Clean up.
The bane of my existence.
We've got a pretty good routine going on with the downstairs toys. I've got things categorized and organized, and typically the girls can do a clean sweep, with help of course, in about twenty minutes or so.
But now the issue is Madison's room.
Madison's room is the biggest room in the house. Seriously. Her bedroom is the "bonus room" above the garage, and has the most square footage. Of course, it's balanced by the sloped ceiling, small closet, and finicky climate control, but for a little girl who loves to play, it's a dream come true.
The issue with Madison's room is that it's serving purposes other than "sleeping quarters". It's another playroom for both girls. It's the school room. It's a room that the girls get to play in without me, and it has access to crayons and markers and paper and other things I usually monitor access to. This can be tricky.
I'm thrilled that Madison loves to read.
I'm less thrilled that all her books come out of their organized shelves and end up on a pile on the reading rug.
I love that quiet time means that Madison will stay quietly in her room for an hour or more.
I'm less in love with the fact that she pulls every single stuffed animal off the couch.
I'm so proud that she has such a thirst for writing these days.
I'm less proud when that writing gets dry erase marker on her sheets.
She's four. She's learning. But a big lesson she had to learn was that the base for your drawing or note should not be your carpet or sheets. After spending some time with a scrub brush, she learned. But she still likes to draw and write and be comfortable while she does it.
This is where the Step2 2-in-1 Toy Box came in handy. Because beyond just being a vessel for toys, it's a place to draw.
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| We got to try the pink one. But there are several styles to choose from! |
Madison can use it as an easel. The storage boxes on top are the perfect place to keep her crayons.
Or, and this is what we loved, she can take the lid off and take it to wherever she is inspired to write. She can sprawl on her floor (which she far prefers to sitting at her table) and not have to endure the lecture and scrubbing that comes from getting marker on her rug. She can bring it to her bed and write notes to her friends and family while keeping her sheets clean.
And in addition to being a great place to create, there is ample storage underneath. Madison and I brainstormed the best thing to store there, and we came up with her stuffed toy collection. They fit with room to spare, and it makes clean up easy.
Madison and I made a video to share where we showed how easy it is to use the box for art and clean up. She had a fabulous time making this video with me. She asked if she can do more "commercials" for my computer and if she can dance in any of them.
Yeah, I think I have a budding performer.
But that's a story for another day.
Thanks Step2. I have a very enthusiastic assistant for any more testing you need!
T
