Toy Overhaul

We have started a major overhaul in our toys all throughout the house. Now that we have finally gotten around to getting boxes stored in the attic, we've seriously opened up our basement for more space to use for toy storage & organization. The plan is to get all toys (except stuffed animals and books - both of which are needed for bedtime routines) down into the basement and to have a place down there where they all belong.

Today we started moving toys down from the boys' room. Their drawers full of legos, Star Wars, Transformers, pirates, and hexibits are all downstairs now. The next thing to go is the shelf full of toy bins (that severely needs to be sorted through). I think once that shelf is gone we will actually have room to put a second dresser in the boys' room, which is also desperately needed. Right now all they have left in there are two big bins for stuffed animals - one for Sebastian, one for Isaac. I told them they had to go through their stuffed animals, and choose which ones they wanted to keep in their room. The only stipulation was that whatever they kept had to fit in their bin. Everything else was moved to the basement, where we have two more bins. Anything that doesn't fit in those is either going into storage or is going to charity. I would say four bins of stuffed animals (not even counting what's in Meagan's room yet) is a bit over the top for three kids. But Isaac especially seems to have some really strong emotional connection to almost every animal. For him, banishing one to the basement was like asking him to give up a child. Poor guy.

Because of our transition, pretty much our entire house is chaotic right now. There are piles of things to be recycled, thrown away, put away, moved to another room, and donated to charity or to the church. Pretty much the only room that is clutter-free is the first-floor bathroom. :) Hopefully by the end of this weekend, our house will be approaching some semblance of order and organization. Eeeek!