My Little Ladybugs: All in a Row

Last May I participated in 31 Days to Clean, and truly seemed to make headway into organizing my home.  I suppose what surprises me is that over a year later I am still making alterations to that organization - with the intent of making things even better and streamlined.

One of the areas of my home that seems impossible to keep up with is: The Ladybugs' Play Room.

*not my Ladybugs*

I should be honest, reader, and tell you that I do make the ladybugs clean their spaces.  I also do a quick clean-up each morning after they get dressed, and each evening before they enter Slumberville.  But picking up clothing from the floor and making sure library books aren't integrated (and therefore, lost) into our collection is far from maintaining organization.  

I came to a sobering conclusion yesterday - having children means having tons of little "stuff" that is saved, collected, and stashed wherever it can fit.  And what is the bane of my existence?  You guessed it: vending machine toys.

oh the possibilities!

And where do these little items go?  Behind the TV, in the couch, under the seats in the car, and other lovely locations around our little home.  

For awhile I had this grand plan to organize the ladybugs' toys, but I finally resisted the urge and simply made a place for everything.  I even labeled the bins so I didn't always have to be overseeing the cleanup process. I truly hate standing in a doorway spouting encouraging comments through a grimaced face.  And in the last year, this seems to placate my need to see floor when I pass by the Play Room.

I suppose, reader, you could question why I even leave the Play Room door open.  Very good question.  However, our home is not large.  The Play Room is directly across from our upstairs Bathroom.  Having the door open makes the hallway space a bit larger, and well, "roomier."  It's all an illusion.  

This morning, while the Ladybugs were at VBS, I went through their Play Room's closet.  I did find out where they had stashed some of their trinkets when I have asked them to pick up their "stuff."  I aslo successfully relocated some toys in the attic and brought some older toys to the forefront.  I find satisfaction in my ladybugs finding enjoyment out of toys they had forgot.  I didn't go through each toy bin, but I do go through those after birthdays and Christmas.  Mainly because I have to find homes for all the new "stuff" brought into the home.  

Tomorrow I am tackling a storage unit in our basement.  It has a lot of old paint, and fortunately there is a hazardous waste pick up in our community on Saturday.  So I plan on really taking care of this space.  Hopefully VBS will allow me enough time to complete this daunting task!