In our house, 3 out of 4 of us are soup lovers. My youngest isn’t a soup fan, but I’ve mentioned before that he’d survive off buns, burgers, and mac & cheese if we let him, so his opinion doesn’t really count here. I think the only soup he’s ever really ‘approved’ of is this creamy dill pickle soup a local restaurant used to make before new owners took over. It was AMAZING! If I manage to find a recipe for something close to it and he gives it two thumbs up, I’ll definitely share it here.

Now, our oldest is a huge soup fan. He always has been. When he was little, he was all about chicken soups. He loved chicken noodle, chicken and rice, chicken vegetable, he loved them all. As he’s gotten older, he’s started to like cream soups as well. I’ve always been a fan of thicker soups and hearty stews, so I was pretty happy he came around to my kinda soups!

The recipe below for Loaded Potato Soup is a favorite in our home and in our regular meal rotation year-round. More so in these winter months of course. When you make something that one of your kids keeps asking you to make over & over again – you’ve found a winner! Kids are the best taste testers, aren’t they? They’re always brutally honest, so I know this soup must be good! Not only that, but it’s super quick and easy to throw in the crock pot in the morning and it just cooks all day. Your home will smell delicious!

If your family loves soup, I hope you all love this one as much as we do!

Loaded Potato Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 10-12 medium/large white (or yellow) potatoes
• 8 cups of chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons of Montreal Chicken Spice
• 1 whole onion
• 1 package of cream cheese
• 1 package of bacon
• Shredded marble cheese (or any cheese of your choice)

Directions:

1. Peel potatoes and cut into cubes. Dice up the onion.
2. Place potatoes and onions in the crock pot.
3. Pour the chicken broth over top.
4. Add the Montreal Chicken Spice and stir everything well.
5. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
6. Once cooked, remove half of the potatoes and broth into a bowl and using a mixer, blend well with cubed cream cheese until smooth.
7. Add mixture back into crock pot and mix well.
8. Cook the bacon and cut it up into pieces.
9. Pour soup into bowls and add desired amount of shredded cheese and bacon on top.
10. Enjoy!

Notes:

• If you don’t like chunks in your soup, you can remove more (or all) potatoes to blend.
• We usually serve this soup with some garlic bread. (at my youngest’s request, of course!)

What’s your favorite soup? Italian Wedding? French Onion? Classic Tomato?

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Whether you’re flying or driving, we all want to save space, yet we don’t want to be caught without something we rely on. So, we’ve gathered our favorite tips and gadgets for travelling with babies in 2024. You’ll want to get your hands on these before you leave! Here are all our top tips, pack lists, and devices for travelling with a baby in 2024.

The best items for travelling with kids: 

Here are a few additional items to make sure you have on your list for 2023; investing in travel-friendly items may be the best decision, but these items will get used often! So whether on a night at grandma’s or a day trip, you’ll use them frequently.

Portable charger

A portable charger is a must. When you’re stuck in an airport and all the outlets are full, or your battery runs low on a long car ride. These days, getting caught without power is a parent’s worst nightmare. A portable charger is a game-changer and gives you insurance that you’ll never be caught powerless again.

Kids travel tray

If you’re driving to your location, the car can become a huge stressful mess. These travel trays for kids help keep everything organized and clean, and the kids won’t drop stuff on the floor you can’t reach.

Slumber pod

This a game-changer for when your baby needs to sleep at night, but you and your partners don’t want to sit in the dark! Or you need to encourage a nap on the go!

Air tags

With the amount of luggage nightmare stories in the media in 2022- 2023, this item quickly became the hottest and most talked about item this year! The little tracking device can help you locate your lost luggage.

Space saver bags

These are super helpful if you’re an over-packer. They can help save space in the car or allow you some additional room to squeeze into a carry-on in hopes of avoiding the need to check your bags. Once packing to return home, you can use the back of the hotel hairdryer or old-school rolling on the bag to push the air out.

Mini humidifier  

If you’re staying in a hotel, you may want to consider a mini humidifier, especially if you’re used to using one at home. These travel humidifiers are helpful when you find yourself in a hotel with the worst dry recycled air. It also has a small mood light that can help littles who like to have a bit of light in the room while they sleep.

Waterproof phone case or pouch

The last thing you need on a beach vacation is the hassle of replacing your phone (especially when these days we’re using our phones for payments, boarding passes, and all the important stuff!) The cost of a waterproof phone case far outweighs the hassles of a damaged phone abroad.

Travel Label Pack  

Labels can save everything from a germy mix-up, to lost items and sibling rivalries! This travel label pack is perfect for labeling all your belonging before you hit the road. 

You can pull together your complete pack list based on what you know you and your baby will require, but these gadgets are ones you’ll want to add to your list too.  

The Best Travel Tips for Parents:

1) Prepare for the worse
The best piece of travel advice is to prepare for things to go wrong. Once you plan for things to go wrong, everything will work out exactly as planned.

2) Deliver your diapers, wipes, and snacks
When packing your diapers/ wipes etc., you can order these items and have them shipped to your location. Nothing is better than arriving in a hotel room full of groceries, snacks, diapers, wipes, etc. You can save yourself a big headache of packing and carrying all these items.

3) Take what you need…
Mabel’s Labels founder and mom of six, Julie Cole gave the advice to steal the barf bags from the airplane!
They come in SO helpful; slip them in your purse, and you’ll always have them when you need one! (Read more of her travel tips here!)

4) Rent a stroller
If you think you can manage without a stroller in the airport (by using a sling and staying hands-free), you can save yourself the hassle of getting one on the plane. A quick google search in the area you’re going to and you can find a stroller rental service that delivers the stroller right to your hotel room.

So while it may all seem overwhelming to travel with babies and toddlers, it doesn’t need to be, and the highs will outweigh the lows! The best thing about traveling with a baby is a new appreciation of the simple pleasures we often take for granted

The post Tips and Gadgets for Traveling with Babies appeared first on The Mabelhood.

Kids & Company, a leading child care and early education provider with locations across the United States and Canada, provides their top tips below.

Start Early 

The earlier you begin your search, the more options you will have available to you, and the more time you will have to evaluate the factors most important to your family.

Learn about Parent Communication Practices

Communication is a factor that can greatly vary between daycare staff and educators. We suggest asking about the daycare’s methods of communication so you know what to expect.

Some daycares provide verbal updates at pickup, or slips of paper with details of the day. Others, like Kids & Company, provide daily digital updates or even secure webcam feeds for families to check in on their children throughout the day.

Plan a Transition

It’s entirely normal for both parents and children to experience separation anxiety during the initial days of daycare. Trust that daycare providers are experienced in handling these situations.

If possible, we recommend having your child start daycare one week (or at least a couple of days) before the date by which you require care.

Kids & Company offers a free transition week to all new families. This way, parents have time to participate in the transition period without distraction, and you and your child have space to process the change.

Check Out the Menu (if the daycare offers meals)

It’s a good idea to get a sense of the daycare’s menu and food philosophy so that you know what your child will be served, and in case of any allergies, intolerances, or food preferences. Some daycares don’t offer any food, while others offer hot lunches and nutritious snacks each day.

Label Everything

Children’s belongings can easily get mixed up in a daycare setting. Labeling your child’s clothes, bottles, and personal items helps the daycare provider keep things organized. It also ensures that your child’s belongings don’t get misplaced.

To learn some strategies for effective labeling for daycares, check out this blog “Labelling for Childcare with Mabel’s Labels: The Ultimate Guide for Busy Parents”.

Starting daycare is a significant milestone in your child’s early development. By understanding and embracing these insights, you can contribute to a positive daycare experience for both your child and the dedicated professionals who will be caring for them.

This blog was written by our friends Kids & Company, a leading provider of childcare and early learning. Learn more about them, here, or fill out an inquiry form, here.

The post Daycare Dilemma? Expert Tips for Choosing the Perfect Child Care appeared first on The Mabelhood.

You may have experienced a similar push-and-pull dilemma on a hectic morning. It’s tempting to simply push the boots onto your child’s feet and pull them out the door with you. On the other hand, we know that as parents, we’re supposed to be empowering them to be self-sufficient.

So, how do you promote independence but still get out the door on time? Here are some kid-tested tactics to add to your daily routine.

How to organize kids’ winter gear

Organization is key to manage kids’ winter apparel and accessories. Think like a kindergarten teacher and apply these strategies:

• Put it in its place. Whether you use hooks, cubbies, drawers or baskets, have a system to keep each kid’s outerwear in a specific, easy-to-reach spot.
• Make siblings distinctive. Where possible, choose a different color scheme for each of your kids. It’s inconvenient and time-consuming to be matching up multiple pairs of identical-looking mittens.
• Label, label, label. Anyone with a preschool-age child knows the mystifying phenomenon where they don’t know what their own boots look like. Apply Mabel’s Tag Mates to every item so there’s no confusion at home or at school. Personalized Household Labels are also handy to label bins and containers.

How to get kids ready quickly

Time is of the essence, especially in the mornings. See if you can introduce any of these time-saving techniques:

• Pile it on. It’s important to be “hands-off” and let the kids put everything on themselves, but you can facilitate the process by placing the various pieces on the floor in front of them.
• Beat the time. For kids who love numbers, time them with your phone’s stopwatch and create a daily tracking chart. Imagine their glee (and yours) when they set a new personal best time!
• Build zipper skills. Mabel’s mini tags are a brilliant “life hack” for zipper beginners. They provide a larger zipper pull that is easier to grab and help prevent coat mix-ups.
• Cut the chatter. Somehow, the request “please get ready to go” triggers my kids to begin a steady stream of silly jokes and random My new approach is to politely but firmly say: “I will answer all your questions once you are fully dressed.”

How to motivate your kids to move faster

If your kids (like mine) move at a snail’s pace (and sometimes slower), try inspiring them in these clever ways:

• Turn up the heat. I love this one: pre-warm their winter outerwear in the dryer. Throw everything in on a low setting for a couple of minutes, then present it with comments like “Ooo, this feels so cozy!” and “See if you can put it on while it’s still warm!”
• Buy cool gear. The added expense of a winter hat emblazoned with a favorite character or sports team logo is worth every penny if the kid eagerly puts it on.
• Recruit a role model. One day, we were babysitting my niece, who is a few years older than my son. When it was time to go outside to play in the snow, his jaw dropped as he witnessed how swiftly she got dressed. It was like it hadn’t ever occurred to him that this task could be completed more quickly than his usual turtle-like pace.

Interestingly, the all-time best tactic with my kids was a local radio station’s “bag of cash” contest where callers could win money from a robotic-sounding bank machine. Luckily, this entertaining feature happened every day at the exact time we needed to be getting into the car. My kids leapt into their jackets and flew out the door so they wouldn’t miss it. It was reassuring proof that my little tortoises can be hares, when they want to be.

The post How to get kids dressed for winter and not lose your mind appeared first on The Mabelhood.

According to Pew Research, 62% of parents find parenting harder than they thought it would be combined with 44% of parents that are trying to parent differently than how they were parented.  There are many reasons why parenting is harder than it’s ever been, but let’s focus on some things we can do to make our parenting easier…including our kids in household responsibilities is one of those ways.

What if getting your kids involved in household responsibilities not only helped you but was beneficial for them?  Getting them involved from a young age helps establish habits and at that age kids are longing to be included and feel like they matter.  They don’t distinguish play from ‘work’.  Initially, things will take longer and may be messier but there are so many benefits to getting them involved that it is worth it.  Would you be willing to try?

Benefits of Involving Kids in household chores

1. Develops a sense of responsibility & independence
   • Our role as parents is to raise confident and independent adults.  When we involve them in household responsibilities, we are helping them build these skills incrementally. (Here are some other skills to teach your tweens and teens!)
   • When kids are given responsibility, it also fills their need to matter and to belong.  They feel part of the family when they can contribute, even in small ways.  Notice their pride sore soar when they can do things for themselves.  When they feel good on the inside, you are   more likely to see positive behaviors and more willingness to cooperate.  Think about yourself when you feel good about yourself.
2. Builds work ethic
   • Sure, sometimes we may not want to do chores, but developing this habit also fosters a healthy work ethic.
   • Kids learn that even though some things aren’t as fun, we still need to get them done.  You can look for ways to make the mundane chores fun – more to come on that.
3. Fosters teamwork and collaboration
   • They learn the value of working as a team and that we all can contribute.  It isn’t just one person’s responsibility to do the housework.
   • It is also an opportunity to talk about having to divide responsibilities which is a great skill to develop.
4. Skill development
   • Raising independent adults means learning how to cook, do laundry, take out the garbage, budgeting, etc….
   • They learn organization, time management skills
   • According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry children who do chores may exhibit higher self-esteem, be more responsible, and be better equipped to deal with frustration, adversity, and delayed gratification. These skills can lead to greater success in school, work, and relationships.
5. Family connection opportunity
   • Instead of chores taking time away from your kids it can be time spent with them. your kids.  Little ones will take such pride in helping and moody teenagers may decide to open up over a shared task.

If these benefits sound sounds appealing, let’s look at how to increase your likelihood of success in getting kids involved:

Tips for Successfully involving your kids:

          Age-appropriate chores

• • You want to give them tasks they are developmentally capable of doing and grow from there.
    Make chores fun!
    • Let’s be honest:, chores may not always be exciting, especially as your kids get older, but you can find ways to make them fun.
    • Examples: Incorporate a challenge: Let’s see how fast you can get dressed?  Can you beat your time from yesterday? Music: when my boys and I fold laundry, we take turns playing our favorite songs. 
      

      Set clear expectations

      • Using routine charts will help keep everyone on track so you don’t need to be nagging.
      • Work together to make a list of things that need to get done.  If they love stickers, give them stickers to they can put on the tasks they already completed.
      • Using routines helps to set boundaries.  Example: “when you finish your routines/responsibilities/chores then you can have screen time.” or “when you finish your routines/responsibilities/chores then you can leave for the park.”
      • Structure, routines and clear expectations give kids predictability and a sense of control in their world, which in turn makes them feel safe
        

        Lead by example

        • Kids learn so much more from what we do than what we say
        • Model the qualities you want your child to develop
        • Reinforce chores are a shared responsibility by helping out

Starting a new habit or routine isn’t easy.  It starts hard and then gets easier.  In the beginning, your kids will need you to be consistent with your expectations of them.  It’s ok if you get off track, you always have an opportunity to get back on track.

Don’t forget to celebrate!  It won’t go perfectly, praise the good.

Jenn Abbatiello is a mom, wife, cancer survivor, recovering perfectionist and dominant parent and a cycle breaker parent coach, Jenn is passionate about helping high-achieving moms and dads thrive and succeed in parenting.  Jenn successfully juggled a demanding executive job as well as being a calm and connected parent with her kids, all while breaking generational patterns of emotional and physical abuse.  

Jenn is the founder of Your Transformed Family, dedicated to helping parents feel calm, confident and connected in their families. With hundreds of family transformations, Jenn provides instantly-actionable strategies that make a real and lasting difference to families. 

The post Benefits of Involving Kids in Household Chores appeared first on The Mabelhood.

ADHD can pose unique challenges for students, especially when it comes to staying organized. However, with some simple strategies, students with ADHD can learn how to manage their time, keep their stuff organized, and be more focused on the task at hand.  Here are some organization tips for students with ADHD.

ADHD Students should use a calendar or planner:

A planner or calendar can be an effective tool for managing time and keeping track of assignments and deadlines, especially for students with ADHD who often struggle with managing their time.

By having a visual representation of their schedule, students with ADHD can better organize their time and reduce the likelihood of forgetting important commitments. A calendar can also help with breaking down large assignments into smaller, more manageable tasks, which can reduce feelings of overwhelm and anxiety.

How to choose the right day planner:

Choosing the right calendar can be important – we recommend Plum Paper, although a higher price point, they’re well worth it for students with ADHD because of the ability to customize. They can set it up in a way that works best for each student. You can customize your layout, choose the month you want it to start, add pages, and color code your tabs etc. any way you like! (Color coding is often a very effective tool for students with ADHD as they function well when they have visual cues as reminders).

How to teach your students with ADHD to break down tasks into smaller chunks:

Large projects can be overwhelming for students with ADHD, making it difficult to stay focused and organized. Encourage students to break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones. This can help reduce feelings of overwhelm and make it easier to stay on track.

To break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones, you can encourage students with ADHD to use a task list (or their Plum Paper planner!) They can start by identifying the main goal of the project and then breaking it down into smaller, more specific tasks.

For example, if the project is to write a research paper, they can break it down into tasks:
-Researching the topic
-creating an outline
-writing the introduction
-write the body and conclusion
-editing and proofreading the final draft.

It is also important to help them prioritize the tasks based on their importance and deadline. This can help them stay focused and avoid feeling overwhelmed. They can use color-coding or numbering to indicate the priority level of each task.

Don’t forget to celebrate their progress and accomplishments along the way. This can help boost their motivation and confidence and make the process of completing the project more fun.

Create a designated study space to eliminate distractions & remove clutter:

A designated study space can help students stay focused and avoid distractions. Encourage students to create a quiet, comfortable study space away from noise and other distractions. If possible, this space should be used only for studying to help establish a routine.

Clutter can be a major distraction for students with ADHD, making it difficult to focus and stay organized. Encourage students to keep their workspaces tidy and minimize clutter. This can help reduce stress and make it easier to find what they need.

Use name labels to keep track of their items:

Name labels (Mabel’s Labels, obviously) are incredibly helpful for any student to help keep track of all the look-a-like school supplies and avoid water bottle mix-ups (prevent those germy swaps!). But they can be extra beneficial for students with ADHD; by removing the mental load and added stress of what belongs to them, the less energy they expend through needing to remember and the more they can focus their energy and mind on learning.

Minimize clutter for students with ADHD:

Clutter can be a major distraction for students with ADHD, making it difficult to focus and stay organized. Encourage students to keep their workspaces tidy and minimize clutter. This can help reduce stress and make it easier to find what they need.

Organizational apps can help students with ADHD:

There are many apps and tools available that can help students with ADHD stay organized. Encourage students to explore apps such as Trello, Evernote, or Google Keep to help them manage their time and stay on top of assignments.

Keeping organized can be challenging for students with ADHD, but with some simple strategies, it is possible to manage time, stay on top of assignments, and thrive in school. For more school tips and tricks, check out the Mabelhood School Hub

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The twins are now 6 years old, and Erica practices pelvic health physiotherapy at Lifemark Physiotherapy. She estimates that at least half her clients are pregnant women or new moms seeking treatment post-delivery. Here, she answers some common questions about pregnancy’s effect on the area known as your “pelvic floor.”

What is the pelvic floor?

It’s a group of muscles in three layers, spanning the area between your sitting bones, pubic bone and tailbone. These muscles play an important role in:

• Holding up your pelvic organs (bowel, bladder and uterus)
• Providing continence (the ability to control elimination of urine and feces)
• Reaching orgasm
• Stabilizing your core
• Acting as a pump to remove lymphatic drainage

What is going to happen to my pelvic floor muscles when I’m pregnant?

Similar to a sling, the pelvic floor helps to support the developing baby within the pelvis. As fetal size and weight increases, this area gets challenged like never before. When the pelvic floor (and surrounding) muscles are not functioning to the best of their ability, an expectant mother may experience symptoms such as pubic bone pain, sacroiliac joint pain, hip pain, painful sex, perineal heaviness and incontinence.

Is there anything I can proactively do to prevent pelvic floor issues later?

Pelvic physiotherapy treatment can occur during pregnancy as long as there are no concerns with the placenta, the pregnancy is not deemed high-risk, and the attending midwife or obstetrician is in favour of it. Research shows that pelvic physiotherapy during pregnancy can help shorten the second stage of labor (the pushing stage), ease pregnancy-related pain and reduce the chances of urinary incontinence postpartum.

What about Kegel exercises?

A common misconception about pelvic floor physiotherapy is that it simply involves teaching women how to do a Kegel exercise properly. Kegels are useful, but they are not necessarily the answer to every problem. If your pelvic floor is tight and over-active, doing extra muscle contractions may actually make things worse. The goal is to achieve proper recruitment and balance of the pelvic muscles.

How long will it take for my pelvic floor to recover post-delivery?

Several factors will influence a mother’s recovery time, such as the number of babies delivered, duration of pushing, degree of tearing and medical interventions used (such as forceps, vacuum, episiotomy, or C-section). Each mother’s recovery and journey will be unique to her circumstances. A physiotherapist specializing in pelvic health will do an individualized assessment and create a customized program of exercises and/or stretches.

What are some signs that I should seek help for my pelvic floor?

Dysfunction of the pelvic floor muscles can cause a number of symptoms, including:

• Stress incontinence (leaking with sneezing, coughing or jumping)
• Urge incontinence (leaking after sudden urgency)
• Painful sex
• Pain in the perineum, tailbone, sacroiliac joints, hips or lower abdomen

Do I really need treatment, or is this just “the new normal” after having a baby?

Peeing your pants, though common after childbirth, is not something you have to live with. The same principle applies to ongoing pelvic pain, chronic back pain, or discomfort during sex several months postpartum. These issues can be treated, so please do not suffer in silence. When in doubt about your recovery and symptoms, always bring it up with your family doctor or gynecologist. As in other areas of motherhood, always trust your instincts.

Want to learn more? Check out this video on pelvic floor health after a Cesarean Birth with Pelvic Health Physiotherapist, Dr. Sinead Dufour:

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The post Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Your Pelvic Floor, But Were Afraid to Ask appeared first on The Mabelhood.

You don’t need to train for a marathon. You don’t need to lose the baby weight. You don’t need to make perfect meals every day, and you are most certainly allowed to make mistakes.

These are a few realistic goals that might help you feel good about your parenting in 2024.

• Give up the mom guilt.

  I did this five kids ago because guilt did not serve me. It is not proactive and reliving something I feel bad for over and over in my head is not helpful. Instead, just apologize, learn and move on. It also teaches your kids that mistakes are OK and normalizes apologies.

• Do something for you.

  It doesn’t have to be huge, but it does show your family that you value yourself and your time. They might just need this reminder.

• Boundaries and Battles.
  

  You can say NO to your kids, colleagues and your spouse. You may even need to set some phone boundaries. I know as parents we sometimes worry about being on our phones too much. There are apps that can help with that. When considering your boundaries and battles, ask yourself “Is this the hill I want to die on?” Don’t worry if you don’t nail it – you can change and adjust your boundaries and battles to pick any time they are not working for you.

• Curate your social media.

  If you find yourself comparing yourself for others and it’s negatively impacting you, unfollow and block those accounts. Maybe someone makes parenting look to easy. Maybe they complain about parenting too much. Clean house on your social media accounts. Your mental health is worth it.

• Stop complaining.

  No one wants to hear how busy or tired you are. Tired? Make a change so you get more rest. A parent who complains will have kids who whine. Role-model the behaviour you want to see in your children. I’m not talking about being toxically positive – I’m talking about taking control of your mindset.

These too much?  That’s OK!  Maybe your resolution is to not have one. You are in the trenches and might not need the weight a resolution. Reject the resolution tradition if it’s not for you right now. Trust me – the time will come when things calm down and that’s when you can start training for that marathon. Or not.

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Playroom Organization Tips:

Take Stock of what toys they have

Get the kids to take a few items they’re willing to donate. Throw out any broken toys or lost pieces. Including the kids in this process is critical; they need to feel they’re in charge of their own toys, and this makes them take greater responsibility for their things.

Sort by Category

The first step towards effective toy storage is to sort the toys by category. This makes it easier to find what you need and helps your child learn organizational skills.

Invest in Storage Bins

Storage bins are a great way to keep toys organized. They come in different sizes and colors and can be used to store toys of all shapes and sizes. Label the bins with pictures or words to help your child identify where each toy belongs.  Clear bins are ideal for this too.

Put a lid on it!  
Often we don’t use the lids of our bins because kids don’t put the lid back on. But if you’re short on space, lids are a great way to be able to stack your bins, giving the kids more room to play. You can make a compromise, the kids need to put the toys in the bins, then parents can be responsible for putting the lids on and stacking when it’s time to tidy up.

Pro tip: while wire bins make a great esthetic and make the toys easy to see, the smaller toys fall through the bins, and they’ll become a hassle and discourage the kids to tidying.

Label, label, label! 

Mabel’s Labels household labels are the easiest way to label the bins; they’re cute and fully customizable!

Use Wall Space

If you’re short on floor space, use the walls for storage! Hang shelves or baskets to store toys, books, and stuffed animals. This saves space and gives your child more floor space to play freely. But make sure to hang the shelving at a level your kids can easily reach, or it may be unsafe, and if they’re too high, they’ll likely never use them anyway.

Rotate Toys

Kids can quickly get bored with their toys, so rotating them regularly is a good idea. Keep some toys out of sight and bring them out later to keep your child interested. This also helps reduce clutter as fewer toys are out at once. So, pack away some of the older toys in the playroom and give them a chance to play with their new Christmas toys – when they start to get bored of those, switch up with some of the older toys.

Make it Fun

Toy storage doesn’t have to be boring. Get your child involved in the process. Use colorful bins or baskets – you can get inexpensive hammocks that are great for storing all those stuffies the kids won’t part with! Including the kids in the process makes cleaning up fun and encourages your child to take ownership of their toys.

Effective playroom organization can help reduce clutter and keep your home tidy, and that’s a great way to start the new year and feel less overwhelmed.  Now, let’s move onto the pantry! 

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