Home Maid Simple

Tag: think about it

  • Think About it – New Meme!

    Last week I wrote an article about Toys vs Living Space. At the end of the post, I asked you to “Think About it”. I got some great responses from you all. So much so, that I thought it would be fun to have a weekly meme titled

    Think About It
    Each Thursday I’ll have a topic to talk about and get our thinking caps on. Some might be silly, others more serious. My buddy Eschelle from Mumfection has agreed to cohost this meme with me.  We would love for you all to join in! Whether by posting on your own blog, or leaving us comments.
    Here’s how it will work.
    Each week Eschelle and I will be writing about a pre-established topic. We will announce the topic a week in advance for anyone that would like to join us.
    HOWEVER, you do not have to write about that specific topic. We really just want to know what you are thinking about. What has your mind running? If nothing in particular is catching your fancy at the time, we invite you to post about our preset topic.
    Next week, this goes live! We will have a button to grab for your post, and a linky to add your post to.
    Next weeks topic
    Children Sharing a Bedroom vs Having their own Room
    I won’t get into it right now, because I need something to talk about next week! But suffice it to say, I have a lot on my mind about this topic!  We hope to see you next week!

  • Living Space vs the Toys …. Think About It

    Do you ever look around your house, and wonder how you can keep it all clean? You’ve got kids running around everywhere, and find yourself constantly tripping over toys.

    Over the weekend, we were at my sister in laws house. She has a set of toys in the main living space dubbed “Upstairs Toys”, but the bulk of the toys is in the basement and are dubbed “downstairs toys”.  Her home always looks so immaculate and inviting. We got to talking about how she keeps the toys separated, and it really helps with the cleaning.

    Now in my head I’ve always decided that the toys belong downstairs in our house. It’s where the kids bedrooms and the playroom are. Really the toys don’t need to be anywhere else in the house. Yet they always seem to get scattered up and down, and even outside. I’d really like to have a sit down with the kids and tell them that the toys aren’t allowed upstairs anymore.

    However, at the same time, I like that my kids feel comfortable playing in any room. I like that they come play near me while I’m working (even if they do get in my way sometimes).  I love watching their imaginations take off as different household items get incorporated into their toy play. Would I be squalling their creativity if I kept all the toys downstairs? Would I spend less time with my kids if I didn’t let them bring their toys upstairs while I’m cooking? 

    I guess I’m just having a hard time finding a good balance. I think I need to separate our toys, like my sister in law does. Some can be upstairs, and some can be downstairs, but we don’t mix the two. All I really want is a front room that when people walk into don’t feel bombarded by toys (or other stuff for that matter). I want just one clean room. Is it too much to ask? One room that looks like it could be in a Better Homes and Garden? 

    Think About it
    Do you have a room in your home, free of toys? How do you separate the living space, from the playing space? I’d love to hear your thoughts!