Books shelves/toy storage ideas

What do you guys use to store books and toys?

Im not sure if I should get a bookshelf or maybe a toy organizer.

Im a big procrastinator and with baby number 2 coming in a few months id like the house to look a little less cluttered with all my toddlers books and toys.

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It depends on your space. Open shelves are the most versatile and will have long use past kid age vs a toy organizer, because you can add crates, baskets and the like, each with their own storage purpose. Whatever you do, make sure you can see what’s inside, kids are more likely to clean up when things have highly visible homes.

A toy chest is only good for large toys and stuffies or for rotating toys because they do end up being a void. For bookshelves, you could do a set of wall shelves (like picture rails) or a bookshelf that displays the covers forward, this makes it easier to choose, less to make a mess of, and then store others on a more traditional bookshelf.

I cannot recommend rotating kid’s items enough. It reduces overall clutter so much and has saved my sanity, plus, my toddler acts like the same toys and books are exciting again! We rotate every 2 weeks or so and it gives a great opportunity to maintain and clean too :)

Step2 Lift & Hide Red Bookcase Storage Chest https://www.walmart.ca/ip/6000197089616

This was a game changer for us. Toys in the bottom (it stores a ton of toys) stuffies in the middle and books on the top. I finally got my living room back 🤣

I like to keep most toys away in other rooms and rotate/pull out specific activities so for our main storage of toys I just use two small storage ottomans. In the bedroom there is a three shelf bookcase for books and a storage bench for stuffed animals (I don’t do loud toys in the bedroom).

I’m currently loving using mesh bags for storing small toys that aren’t currently out so they don’t get lost. The end goal is to have all toys stored in my sons future bedroom because we have a decent amount of closet space in there and I won’t have to worry about him climbing shelves or dumping things all over the floor.

I love everything about this except the price lol 😆

I love this idea and I would definitely consider doing this when I transfer my daughter to her new room eventually!!

thank you! I saw it years ago before I had a husband and baby on Pinterest and when we bought a house it was the first thing I did lol

in our community

Is this normal?

Is it just my husband that does this? He is able to work from home via his computer and in the mornings and evenings he is on there doing his job. When he is done for the day he tends to stay in the room and either play video games or watch something. He will occasionally come out and play with the girls for a few minutes and that’s it but when I really need him he says he is busy. My daughters are both 1 year old now and I am just wondering how much involvement should he have with them now?
Idk if this is the norm or not…..

Saying NO to buying toys etc

5 year old is getting really envious of others. He is obsessed with items that other kids have at school. I am pestered daily to buy these things in a different style when we already have 3 others. I have seen parents just buying stuff their kid likes which I don't necessarily agree with even when i can afford it. How do you deal with it?

Thoughts?

your soon to be brother in law (upon inquiry) told you that only a few kids from the family were attending his wedding because they are over the age cut off..

Tablet for kids

Alright don’t need any negative Nancy’s telling me not to get my 2yo a tablet so if that’s what your gunna do please don’t participate in my poll.

We’re about to move cross country 3+ day trip and my 2yo and 9m hate the car I’m talking scream their heads off till they are out of their seats. We’ve already changed car seats and it didn’t help so I’d like to at least have one entertained and sit next to baby and try and distract her or put her to sleep. Our new car has tvs but since they are rear faced my 2yo can’t see it.

Debating getting her a tablet or dvd player right now on long car rides I end up giving her my phone because I get so overwhelmed sitting in between both of them screaming and crying.

And yes I do bring different toys I bring snacks I play songs try to distract her other ways but for the sake of not losing my mind on this move I think this is best.

-A very overwhelmed and anxious to move mama 😓

Daycare?

Thoughts on daycare?? Truly, I am SCARED to be leaving my kid for daycare. I literally do not trust anyone, not even family (they haven’t given me a reason it’s just trust issues on my end, you never know). He’s turning 3 and I’ve been a sahm the whole time but tbh my man doesn’t make enough for us to move out somewhere more calm . We live in a ‘not so safe’ area in LA and I’m just not used to living here so I just want us to give my son a better life and in order to speed up the process I would have to work.. I do lashes at home and I’d be open to take new clients so I wouldn’t have to look for work but I’m just scared to lose my license 😭

Struggling

My husband works and does so much for me and my baby girl. However I get annoyed every time he hops on a video game he usually plays for 1-2 hrs if she's still awake and has like 3+hrs of free time once she goes to sleep (i co/contact sleep). The last time I was able to have actual free time was last month when I tried to turn some onesies into shirts for baby girl to sleep in- and I wasn't able to finish them and haven't picked them up since lol. The only free time I get is while she's napping right next to me where I can't move an inch or breathe too deeply or she'll wake up, or when I shower. Crafting used to be my outlet and now if I were ever to tell him that I need to craft I don't even know what I would do or where to start I just sit there and stare.... just losing myself and I'm struggling with it. Does anyone else feel the same way? What do I do?