How to Organize the Playroom

 

We’ve all been there: stepping on rogue blocks strewn across the floor, digging colored pencils out of couch cushions, rounding up stuffed animals from every corner of the house. When kids are having fun, clutter often follows – but having an organized playroom or arts and crafts station can help! Tidy up your little ones’ play area with these simple ideas.

 

1. Group similar toys together

The first step to any playroom makeover is taking stock of what you’re organizing. Does your child have stacks of books or coloring pages galore? Is your Picasso-in-training into finger painting? Whether you’re sorting stickers, markers or plushies, keep similar items together so that finding exactly what your little one needs is easy.

 

 

2. Choose the right sized storage

Once all the toys and supplies are sorted, find a container to fit. For construction paper, stickers and other stationery, a sturdy file organizer like the Fold N’ File^® is perfect (this style also makes a cute desk organizer for your home office).

For small toys like building blocks, toy soldiers, pencils or sidewalk chalk, small storage baskets or decorative felt bins like the Felt Hanging Bin are a super convenient choice – plus, there’s the added bonus of being able to hang this bin by its faux leather loop to take advantage of wall space! For books or stuffed animal storage, there’s no better choice than a roomy storage basket like the Felt Display Bin.

3. Give each kid a personalized bin

The best playrooms are colorful, fun and all about the kids! To help your storage containers and décor match that fun atmosphere, spruce them up with embroidered personalization. This is a great way to get the kids involved in this mini playroom makeover!

Play around on our website with Thirty-One’s personalization preview to see what your product looks like with an embroidered dinosaur, llama, butterfly or other fun icon. If you’re organizing each child’s toys in a different bin, let them choose their icon and add their name for a basket they’ll love putting their toys away in!

What room in your house needs to be organized??? I’m happy to help with some suggestions…

For more storage and organization inspiration, follow us on Instagram @thirtyone and on Pinterest @thirtyonegifts

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

 

How To Build a Busy Bag

The warmer weather has arrived, hopefully to stay, and for many it means ROAD TRIP!  Or maybe it just means a staycation.  As a kid, long car rides and I would fall asleep.  Belinda liked to be kept busy when we traveled in the car.  What about your kids do they sleep or are they a “when are we going to get there” kind of kid?

Another recipe for disaster: Take an important meeting, or doctor’s appointment, add one squirmy toddler and hope (or pray, as the case may be) for a tantrum-free hour.  You know what I mean, those times when a quick trip turns into an hour plus mess.

Fear not because there is a simple way to ward off a boredom-induced meltdown – build a busy bag!  This tote  can be filled with quiet toys, books and crafts and is an easy way to keep your little one entertained and (relatively) silent.

Here’s how to make your own:

Start with the bag

Help your child choose a bag or tote to fill and then decorate it together! The Statement Canvas Shopper – or for littler hands, a Statement Canvas Mini Shopper – can be personalized with their name, a fun Icon-It, graphic or even their own photo or artwork! You can upload your littlest ones’ fingerpaint masterpieces online and create a bag they’ll carry long after the “originals” have been tossed.

Bring along something soft

Smaller children may enjoy having a comfort item or “lovie” they can snuggle while the grown-ups are busy. For older children, choose soft dolls or finger puppets for imaginative play instead of noisy plastic action figures.

Add a little fun

A simple activity keeps little fingers engaged and focused. Old-fashioned toys like lacing cards, paper dolls or a matching card game don’t take up much space and can be enjoyed over and over.

Encourage reading and writing

Babies and toddlers who can’t yet read love books with different textures and flaps to open and close. Older children may enjoy age-appropriate books or a notebook and pencil to practice handwriting. Include some coloring books and crayons (as long as you know they’ll be used only on paper).Add some of your child’s favorite toys and activities to customize your busy bag with whatever will keep them content. Keep your bag ready in the car or diaper bag so it’s always with you on the go, and switch out toys and games frequently to hold your child’s interest. And most importantly, have fun, because they’re only little for so long!

What do you carry to keep your little ones busy when you are out and about?  Do you have a favorite game to play on car trips?  Share it with us…

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

How To Get Your Kids to Clean Their Room

Belinda may be grown BUT I do remember the battle for her to keep her room clean – okay, even neat would have been nice.  I was grateful company never had to walk past her room to get to the bathroom or I could just close her door….  What about you?  Do you struggle to get your kids to clean up their room?  Are things tossed EVERY WHERE???

If you’re a parent, you have heard the endless excuses your kids can come up with when it’s time to clean their rooms.  From “I’ll do it later!” to “I’m too tired,” we’ve heard them all! The truth is, we probably used them ourselves at some point in our life, right?  Here are a few tricks to help make the room-cleaning battle a bit easier.

1. Set clear, realistic expectations

What is clean to us may not be clean to our kids.  We need to set age-appropriate goals to help them recognize when their room is “clean.”  For a three-year-old, a clean room could simply mean books are on the shelf, toys in their place and dirty clothes in the hamper. Yet for an eight-year-old, there could be the added responsibility of making their bed or putting clean clothes away.  The key is we need to share our expectations with our children.  Maybe even give them a list of what to do and if they can’t read, use pictures with the words.

2. Let your kids OWN their space

Belinda’s room was her room – seems like a no-brainer, right?  I let her make her own decisions but often gave her just two choices I could leave with – whether it was picking out her clothes, what color her room was or what game to play.  I never thought about giving her a .choice about where things went in  her room… It did get better once we put the closet organizer in with shelves and a spot to hang her clothes.

For some kids, putting toys, games and clothes away is never fun – except when there’s a monster involved! Here is a unique craft idea to turn Thirty One’s  Your Way® Cube or Your Way® Rectangle storage bin into a fun monster kids can keep their belongings in.

Not only does it help keep bedrooms and toy rooms neat, it makes a great decoration and an adorable gift your kids will love. I’m pretty sure this is one monster your kids will want under their beds … or in their closets!

Here is what you will need:

• 1 white sticky-back foam sheet (color optional)
• Pair of sticky-back googly eyes – size and number of eyes optional
• Scissors or craft knife
• FREE monster teeth template (Your Way® Cube and Rectangle sizes included)
• Glue stick (for other/additional design options)

How to make it:

1. Choose either a Your Way® Cube with matching Cube Lid or Your Way® Rectangle with matching Rectangle Lid in the color or print you want your monster to be.
2. Print out the monster teeth template below and cut two rows of teeth for your cube or rectangle from the sticky-back foam sheet. If you prefer, you can also design your own teeth, but be sure to measure the window or panel of your bin first.
3. Peel and stick the teeth to either the clear PVC window or chalkboard panel of your bin, aligning the flat edges to the top and bottom edge.
4. Next, identify the front-facing edge of your lid, and place it on your bin. This will help you decide on the placement of your googly eyes.
5. Now, peel and stick the eyes in place to the front-facing edge of the lid. You made a monster!

 

Add even more embellishments, if you’d like: Maybe some foam-sheet spots in a contrasting color, or eyelashes, horns, ears or a nose. Maybe even glue a little faux fur or feathers to the lid for hair!

Consider stacking up a few monster cubes to create a fun tower shape or line them up on shelves to create a monster row. The most important thing to remember is to have fun and be creative!  Click the link:  Monster Teeth Template to get the teeth

 

3. Set a good example

Kids learn by example, right?  They learn from what we do, and not from what we say.  I’m sure you have said it at least once “Do as I say, not as I do”… Admit it, we all have.  Honestly, sometimes it’s easier to say, “Clean your room!” and walk away than to actually go in and HELP our kids.  Sometimes, it takes just that!  If your child is resisting, why not get down on the floor and help.  When you do the work together, you are setting a good example of how families help each other – and it actually is a chance to spend  some quality time talking and bonding with your child.

I wish we had personalized containers like The Littles Carry-All Caddies, Mini Storage Bins and Your Way Cubes when Belinda was younger.  They are the perfect size for storing toys, extra clothes and other stuff which clutter up a child’s room. Plus, they can be personalized with your child’s name, a favorite picture or animal (using our Icon-Its) or anything else you come up with.  Have some fun with your kids and let them help in personalizing the storage and organization products for their rooms.

How do you help your children keep their space neat and tidy? Show us your organized kids’ rooms by sharing your photos on social media – we love seeing how you put Thirty-One’s  products to use. Tag us with #partywithHope

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Product of the Week: Catch All Bin

The holidays are quickly approaching, okay so maybe not as fast as everyone wants you to believe BUT Christmas is only 9 weeks away.  You would think it was next week with all of the holiday decorations showing up in the stores, right?  It would be nice to get through at least Halloween before they started with the Christmas trees but since it isn’t going to happen, I figured I might as well join in the frenzy.

Every Monday for the next 8 weeks, I am going to do a “product of the week” with tips on how you can use this AWESOME product or who it would make a great gift for.

First up is the Catch-All Bin from Thirty One.  Why will you or someone you know love it?  One product with many different uses.  The Catch-All-Bin can be your answer to household clutter and disorganization. It has a large, open space and a convenient handle for easy transport, which makes it the perfect storage solution for toys, and those shoes in the entrance way.

It goes great in the guestroom to hold grooming supplies, toilet tissue, rolled up towels or throw blankets.  Why not put it in your bathroom or under the sink so everyone can stop yelling for mom when things run out?  The truth is, they will probably still call for you to help them but at least you can direct them to just one spot.Organize your kitchen pantry by using it to hold your spices and seasonings, canned goods, napkins,and even your KitchenAid.  Yes, it will hold up to 25 pounds!!!!  Know someone who just moved into a new home?  Fill the Catch All Bin with a bottle of wine or two, some glasses and snacks.  How about giving the baker some new recipes and the ingredients to make some yummy new treats?

Have some crafters on your list or maybe a seamstress or two?  Not only will the Catch All Bin hold a sewing machine but think of all of the fun notions you could fill it with for the hobby person on your holiday list.Tired of the “gift bags”?  Hate to wrap presents?  Why not use the Catch All Bin as your wrapping?One product with a multitude of uses.  What are the key reasons YOU will love Thirty One’s Catch All Bin?

• Structured shape stands on its own
• Collapses for easy storage
• Single handle for easy transport
• Large, open space
• Monogramming and personalization options available
• Approx. 13.5”H x 17.75”L x 8.5”D

Who on your shopping list would LOVE one of these?  Need help with personalization?  Let me be your personal shopper.

There is still time to take advantage of my layaway plan too.  Fill out the form below and let me know.

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Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!