Shopping Saturday – Ikea Cubby Sofa Table

Shop Till You Drop – Or Window Shop like me and Don’t spend

I have to stop shopping at Ikea ..what do you think?  Actually this was from the same Saturday a few weeks ago.

I kept seeing this table throughout the store at Ikea.  Again.. with cubby’s. I must have an issue with those.. what do you think?  lol

I am still working to see if there is a way I can use this at my house. If I figure it out.. I’ll be the first to let you know! It was $99 (guessing I was wrong on the $99, maybe I was dreaming that?)

I can see it behind a couch, but I love the thought of it in an entryway.

I looked it up for someone and it is  called the Hemnes Sofa Table and it costs $149 (plus the baskets cost extra)

What do you think?  Where could you use it?

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Disclosure: I am not an affililiate or working for Ikea in any way (although I wish I was..lol)

Playroom Organizing – part 2

Do the Kids Help or Not?

When it comes to sorting and organizing – Getting through the toys and being able to discard them (donate or trash) are your kids going to be a help or a hinder?

You need to decide if you want your children to help sort and organize or not. There are pros and cons to both methods. You know your children best and know what will work for them.

Pros

*Teaches them the importance of organizing at an early age

*Teaches them others are not as fortunate.

*Teaches them that cleaning up and clearing out can feel good

Cons

*Tantrums over giving things up

*Not as productive – it will take longer to have the kids help you. So if on a limited time frame it could be a problem

*Giving in and keeping more than you should because your child decides they want to keep everything

My Thoughts on the Subject

Some children will not handle giving up their toys easily. They can sway you to keeping everything and accomplishing nothing. But….they also need to LEARN that they do have to give up things and it will help them later in life. So it is a balance. My suggestion for these kids is for you to do the bulk of the sorting before they get home. They do not necessarily need to see what you are donating or getting rid of. But I would leave several things that are broken or they have out grown and then sit down with them when they get home and have them help you sort those things. Teach them that they need to share with other children who have less. Teach them they

What worked for me

For my 4 older boys (now ages 17-26) I did all the toy sorting myself (without their help).  I get a bit driven when I am in my “organizing mode” and personally I just like to go go go…so I prefer to organize by myself at home. I can honest say that there was never a time that my boys missed something or were upset when they got home.  They were always happy to see things neat and in order. I think it was that same “relief” feeling we get when we walk into a space that has once been too cluttered and now is neat and organized.  They didn’t have problems with giving up their toys and liked that most of the things were donated to other kids.

Now with my  4 step kids (ages 9 – triplets and a 16 year old) I have had them help me.  I don’t know why the difference.  But they are very good at helping and do not have problems with giving things away.  They crack me up because they tell me their mom doesn’t want to get rid of any of their things at her house and they are the ones that want to get rid of some of the clutter over there. (they are learning!)

Which way works best for you and your children?

Organizing the Playroom – Part 1

Is Your Children’s Playroom a Disaster?

“Before picture – too many toys & books”

Many times the main problem that we have in the kids playroom is that they have too many toys!! We love our kids and want to give them everything. But sometimes everything is too much.

Have you heard the phase, “Less is More” ? This can be very true in regards to this. I am not saying to throw out all they toys. Not at all. But I am saying 90% of the time that our kids have too many toys.

Are you overwhelmed when you walk into a room of your house and there is SO much Stuff? You don’t know where to start…and it almost makes you feel like just walking right back out of that room.
So why should your kids feel any different if they walk into a playroom with SO much Stuff? They can be overwhelmed by toys. I know that it seems they should be happier with lots of toys…but it can be too much.

So what to do?
Start with at the starting point. Sorting! (You knew I was going to say that didn’t you?) You can go back and look at how to sort in my “Five Steps to Sorting” post.

Sorting in a Playroom

Step 1 -
Get those black and white trash bags. Black for trash – White for Donate

Step 2 -
Make those decisions quick. Do not sit and remember each birthday party or Christmas that each toy came from. Remembering the fun, who gave it to them. Feeling guilty if you give it up. That is “personalizing” the toy. You can take a picture of it…if it is something you want to remember.

Step 3 -
Look at each toy or book. Ask yourself these questions:
1) Does it work? (broken? – trash)
2) Do they like and and play with it? (If not – donate)
3) Have they out grown it? (donate)
4) Does it have all the pieces and parts? (If not – trash)
5) Is it broken? (Trash)
6) Is it worth taking up space in the playroom? (If not – donate)

Step 4 -
Decide if YOU are the reason they have too many toys. Are YOU the one that doesn’t want to give them up? Many times we are the problem, not the kids. We remembering picking out that toy and how excited we were to give it to them. We know how much it cost and know that it was expensive.
BUT…..if they do not use it any longer, if it is broken ….it is time to give it up.

Ottoman Storage Footrest

I Use My Ottoman Storage Footrest all the time.

I bought this ottoman storage footrest last year at Target. I really like it.  I am not being asked to review it, I just wanted to share with you. I needed a place in my small family room for blankets. We keep the house a little cooler to help save heating cost, so the kids always grab throws to cover up with. (Yeah…I use them too in the evening).

Storage

I keep blankets in mine, but you can put in pillows, board games, toys, Video games and controllers, placemats or dining room tablecloths, hanging files and office supplies.
There can be a million uses for this storage. The kids also pull it over to sit on and play their video games. I purchased it at Target and I think it was on sale at the time for $69 or $79.
It has held up very nicely and hasn’t shown any wear in the year I have had it.

Disclosure: I purchased this ottoman myself. It was not given to me and I was not asked to write this post.

Couch organizer!

Couch Organizer

Here is another thing that I love! I have it on my couch right next to my mini office! It holds my calculator, pens and other odds and ends on one side. On the far side that hangs down I put all my related connector cords. The one for my camera to my computer, my PDA connector and also my camera charger. I have some head phones in there too that I use for my laptop. If I want to listen to a CD about organizing or watch a DVD on my laptop while the tv is on..I just whip out my little headphones and I am off to quiet zone.
I got the red because I have the red leather couch and it seems match real close so you don’t really notice it. But I am too practical anyway, so I don’t really care. Hee hee It just lifts right off if you want to have company over and want it to look nicer.