with the toys your child adores?  Do you have a place for it?

In closing...

If you can keep toys confined to the bedrooms, that would be ideal.  A few toys in the corner of a room are fine, but the more room you allow for toys, the more toys seem to accumulate. I know from experience! :) 

You will also feel SOOOOO relieved when you are finished with sorting toys and donating them to a charity.  Yes, we could have made some good money with all of the toys we donated, but I did NOT want to store them anymore. In the first night alone, we got 5 huge trash bags full of toys to bring to the Salvation Army! That was just from their bedrooms! AWESOME feeling!

I know you can do this, so get busy! And, get the family involved. Throw on some music, get some snacks, whatever. It actually was fun when I think back...hard work, but fun!

Don't forget to report back!

Do you have a toy tip that you are willing to share?  I'd love to hear it! 

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You could be taking a defensive driving course...

Well, with all of this "spring cleaning" business we have been talking about lately, I thought it would be fun to write a more "light hearted" post!

Have you ever had someone innocently ask you as a mom, "So, (insert your name here), what did you do all day?" Ha! If I had a nickel, right? Well, lately, I have been pondering that question myself. If you have been following along, I had a very involved surgery (4 of them at once, actually) that has required me to stay home from work and activities for 8 weeks. Something I had never done before. I went back to work just 2 weeks after each of my children were born...even with a C-section. "Sitting still" is not in my vocabulary.

But, with this newfound "boredom", I came to wonder what it was that I actually did all day anyway.  Well, I am on track to start work next week again and am getting back into the habits at home. Strangely, I still feel like I could use another 10 hours in a day just to get everything done.  I couldn't possibly relay all of the things I had to do in just one day...

...Or could I?

Enter: The online defensive driving course. Ugh.

Well, I thought that since I had 30 days to complete it that I could just read/skim through and answer questions on my time. Um, nope. Instead, I am sitting here as I type this waiting to click on the "next" arrow to switch slides after the "time limit" has gone by. WHO THE HECK NEEDS 1 MINUTE AND 4 SECONDS TO READ A PARAGRAPH!!! For crying out loud.

Needless to say, this is a very frustrating way to take the course...clicking on an arrow after the clock runs down to "0" minutes left on each slide.

So, I am trying to find ways to get things done in between "clicks".  When I got thinking about it, I DO have LOTS of things that I do each day that may go un-noticed by the question-askers.  I know their questions are innocent and don't imply that I don't do "anything" all day. But, I thought it would be fun to see what goes on in the life of a "have-to-stay-at-home" mom!

***DISCLAIMER: In no way am I down-playing the importance of defensive driving or the course itself. I am simply frustrated that I am able to pass all of the quizzes easily by reading each paragraph at lightning speed compared to the time limits that you are required to spend on each slide.

What better way to kill a few hours of this course than by documenting what I have done "all day". It is quite humorous to me, if no one else! :)

So here we go...a day (or a 1/2 hour anyway) in the life of a "have-to-stay-at-home" mom:

CLICK!

-Start this totally strange post.
-Lunch time for the son - reheated chicken, got a banana, milk and cheese stick with 4 clicks in between.
-Try to get son to the lunch table in between clicks!
-Get up to get the ranch dressing to dip the chicken in, click, click!
-The baby needs a binky, hold her off until lunch with son is done.
-Click, wait, click, wait, hurry up!!!,  click...
-Text message from a blocked caller, crap! I thought it would block texts, too! Resist temptation to respond with a temper.  Click, click.
-Bud, you gotta take smaller bites of cheese. What? You want to dip it in ketchup? Ugh. Click.
-Quick, grab the binky again!
-Google ways to block text messages on Samsung Galaxy S4
-Oops, forgot to click...
-Smaller bites, buddy!
-Dang phone.
-Dang binky. Clickety, click, click, click!
-Google again so I actually get an answer.
-More milk.
-Click, click...gotta get the "Phone Warrior" app.
-Click...why is she still crying?
-Grab the baby and put her on my lap...click already!
-Click, click, click, finally found the app.
-Here's a napkin, buddy.
-Download the app.
-Click, click, click
-Ok, let's make a bottle.
-Ugh, the test is asking me to prove my identity again. I took too long making the bottle.
-Click, try to get comfortable in the kitchen chair while feeding the baby and clicking away.
-Typing with one hand sucks! Reposition baby and hold bottle with chin to type with both hands.
-Keep eating, bud. Yes, I know you don't want to take a nap today.
-Keep eating, baby girl. Don't fall asleep now...click. Click, click.
-Sigh. I better save a lot of money after this...
-WHAT? QUIZZES? I guess the heading "no final exam" didn't mean that there were no quizzes.
-OK, 5 easy questions. Thank goodness. Paying a bit more attention to detail now. Click.........click.
-Forgot to block the texts now that I got the app.
-Honey, you are taking a nap today.
-Click. Wake up, baby, you are not done with your bottle.
-Burp the baby. Click. 
-Stop typing so I can actually burp her.
-Wipe the spit-up off the floor. Don't forget to click!
-Wipe the ketchup off son's face...with the clean side of the burp cloth. I'm gonna wash it anyway, right?
-Honey, you have to take a nap. You can play for 15 minutes and then it's time. Yes, it is, now go.
-Oh my gosh, I need eye drops again. Stupid Lasik.
-Click, click, in between...run!
-Wipe crumbs onto the floor to sweep with homemade Swiffer!
-Glance at the clock and realize it has only been 20 minutes. Ugh.
-Let's check email. I don't need to type to do that...
-Oops, forgetting to click.
-Ugh. I hate email.
-Oh gosh, I forgot I have a meeting tonight. Make a list of stuff to bring and topics to cover...
-Log out of email. It has to wait.
-She's asleep, put her in the bassinet.
-She's awake. Apparently, she doesn't want to be in the bassinet.
-Binky, where's that binky? Click...
-Grab the homemade Swiffer and sweep fast! I have 47 seconds!
-Buddy, let's go to the bathroom before nap. Yes, bud, come on...
-Realize that this post could go on forever.
-Come on, bud, you HAVE to use the bathroom. Now.
-Go physically get him to bring him there.
-Binky. Aahhh, she took it.
-Do I have enough time to put the ketchup and ranch away before I need to click?
-Go get more soap for the bathroom. Wipe up the toothpaste I spot on the sink from this morning.
-Oh gosh, did I read this slide already? Type in to confirm who I am again...
-Realize that I have lots more to do than blog today.
-Decide that you have probably had enough of this post already! :)

OK, so it may not have come out as funny as I thought it may.  But, the next time you are at home and wonder what you have accomplished, remember this post. You do A LOT more than you will ever get credit for!

And SMILE! You could be stuck clicking away for 6 hours! :)

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How To Have Successful Outings With Children

I'll never forget the day a good friend said to me, "we hardly ever leave the house with the kids."  My eyes must have been as big as softballs...she must've noticed and began to explain how the 2 children were "difficult to control" out in public.



Have you ever felt that leaving the house with your children in tow to do some shopping or go out to eat was just more trouble than it was worth?  Have you ever felt like the whole world was staring at you when your child began to misbehave in public? I will never forget...

As a mom of 4, I have had those times where I felt "out of control" of the situation with my children in public and felt like I was being judged as a "mom" by everyone around.  In fact, I felt so guilty sometimes from my children acting out that I asked for the advice of a pastor at church.  I felt that I was somehow failing my kids because I wasn't always in control of them and they dared to defy me in public.

Now, before I go any further, I must say that my kids are generally well-behaved. At this point in my life, I had been feeling the pressure of today's society to be a "perfect" mom. To be the mom that can do anything, go anywhere and be anything she wants to at the drop of a hat. Ugh. Society. Full of lies and unobtainable expectations.  I was a good mom and I knew it. But somehow, I felt inferior. Maybe you have had a similar experience?

Anyhow, what I finally came to find was that no matter how "good" of a parent I was, there were still going to be those days where the kids would have melt-downs, cheerios were going to be thrown at passers-by and I would have to scoop one child up into the grocery cart with the other while I chased another around the store as the ice cream melted and the milk got warm. That's just life and I wish I could say it was always easy, but NOPE!

With that being said, there ARE some things you should do before your outing that will give you a better "handle" on behaviors and allow your anxiety to be somewhat relieved when it comes to outings with your children.

1. Prepare your children - Even I tend to become anxious when having to suddenly rush off unexpectedly - can you imagine how a child - who craves structure naturally - feels every time they are told to put their toys away and to get their coats on? The behaviors can start before you leave the house. So, try to prepare the child a few hours earlier if possible and explain to them what they can expect to do on the outing.

2. Consider timing - Whenever possible, try to plan your outings with your child's nap and eating times taken into consideration.  If you plan on grocery shopping at noon with your two children who usually nap at 12:30, chances are you are setting them up for failure right there.  It is ideal to have full tummies and rested bodies when heading out the door.  If that's not possible, at least have some snacks handy and plan to keep your trip as short as possible.

*On a side note, I have always been in the habit of taking my kids wherever they need to go at whatever time we have to go.  This includes during nap and feeding times.  Obviously, we have melt-downs. But doing this from their birth may have helped them adapt better to situations on-the-go than always planning every outing around nap time.  I think people fall into the trap of planning their lives around naps and eating times, especially first-time parents.  This "training" worked for me, but we know all kids are different. It is just a suggestion and may not work for all kiddos. *

3. Take necessities - I'll never forget the time I took my newborn daughter to Walmart for a prescription and forgot the water to mix her formula with for her bottle.  I quickly remembered when she started screaming at the top of her lungs while we walked around the store waiting for the script to be filled. I had to sprint with her to the opposite side of the store to get a case of water, then I had to buy the water and mix the formula before she stopped crying and screaming!  I was stared at as if I was running around naked and dancing like a monkey! I might as well have been!  Well, needless to say, I never forgot to restock the diaper bag again...at least until 7 years later with my newborn at Disney World. Ugh. So, whatever your child needs, double-check that you have it!

4. Plan for discipline - I feel like sometimes the poor parents that are in the "Oh my gosh, my kid is screaming and I don't know what to do" phase at the store...yeah, we've all seen them...sometimes they seem like they just don't have a plan for discipline.  I see mom's go from warning after warning to screaming, spanking and eventually leaving the store after the behavior has carried on for 1/2 an hour or so. I feel so badly for those moms.  They NEED to be at the store, obviously, but they just can't get the kids to behave. And, yes, there WILL be times that you can do NOTHING to calm them down. OK.  But, a plan for discipline is SO critical for a child whether or not you are at home or on an outing.  Here is my plan:

   a.) They get a warning.
   b.) They get one more warning & told the next consequence.
   c.) They get to sit in the corner, one minute for each year of age.
   d.) We leave the store. Or, they lose a favorite activity/toy.

You can make your own plan, but the key is CARRY-OVER!  Follow the plan at home, follow it at the zoo, the store, your friend's home, the library...wherever you are. Children will not know what is expected unless it is reinforced over and over again.

I'll remember putting my daughter in the corner for the first time at Target when she had just turned 2.  I got so many "you are a horrible mom" looks from this one older woman.  But I would have also gotten that same look if the behavior continued any further.  The behavior eventually stopped and my daughter was SO shocked that I disciplined her like that in public. Your child will eventually catch on!

5. Teach behavior - I hate to say it, but sometimes children have just not been taught how to behave in certain places.  How many of us have seen kids knocking products off shelves or taking toy balls out of their bins and tossing them at people in the store.  Then you see the parent(s) just laughing at them and letting them carry on?  I TRY not to judge, but boy is it difficult!  Bottom line, teach your children how to be respectful of other people and their property.  That's not to say that all behavior is lack of proper parenting, but it is how WE as parents react that determines how long and often the behavior appears.

To Sum It Up:

I've basically found that children will behave how you EXPECT them to behave.  If you hop in the car expecting to have a horrible experience, you probably will.  Your children will feed off your negative energy.  However, if you think to yourself, "I am going to have fun with my kids today and they may melt down...but I am prepared," then chances are, the "bumps in the road" won't seem like mountains and won't frazzle you as much...especially if you have prepared!

So, the next time you want to do something with the kiddos in public, I challenge you to take these steps and see if it helps! Remember to put on your "calm" face, or things will fall apart quickly!

Do you have any tips for parenting or taking kids on outings? I'd love to hear them!  And here are some Kid Crafts and Kid-Friendly Recipes for you to enjoy as well!


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