I just love a good party, and today I'm participating in a gathering of bloggy minds that we can ALL benefit from. Wendy at The Shabby Nest, and the Pretty Organizer, are hosting the Conquering Kids Clutter Linky Party!
Now, if you can't use ideas like this, then well, you're just not normal.
My first contribution is pretty simple actually. My kids are notorious for leaving small "trinkets" of mess all around the first floor of our house. Baskets to the rescue! I had some small baskets perfect for small messes. I made tags for each child, placed the baskets on the steps, and now when I find something that belongs upstairs, it goes in the appropriate child's basket. Ideally, they take the basket upstairs with them and unload it frequently, but that usually takes NAGGING, which is my second contribution (just kidding).
Here's a picture. Of the baskets, not the nagging, you don't want to see that.
My second contribution is my toy box/coffee table. I "reinvented" my kids' old toy box in to a storage coffee table for our family room, to house all of the Wii games and accessories they got for Christmas. Here's a picture:
(Sorry to my regular readers that have already seen this, but I'm hoping to make some new friends today!) If you'd like to see the transformation in progress, look here.
Thanks for coming by today, be sure to check out all of the other ideas at the party!
Posts
I have tried one big basket but think I could do the smaller basket per person thing. Great idea! Coffee table looks great!
ReplyDeleteGood idea, and I do love your new coffee table/storage unit!!!
ReplyDeleteSuzanne
Good ideas. I'm a basket girl myself. Thanks for joining the party!!!!
ReplyDeleteMission successful - I'll be your friend ;) Thanks for the ideas! Now if I only had enough stairs (or bigger baskets....)
ReplyDeleteI use my coffee table for storage, too. Isn't it great?? :)
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! The baskets would work a lot better than just piling things on the dining room table like I do! Thanks for the tip! I love your coffee table!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea with the baskets. We are constantly picking up little things. Barbie shoes, dress up jewelry, you name it.
ReplyDelete~Michelle
MULTIPLE BASKETS!!! I have 1 stair basket that we empty each day but with 8 in the family it's getting out of control. I'll have to think of a Multiple basket system! Great idea... and LOVE the toy chest coffee table. I don't buy furniture anymore unless it can serve at least 2 o 3 purposes!
ReplyDeleteFabulous girl!
Pretty Organizer
I am a new reader today and so glad I came to this party. great ideas and love your coffee table!! so glad you shared.
ReplyDeleteLuLu
Cute ideas. When the kids get bigger....do the baskets get bigger?
ReplyDeleteYour coffee table turned out beautiful - love functional, fabulous pieces!
ReplyDeleteI agree baskets are great at controlling clutter especially little things. Love the toy chest makeover - it looks great. I have a wicker chest in my LR that I use for storage too!
ReplyDeleteManuela
Love the baskets - wonder if I could get hubby to play? He leaves his shoes everywhere and we don't even have a 2-story house!! Our room is right off the garage entry (I picked the plan for that reason)!!
ReplyDeleteYour coffee table looks great - not sure if I mentioned that or not!
Love that coffee table! Thanks for showing us the before and after!!
ReplyDeleteThe table looks fabulous!
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas! I love the converted coffee table idea. I love to see creative thinking! Our current coffee table used to be our dining room table. The hubby helped me out on that one ;-)
ReplyDeleteLove the converted coffee table for games!!
ReplyDeleteThose baskets are adorable - thanks so much for sharing your ideas. I need all the help I can get, it's never ending ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas! Your coffee table looks fantastic. I would have never known it use to be a toy box.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea using the baskets.. I need to get one for the whole family..
ReplyDeleteIt is a good thing that Hobby Lobby is 40mins from me as well..I would spend to much money there.
Love your reinvented toy box. Seems like everything in my house has been reinvented in some way! I would love to use the baskets but I am sure someone would totally trip over them and crash, so I usually grab a laundry basket throw everything in and leave it on the landing until (hopefully) one the boys will take it up for me. Somehow, I am still the one putting things away when it makes it upstairs. I just like to make sure things go in the right spot...hmmm maybe I should keep reading the clutter ideas at Wendy's so I can learn to make them do it themselves!
ReplyDelete~Misti
Your reinvented toy box looks great!
ReplyDelete~ Sarah
Ohh I love that toy box transformation! I need to remember that one.
ReplyDeleteThe coffee table is adorable.
ReplyDeleteCute blog. Love the red :)
Love the coffee table. I guess I'm a black furniture lover!
ReplyDeleteI love furniture makeovers! Nice job on the Wii storage - very classy.
ReplyDeleteLove the coffee table!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE baskets and love them little enough for kids to carry themselves.
ReplyDeleteI love the baskets idea!
ReplyDeleteHere from SITS...and another blog - the linky love one! :-)
Hmmmm...I think the basket idea is something I NEED to give a try. We end up with tons of trinkety stuff I don't know where to put. A basket for each girl (and one for my husband too!) might be just the thing!
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas! I love the baskets. I have one basket that I keep on the stairs, but I think yours is better. It gets all jumbled when everything is all in together. Great toy holder too - very cute!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much and nice to meet you!
Jen
Your baskets idea is great and they look good, too! What more could you want? Well, maybe no clutter to worry about!
ReplyDeleteI'm always fighting clutter around here. With homeschooling and home magazines it can get a little crazy!
-Kim