Do you keep your kids’ toys in their bedroom? There’s no shortage of toy storage solutions. Whether you browse Pinterest for ideas or make a run to Ikea every other month to buy another storage container, the options are limitless.
For a long time, our daughter’s room was reserved solely for sleeping, diaper changes, and reading in the rocking chair. Our new-parent theory was, if she only did calm things in her room, bedtime would be an easier transition. As it turns out, bedtime has always been pretty easy – she goes to bed quickly and stays asleep almost every night. Was this the brilliance of our “calm zone” plan with no toys in the bedroom? Maybe…maybe not…
We live in a small house with no playroom or basement. It wasn’t long after our daughter was born that blankets, books, and squishy toys started to clutter our main entertaining area. Those were pretty easy to scoop up into a basket and put away. Now, the bigger toys have crept in – a dollhouse, a kitchen set, enough dress up clothes for a parade, and ohhh the Legos.
Toys in the common space isn’t necessarily bad. It’s easy to keep an eye on our daughter while I’m prepping dinner. When friends come to play, we can see them from the dining room without hovering or worrying about what they’re getting into. But, sometimes we miss the old living room space.
After almost five years of baby, then toddler, and now kid stuff taking over the first floor of our house, we’ve started storing some of our daughter’s toys in her room. As it turns out, she still goes to bed well and stays asleep through the nights. My worry about her waking up to turn into a princess at midnight was just an overreaction. Maybe it’s because she’s used to the routine by now. Or, maybe toys in kids’ bedrooms doesn’t really make a difference at all!
Moms, what do you think?! Do you store your kids’ toys in their bedrooms? Yay or nay?