TTMA playrooms

[mamaalysson]

Do you have one and is it always trashed? Or is it just ours? Ours is in the basement so I don't always see it after the kids have been playing until I go to do laundry or something. I swear, there is not a crazy amount of toys, but what we do have is always all over the floor. Help me, because I am gong nuts. Dress up things are a major issue. They were in a trunk like thing, but everything had to be emptied out to find what they were looking for, so I hung all the clothes on a clothing rack and put the little accessories in an over the door shoe hanger...somehow it all still ends up on the floor. So tidy playroom folks, tell me your secrets - organization, how you get your kids to clean up, breathing techniques to avoid losing my shit in the chaos...

[Kcthepouchh8r]

Always trashed. Honestly it doesn't bother me. As long as the main living areas like living room and kitchen are clean I don't particularly care about anything else.

[mamaalysson]

Nov 20, 2015 12:11:49 GMT -5 Kcthepouchh8r said:

Always trashed. Honestly it doesn't bother me. As long as the main living areas like living room and kitchen are clean I don't particularly care about anything else.

That's sort of been my attitude too, but stuff is getting broken and lost, and i feel like DD especially is old enough for that to be unacceptable. They have some really nice and fun toys that have been given to them, and treating them so poorly is not okay, in my opinion. I can't figure out if it's a parenting issue, an organization issue, a kid issue or some of everything. But it seems like they SHOULD be able to clean up their crap when they are done playing, right?

[Deleted]

We have a small playroom in our living room, and a big one downstairs. The downstairs one especially gets trashed, because there's more room for them to drag everything. I usually make them clean up before we can go upstairs. We have toy bins, and play food for the kitchen goes in big plastic containers. If I have to sit there forever, or hand DS stuff to put in the bins, I do. It's super annoying but I feel the same way - they need to learn to clean up and treat toys with respect. I don't think they'd do it on their own yet, so I have to sit there to make sure it gets done.

The playroom upstairs gets trashed all day, then after the kids are in jammies they help with clean up. The mess drives me crazy, and I find they play with things better/for a longer time if it's organized than if it's all over the place.

[cjcouple]

I had one for a few years. The best way to keep it clean was to have a set pick up time every day. Usually 15 min before baths. I would help by directing them. Ds1 you pick up all the cars, DS2 you grab play clothes etc and I would do something else. It was a quick clean up.

Now they only have a bedroom and they're older so they can do most on their own. I send them up to clean first, and enter 10 min later to help finish up. But they vary neater now.

[Deleted]

I have a smallish bedroom upstairs which serves as a playroom. It gets somewhat trashed when ds busts out the smaller toys like cars or mega blocks. I am kind of a neat freak so I try to have him pick up some stuff and it still ends up looking like a hot wheels tornado passed through but pretty much I have it clean and in order before bedtime. Or it will drive me crazy lol. I do have lots of bins and stuff that helps. I'm amazed other people's kids will pick up one area before moving on. Maybe it's the age but ds 2.5 won't really do that.


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[mamaalysson]

Nov 20, 2015 12:47:00 GMT -5 @mama2b said:

We added a toy closet when we finished our basement and the organization that has provided has helped. They do still make a big mess, but it is easier for them to clean up when things have a place. My rule is an area has to be picked up before moving on to another area to play or before bed or leaving to go somewhere. They play so much better when things are organized and pieces together. My younger 2 need me to give them directions. My oldest is independent with clean up usually.

We have the same rule, but it's much easier to enforce when they are playing in their room or the living room where I can check in on them and remind them. I'm not usually in the playroom with them. I like the idea of set clean up times, too. And I am pretty psycho about toy organization, but I think I may need a better system in the playroom. And a giant purge.

[Deleted]

Nov 20, 2015 12:57:56 GMT -5 mamaalysson said:

Nov 20, 2015 12:47:00 GMT -5 @mama2b said:

We added a toy closet when we finished our basement and the organization that has provided has helped. They do still make a big mess, but it is easier for them to clean up when things have a place. My rule is an area has to be picked up before moving on to another area to play or before bed or leaving to go somewhere. They play so much better when things are organized and pieces together. My younger 2 need me to give them directions. My oldest is independent with clean up usually.

We have the same rule, but it's much easier to enforce when they are playing in their room or the living room where I can check in on them and remind them. I'm not usually in the playroom with them. I like the idea of set clean up times, too. And I am pretty psycho about toy organization, but I think I may need a better system in the playroom. And a giant purge.

Do you rotate toys, too? We have a big closet downstairs that I use to store toys that are "out of rotation". I probably only have 1/2 of our toys out at one time. That helps cut down the mess, too. I rotate them every couple of weeks or so.

[usm]

I think our oldest are about the same age. We have a small playroom right off our living room and I noticed he was dragging stuff out into the living room to play when it was too messy to play in there. I had all sorts of bins, drawers, shelves and baskets and it was all getting dug through and not picked up. I finally got frustrated and asked him what I could do to help him keep it organized. Apparently, he didn't like my system and when he was able to decide how things were grouped and where things should be it made it better. I don't know if he can remember better or if it's because the things he actually plays with together are now together ( how was I supposed to know Dinos and transformers should go together).

I also give him a quarter if he cleans his playroom without me asking. He does it every other day now.

[mamaalysson]

Nov 20, 2015 12:59:58 GMT -5 @leftie22 said:

Nov 20, 2015 12:57:56 GMT -5 mamaalysson said:

We have the same rule, but it's much easier to enforce when they are playing in their room or the living room where I can check in on them and remind them. I'm not usually in the playroom with them. I like the idea of set clean up times, too. And I am pretty psycho about toy organization, but I think I may need a better system in the playroom. And a giant purge.

Do you rotate toys, too? We have a big closet downstairs that I use to store toys that are "out of rotation". I probably only have 1/2 of our toys out at one time. That helps cut down the mess, too. I rotate them every couple of weeks or so.

Yes, though I don't rotate as frequently. And I seriously don't feel like we have that much stuff down there, but it just spreads out. The playroom has dress up stuff (lots of little things - tiaras, Doctor kits, etc.), play kitchen and all of its stuff, art supplies, a basket of books, and some random stuffies. We have some Little People sets that I would like to move down there from the living room. And that's it. So it's all stuff that necessitates careful organization or they have to dig through everything to find what they want, you know? Maybe I just haven't found the right way to organize it for them?

[cabbagecabbage]

Always trashed. On the rare occasions I clean it, I start by sweeping everything on the floor into a pile and putting away from there. Broken crap and dirt then gets swept into the trash. I don't rotate toys but I did more when she was tiny and we were stuck at home more.

[Kcthepouchh8r]

Nov 20, 2015 12:21:56 GMT -5 mamaalysson said:

Nov 20, 2015 12:11:49 GMT -5 Kcthepouchh8r said:

Always trashed. Honestly it doesn't bother me. As long as the main living areas like living room and kitchen are clean I don't particularly care about anything else.

That's sort of been my attitude too, but stuff is getting broken and lost, and i feel like DD especially is old enough for that to be unacceptable. They have some really nice and fun toys that have been given to them, and treating them so poorly is not okay, in my opinion. I can't figure out if it's a parenting issue, an organization issue, a kid issue or some of everything. But it seems like they SHOULD be able to clean up their crap when they are done playing, right?

Oh there is definitely mess but not an issue of things being broken from misuse.

For nicer items, we keep them on a shelf. When the child is done playing they have to put it back on the shelf where it belongs.

For things with lots of small pieces we have 6 quart containers for storage and are separated out by toy type so it's easier to find. Think Legos, art supplies, action figures, my little ponies, etc. kids have to put those away before moving on to other toys.

There is still significant mess of books, stuffed animals, bigger toys, etc.

[usm]

I also think the key is having storage that is big enough to not be tedious to put things in but not too big that is becomes a dumping ground, both in and out.

We have the 6 cube thing with canvas bins from Target. Bins were getting dumped when it had action figures and lots of hot wheels. It is now for "bigger" things, little people vehicles, Mr Potato heads and accessories. The action figures and hot wheels and lots of small things have now moved to small plastic Rubbermaid drawers. You can see what is in it and it's physically impossible to turn over to dump. It's a small enough area that he can usually find what he needs without pulling everything out. If he does pull everything out its not as overwhelming to clean up.

What if under the hanging dress up clothes you put plastic drawers for accessories? They can put the stuff in however they like but they only have to fill a couple drawers vs 15 slots.

[dizzycooks]

Nov 20, 2015 12:21:56 GMT -5 mamaalysson said:

Nov 20, 2015 12:11:49 GMT -5 Kcthepouchh8r said:

Always trashed. Honestly it doesn't bother me. As long as the main living areas like living room and kitchen are clean I don't particularly care about anything else.

That's sort of been my attitude too, but stuff is getting broken and lost, and i feel like DD especially is old enough for that to be unacceptable. They have some really nice and fun toys that have been given to them, and treating them so poorly is not okay, in my opinion. I can't figure out if it's a parenting issue, an organization issue, a kid issue or some of everything. But it seems like they SHOULD be able to clean up their crap when they are done playing, right?

If my 3yo is misusing a toy (throwing it, jumping on it, etc), the toy goes into timeout and I don't bring it back for a few days.  We clean up the playroom every few days, when we are home we do it more like once a day, typically before nap or bed because I don't want to look at it, but right now with me working they really only play in there for 10-20 minutes a day so I just let it be.  Sometimes when it's time to clean up she doesn't want to put blocks or magnatiles away because she's in the middle of building a tower or something so I let her leave it.  However, it generally stays contained to the playroom, if things start migrating to the kitchen they have to take them back pretty much immediately as we only really have the one play space and I don't allow toys all over the house.

[ashb62]

Our playroom is technically a formal dining room that's open to the kitchen and living room. It definitely gets trashed, but I try to pick up twice (at least once) a day. Usually before nap and before bed. I have to give the boys (2y2m) very specific directions and we sing the Daniel Tiger clean up song. Sometimes they help, sometimes they don't. In the evening, we all 5 pick up together before we head upstairs to start the bedtime routine.

I think I would care less if it wasn't in such a visible area, but I like that I can easily keep an eye on the boys while I'm doing other things.

[Deleted]

We clean up each night. At 4 they know where everything is supposed to go.
I'd say it's like 90% picked up each day...a few things out of place or a pillow or something on the floor, but just don't leave a mess.
We have two of the big plastic drawer things for dress ups. One drawer is hats/scarves. Two for random accessories (jewelry, play phones, sunglasses, whatever), two for dress up clothes and one for princess dresses.

We also have a couple of the cube storage things, but only a couple cubbies have the big fabric bins, most hold two plastic bins with lids of things. Like a bin of mr potato heads, a bin of unifix cubes, a bin of magnet blocks, a bin of little bears, a bin of play money, etc.

Stuffed animals go in big tubs, and trains and cars have their own big tubs.

[jcm]

We have a playroom & it usually trashed! The bad thing is it is right next to our front door & has 2 sets of french doors. DD can not pick up after herself & I'm pretty sure it's mostly my fault but even when I make her come and help me tidy up it's a battle because she ends up playing with things instead of putting them away. Her playroom has been trashed for at least 2 months because my monthly cleaning lady hasn't been able to get in there to do the floors the last 2 times she's been here. DD has way too many toys & I need to have a clear out of thing she's out grown. I haven't done that since she was 2 or 3!

[jnksmom]

My kids are older and our playroom is always a mess. As long as the downstairs and their bedrooms are clean I don't pay much attention to the playroom. I went in there the other day though and wanted to cry. It is time for a major purge and organization of the playroom. They have so much stuff they don't even play with anymore.

[lattelady5]

Nov 20, 2015 12:11:49 GMT -5 Kcthepouchh8r said:

Always trashed. Honestly it doesn't bother me. As long as the main living areas like living room and kitchen are clean I don't particularly care about anything else.

This exactly.

[lexus]

I miss having a play room. In our new house some toys are in the family room (which would be fine if it wasn't open to the rest of the house) and some are in her room. I loved not cleaning toys for days.

[erbear]

We're pretty strict about cleaning up after yourself. If I pick it up, it goes in the trash, so they keep their stuff in order. In a day, it might look messy but by the evening it's all cleaned up.