Taken Over By Toys- Part 2

Well, I told you I would get Andrew's room done today and guess what? I actually did! This was the absolute worst of all the messes from the toys. Andrew actually plays with his toys pretty much constantly. I love that about him! He loves to act out books he has read and movies he has seen using his toys- Thomas the train, Cars, and Toy Story are his loves. I enjoy seeing his comprehension skills as he plays. Nothing beats dramatic play! So, I had to figure out a way to keep this going, while organizing all the toys in his room. I think I have rearranged his room about 3 times in the last year, but I think this time that I got it! I almost moved his room and Madelyn's room around, but Jason suggested I measure first and low and behold the rooms are exactly the same size. So, no luck! Here is what I did:

He got a train table from his Nana and while it is huge, it really contains his trains much better than before. I put the train table under his window. This was a strategic move, because his toys tend to travel down the hallway and end up everywhere. This keeps them on the opposite side of the room and the bed is in the way, so they are contained in his room!! Yea!! I was using his dresser as a nightstand, but decided to switch those around and go back to the nightstand by his bed. I also moved his book shelf to the wall by the door.
Here is another view of his room. It really looks a lot better. I didn't do a close up of his tree, because it still isn't finished, but it is a Razorback tree!

I had most of his toys in his closet in plastic storage bins- one for each type of toy. Well, that wasn't working out for me, so I got three bins that go under his bed. One for cars, one for trains, and one for toy story. If it didn't fit in one of those boxes then it went upstairs to the playroom (which is my next battle!). I moved out the shelf that was in his closet and put it in Madelyn's closet. I put his small brown shelf in his closet and the bins hold shoes, winter stuff, and a couple of special toys. The bins at the top hold keepsakes and school work. His games are also on the top shelf.

I am so happy to have the kid's rooms organized! It has really been difficult trying to figure out what to do with everything. Next up, the playroom...but not for a few more days!

Taken Over By Toys- Part 1

If you haven't noticed, there hasn't been much blogging from me over the last few months. Here is why...I have been in the middle of a hostle take over by the toys in our house. We had toys coming from all directions. Covering the house. I tripped over several dozen cars and trains, slipped on the books that were all over the floor, stubbed my toes on ride-on toys, and wouldn't dare walk through the house at night. It didn't matter how many plastic storage bins I bought or how much I tried to explain the importance of "putting things back where they belong" no one seemed to get it and I was beginning to wonder if Toy Story was true, because I was just sure I put things away. Anyway, I decided something had to be done, but I didn't have any idea what it was and everything that I tried just seemed to make more of a mess and cause things to become even more disorganized. So, I have decided that instead of letting these toys take me over and possibly cause me to end up on an episode of Horders that I was going to do something about it! In the meantime, we have had both kid's birthdays and Christmas is coming, so I knew it was about to get crazy around here! So today, I got started and I accomplished part one- the kid's rooms. This post is about Madelyn's room and Andrew's will come next. I still need to finish his closet and he went to bed early, so I am waiting. He never goes to bed early!

There was a lot that needed to be done in Miss Madelyn's room. The first thing was starting on her "big girl" room. I had found some fabric I loved and wanted to center the room around this fabric. My grandmother had these wonderful curtains made and used the birds in the fabric to make pictures to go above her bed. I love it! We are not ready to convert her crib just yet, but we do have a few pillows to use when we search for her bedding. I think that the curtains really change the feel of her room. And in the corner you can see her adorable little tree! Yes, I am decorating for Christmas early.
I changed her shelves up a little too. I had baskets on them that I used when she was littler, but they just didn't look right on the shelves. They kind of looked to messy, so I moved them to her closet where they are just perfect! I am still putting up a little Christmas stuff in her room and I plan to put some other things on her shelves later, but for now, I am happy and I think they look much more organized! Also, her kitchen is in the corner. I decided that one way to corral the toys was give the kids two things to play with in their room. Madelyn- kitchen and baby doll stuff (that Santa is bringing) and Andrew- trains and cars. That solved a lot of my toy takeover problem. Everything else is going to the playroom, although right now it is in my dining room!

A close up of her little tree. I am loving some deco mesh this year! Maybe a little too much!

And her closet. Ahhh! It just makes me happy to look in here! It is so organized! The bins are not all full to save room for Christmas toys and everything has a place. Who knew how much happiness could come from an organized closet?!

So, my first battle has been won and tomorrow I will finish battle number 2, Andrew's rooom!