Incorporating storage solutions into your children's play room is vital. Play rooms can go from neat and tidy to the ultimate disaster in the time it takes to wash your hands or answer the phone. The descent into play room bedlam is so rapid and so complete that it is almost otherworldly. Every time this transformation happens in the presence of my spouse I can hear the faint humming the the Twilight Zone theme song.
The fact is that play rooms need to be tidied 2 or 3 times more often than other rooms of the house because they become disaster zones 2 or 3 times more often. Some creative storage solutions for your play room can make this task easier. With a little thought you can make tidying the play room into a sort of game and the kids will even help put things back into their proper place.
As you may have noticed from some of my other posts and articles, I am a big fan of the plastic bin. Plastic bins help with closet organization and all sorts of other storage problems. Plastic bins are cheap and durable. The use of brightly coloured plastic bins in the play room is a fantastic idea.
The following are two ideas that I have seen used effectively:
1. Each child has their own plastic bin. It is helpful if the bins are different colours. Each child is taught that all their toys must be returned to their special plastic bin before a new toy is played with. This gives each child a sense of responsibility from a very young age. The plan does not always work but with some gentle encouragement it soon can become habit forming.
This idea also allows the child to take their toys and special bin to their bedroom or another quiet place in the house if they want some quiet time.
2. Make some built-in shelves that fit a series of plastic bins. On the ends of the plastic bins glue on pictures of specific toys or perhaps find some appropriate stickers. You can have a truck bin, a barbie bin, a stuffed animal bin, a train and train track bin, a princess bin, a Dora bin, etc. Clean uptime is fun and easy because the kids simply return their toys to the bin that has the correct picture on the end. Give your kids a reward like a kiss or a green grape for every truck that goes into the truck bin or every princess that goes into the princess bin. By giving the child a small reward you are re-enforcing good behaviour. Small rewards can make the clean up process quick, easy and infinitely more pleasant for the parent.
Play room storage ideas can be fun and easy. Check back to this blog for some other play room storage solutions
Friday 10 July 2009
Saturday 4 July 2009
Cost Comparison for Storage Bins Between Home Depot and Canadian Tire
In my last post I advised everyone to buy cheap storage bins when you see them on sale. As everyone knows I think plastic storage bins make for great storage solutions. This is because plastic storage bins regularly go on sale. Today I decided to do a bit of price research so you will have some context for appropriate pricing.
These are some of the models I found in a very quick search.
At Canadian Tire
1.Rubbermaid Clever Latch Tote. This is a 27 litre clear bin and is listed for $14.99
2. Tote. This is a 72 litre plastic bin. It is blue with a white top and is listed for $7.49
3. Suncast Staking bin. This type of bin is also referred to as a hopper bin. These bins have a cut away front hinged lid which allows you to access the contents when other bins are staked on top. Very handy. This bin has a 69 litre capacity and is white with a black top. This bin is listed for $16.99 which seems a bit pricey to me.
4. Omni Box. This is a small (15 litre) clear plastic bin with a blue top. It is listed for $10.99 and seems a bit expensive for such a small bin.
5. Rubbermaid Roughneck Tote (37.9 litre). This bin id all blue and is listed for $6.79.
6. Rubbermaid Roughneck Tote (53 litre). This bin is also blue and is listed for $7.59.
7. Rubbermaid Roughneck Tote (68.1 litre). This bin is also blue and is listed for $8.49. I have at least 8 or 9 of these bins. They are at least 5 years old and are in perfect condition.
8. Rubbermaid Rough Tote (189 litres). This is a giant plastic bin. In my opinion the bin is a bit too large as when full it would be impossible to move. Perhaps it would work well and a child's toy box. This bin is grey with a dark grey top and is listed for $22.99.
9. Rubbermaid Hinged Top Tote. This plastic storage bin has a capacity of 114 litres. It is dark grey and has a black top. It isd listed for $12.99. I personally have a few of these plastic storage bins and have no complaints.
10. Nesting Tote. This plastic bin has a capacity of 115 litres. It is blue with a white top and it is listed for $10.99.
The plastic storage bins I found on the Home Depot web site seemed to be a little bit more expensive. Below is what I could find on a very quick search.
1. A 3 pack of stackable recycling hopper bins. Each bin has an approximate capacity of 68 litres. The list price for a set of 3 is $29.98. This works out to approximately $9.99 per individual bin. These bins were a bit garish as they were bright green, yellow, and blue.
2. A 4 pack of stackable hopper bins. These bins were grey and also had a capacity of 68 litres. A set of 4 was listed for $39.87. This works out to be approximately $9.97 per bin.
The list of bins at Home Depot is not exhaustive but I had to cut my search short in order to get in a walk on the beach before the rains came. The bins I listed for Home Depot are very similar to the Suncast Staking Bins found at Canadian Tire. I will do another search at Home Depot and Lowes and maybe Home Hardware over the next few days in order to give a clearer price comparison for commonly available plastic storage bins. And remember only buy storage bins when you find them on sale.
These are some of the models I found in a very quick search.
At Canadian Tire
1.Rubbermaid Clever Latch Tote. This is a 27 litre clear bin and is listed for $14.99
2. Tote. This is a 72 litre plastic bin. It is blue with a white top and is listed for $7.49
3. Suncast Staking bin. This type of bin is also referred to as a hopper bin. These bins have a cut away front hinged lid which allows you to access the contents when other bins are staked on top. Very handy. This bin has a 69 litre capacity and is white with a black top. This bin is listed for $16.99 which seems a bit pricey to me.
4. Omni Box. This is a small (15 litre) clear plastic bin with a blue top. It is listed for $10.99 and seems a bit expensive for such a small bin.
5. Rubbermaid Roughneck Tote (37.9 litre). This bin id all blue and is listed for $6.79.
6. Rubbermaid Roughneck Tote (53 litre). This bin is also blue and is listed for $7.59.
7. Rubbermaid Roughneck Tote (68.1 litre). This bin is also blue and is listed for $8.49. I have at least 8 or 9 of these bins. They are at least 5 years old and are in perfect condition.
8. Rubbermaid Rough Tote (189 litres). This is a giant plastic bin. In my opinion the bin is a bit too large as when full it would be impossible to move. Perhaps it would work well and a child's toy box. This bin is grey with a dark grey top and is listed for $22.99.
9. Rubbermaid Hinged Top Tote. This plastic storage bin has a capacity of 114 litres. It is dark grey and has a black top. It isd listed for $12.99. I personally have a few of these plastic storage bins and have no complaints.
10. Nesting Tote. This plastic bin has a capacity of 115 litres. It is blue with a white top and it is listed for $10.99.
The plastic storage bins I found on the Home Depot web site seemed to be a little bit more expensive. Below is what I could find on a very quick search.
1. A 3 pack of stackable recycling hopper bins. Each bin has an approximate capacity of 68 litres. The list price for a set of 3 is $29.98. This works out to approximately $9.99 per individual bin. These bins were a bit garish as they were bright green, yellow, and blue.
2. A 4 pack of stackable hopper bins. These bins were grey and also had a capacity of 68 litres. A set of 4 was listed for $39.87. This works out to be approximately $9.97 per bin.
The list of bins at Home Depot is not exhaustive but I had to cut my search short in order to get in a walk on the beach before the rains came. The bins I listed for Home Depot are very similar to the Suncast Staking Bins found at Canadian Tire. I will do another search at Home Depot and Lowes and maybe Home Hardware over the next few days in order to give a clearer price comparison for commonly available plastic storage bins. And remember only buy storage bins when you find them on sale.
Wednesday 1 July 2009
Storage Solutions
I have begun to get very interested in exploring different storage solutions and closet organization systems. In fact, I know think differently about how I store things and the effect that proper storage and organization has on my life. My awakening to this new way of thinking had two catalysts. Well actually, just one catalyst which changed my way of thinking and created a new interest which was confirmed event.
The real catalyst was a birthday gift from my husband. I had been complaining about our front hall cupboard for at least two years. It was awful! The doors were constantly jamming or coming off their tracks and the interior was a disaster. I hated it and I tended to gripe about it every time I had to use it. I started to throw my coat on a living room chair in protest of such a medieval front closet. Sadly, my husband did not even notice my non-violent passive resistance form of protest against our front hall closet. I wasn't even sure he would notice a hunger strike. I had to end my protest when the kids unwittingly joined me in protest and the living room became a sea of coats and jackets.
When I complained to my husband about his oblivion to my distress and protest and explained to him the other ways I could protest, I seemed to capture his attention. Within days I got an early birthday present. He promised to install new closet doors of my choosing, new closet organizers, and he bought me a gift certificate for a half day session with a professional closet organizer consultant, and another gift certificate at Home Depot in order that I might buy what ever the consultant suggested.
My day with the professional closet organizing consultant was simply blissful. Under her direction I threw away my ugly rain coat and boots, 4 years of Field and Stream, and my husband's decades old tennis racket. She made my feel silly (in a nice way) for holding on to unmatched mittens and gloves in hopes that the missing ones might show up. She gave me freedom to purge and it was liberating to say the least.
I learned that the key to closet organization is to fundamentally limit the stuff you need to store. After only an hour with this closet genius I awakened to the fact that our family only uses about 25% of the items that we have in our closets. It really was a surprising realization.
My closet consultant brought all sort of pictures and pamphlets to show me a number of different ways to organize my closets. She also gave me all sorts of helpful hints that I'm sure to use. For example, I love the idea of giving each of my children a clear Rubbermaid bin for their items. Aside from hanging their coats, all of their belongings must be put in their own bin with no exceptions. As an added bonus, my kids also seem to like this idea.
I am well on my way to a perfectly organized front hall cupboard. I still have not finalized my organizational scheme but I'm close. Once I have the plan all mapped out I will happily use my Home Depot gift certificate.
Once I caught the closet organization bug I started to read everything I could find on storage solutions. I quickly came across a book written by Peter Walsh called "Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?" Click here: - The discovery of this book is what confirmed to me that I would never go back to my old disorganized and cluttered ways. Mr. Walsh tries to outline the relationship between clutter and being overweight. What an interesting concept. I have just started the book but so far I love it.
So there we have it. I am a reformed pack rat. From now on I will think carefully about my cupboards and closets. Each of my closets will have a specific closet organization system.
The real catalyst was a birthday gift from my husband. I had been complaining about our front hall cupboard for at least two years. It was awful! The doors were constantly jamming or coming off their tracks and the interior was a disaster. I hated it and I tended to gripe about it every time I had to use it. I started to throw my coat on a living room chair in protest of such a medieval front closet. Sadly, my husband did not even notice my non-violent passive resistance form of protest against our front hall closet. I wasn't even sure he would notice a hunger strike. I had to end my protest when the kids unwittingly joined me in protest and the living room became a sea of coats and jackets.
When I complained to my husband about his oblivion to my distress and protest and explained to him the other ways I could protest, I seemed to capture his attention. Within days I got an early birthday present. He promised to install new closet doors of my choosing, new closet organizers, and he bought me a gift certificate for a half day session with a professional closet organizer consultant, and another gift certificate at Home Depot in order that I might buy what ever the consultant suggested.
My day with the professional closet organizing consultant was simply blissful. Under her direction I threw away my ugly rain coat and boots, 4 years of Field and Stream, and my husband's decades old tennis racket. She made my feel silly (in a nice way) for holding on to unmatched mittens and gloves in hopes that the missing ones might show up. She gave me freedom to purge and it was liberating to say the least.
I learned that the key to closet organization is to fundamentally limit the stuff you need to store. After only an hour with this closet genius I awakened to the fact that our family only uses about 25% of the items that we have in our closets. It really was a surprising realization.
My closet consultant brought all sort of pictures and pamphlets to show me a number of different ways to organize my closets. She also gave me all sorts of helpful hints that I'm sure to use. For example, I love the idea of giving each of my children a clear Rubbermaid bin for their items. Aside from hanging their coats, all of their belongings must be put in their own bin with no exceptions. As an added bonus, my kids also seem to like this idea.
I am well on my way to a perfectly organized front hall cupboard. I still have not finalized my organizational scheme but I'm close. Once I have the plan all mapped out I will happily use my Home Depot gift certificate.
Once I caught the closet organization bug I started to read everything I could find on storage solutions. I quickly came across a book written by Peter Walsh called "Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?" Click here: - The discovery of this book is what confirmed to me that I would never go back to my old disorganized and cluttered ways. Mr. Walsh tries to outline the relationship between clutter and being overweight. What an interesting concept. I have just started the book but so far I love it.
So there we have it. I am a reformed pack rat. From now on I will think carefully about my cupboards and closets. Each of my closets will have a specific closet organization system.
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