My kid has toys/books at every room in the house, is that normal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For us the key is having it look neat and put away at the end of the day so we aren't feeling cluttered and stressed.

We have the play kitchen in our real kitchen so all the play food/pots/pans get closed up in there overnight.

DH built a really nice looking play house in our family room and it's magical because we can throw all the toys in there at the end of the day and it looks clean and presentable.

Our playroom has 2 huge baskets that all the toys get thrown in.

Yeah, we have two bins/soft toy chests in the den, plus bins that go under the train table (which is the in the kitchen).

[Anonymous]

That’s too spread out for me. Our toys are limited to the playroom and the basement, plus bedtime books in the master bedroom where we cuddle in the king bed.

[Anonymous]

Normal! Kid lives there as much as anyone else!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Normal! Kid lives there as much as anyone else!

This.

[Anonymous]

I keep my kid out of the kitchen as much as possible unless we're doing something together. Way too dangerous. When I was a kid we had a scare where my dog tripped my dad when he was taking pasta over to the sink and boiling water got spilled on the floor. Fortunately no one (including the dog) was hurt but it was scary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For us the key is having it look neat and put away at the end of the day so we aren't feeling cluttered and stressed.

We have the play kitchen in our real kitchen so all the play food/pots/pans get closed up in there overnight.

DH built a really nice looking play house in our family room and it's magical because we can throw all the toys in there at the end of the day and it looks clean and presentable.

Our playroom has 2 huge baskets that all the toys get thrown in.

Yes, this is the key for us as well. The kids are not allowed to move play to another room unless they put away their toys in that room first.

[Anonymous]

It's normal and it will change.

[Anonymous]

I agree with DH. It’s a bit excessive. I would get rid of what isn’t played with FWIW we have a playroom, basket of books and bin of blocks in the dining room, and a toy box in each kid’s room.

[Anonymous]

Team DH. I wouldn't be fine with that either.

We have a LOT less stuff than you, and everything has to be in its place. You want to bring a book onto my bed? Fine, but when you leave my bed you take your book with you and put it back where it goes.

When they finish playing with something, they put it away before moving on to the next thing. I can't understand why you have toys in the dining room. Maybe your DH would be happier if there was at least TWO rooms that didn't have kid stuff in it. Your bedroom and some other room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with your DH. I only like toys in the playroom and bathtub. All books are in their bedrooms (and we probably have 1000 books). I think you just need to get stricter about having them clean up. 3 and 5 year olds can clean up well. For instance, my kids color at the breakfast table and then put the markers and books away. Zero toys are allowed upstairs (bedrooms are for sleeping and reading), living room, dining room, or kitchen. Sometimes we build in the family room or have the bounce house there, but afterwards they are picked up.

I have a similar argument though over dh's tools and electronics (he likes to build electronics and tinker with things). They go EVERYWHERE! But he's not a 4 year old I can tell what to do. So I have a box in the dining room and at the end of the week, I pile them all up and put them in his box.

I hope someday you will let your kids have some time to play alone in their rooms! My kids really enjoy some down time and keeping a special toy in their own room when they want to.

[Anonymous]

Playrooms...not everyone has that. I guess if you’re living in sprawl like that there should be enough room to be mostly contained in kid areas. But you’re a family, they should be able to occupy common areas in some way. Have your designer pick out hidden storage.

[Anonymous]

DS can play anywhere in the house except the kitchen but all toys and books get put back in the den or his room at night.

[Anonymous]

The poster who said agree on something together is spot on. We only have one child and we are not that tidy ourselves so we allow a little troy buildup. It doesn't bother us. But if it bothers your husband you two together need to come up with a compromise and enforce it TOGETHER. The children will follow whatever expectations you set up if enforced.

[Anonymous]

I’m pretty much in the same situation. In the “formal” rooms, I try to keep quality baskets to contain the clutter in a uniform way, and keep nicer looking big toys (PBK kitchen, CB teepee, etc.) out that at least look cute. Other that that, it’s fine. I try to remember to enjoy this phase of life when my toddler is little and sweet.