To give up trying to tidy the living room?

[luckylucky24]

We have an open plan kitchen/dining/living area but with a gate to keep kids out the kitchen.
DD is currently in a phase of emptying EVERYTHING she can get into. Boxes of toys are emptied all day long. Jigsaws emptied, all toys pulled from shelves and left in piles wherever they fall.
I am so fed up of cleaning up I give up! The rest of the house is easy to maintain but we spend most of our time in this room so as soon as I tidy it it is emptied again. Whats the point? Or am I being lazy?

[Coldntired]

Don't. Just pick it all up when they have gone to bed. Get a big toy box.
That stage doesnt last forever don't worry

[lornathewizzard]

I very rarely tidy during the day in the living room, once at max and only if we have people coming! Save the stress

[SaucyJack]

Would it be easier to not have so much stuff lying around?

I keep puzzles/games/"sets" of stuff under our bed and we only get them out when somebody is going to play with them, and then tidy them away after.

Stops the pieces getting lost or mixed up at the bottom of the toy box for starters.

[mumofmunchkin]

Get a few big plastic boxes. Once she's in bed, lob it all in. We have one of the IKEA kallax units - the boxes in it are a really good size for toys. I rarely tidy throughout the day, we just throw it all in the boxes at bedtime/once they are asleep depending if I can be bothered hounding the toddler to help me.

Put the jigsaws out of reach - just get one out to do together if she's old enough. Ditto crayons/duplo/megabloks.

This phase doesn't last forever!

[luckylucky24]

We dont have anywhere she cannot access to be honest. We go upstairs to get dressed and she just opens all cupboards, goes under the bed etc. Nowhere is safe!

[luckylucky24]

Most of the stuff is her brothers and is at a level he can access. IF he cannot reach he asks constantly for this or that so we got some toy shelves with little baskets. NOw she can reach she tips them out.

[SorrelSoup]

Build a wall!!!

[RosyGold]

This is my life too OP...my girl is 14 months and just powers through the house, grabbing and emptying everything she can! Very irritating but as long as I get a bit of peace she can trash the living room all she likes! Like pps have said, I just bung all the toys away into plastic boxes when she's in bed and have a tidy living room for about 3 hours a day lol 😜

[thenewaveragebear1983]

I have a tipper-outer too! I find its because they are overwhelmed by the toys. They want them ALL and then don't actually know how to play with them. I hide lots of them especially those wretched toot toots

Today, he was hell bent on tipping out. I've locked his favourite cupboards (biscuits, and cleaning) so instead we tipped out all the saucepans and baking equipment and cleaned all the cupboards, then put everything away again. Saved my sanity a bit.

[thenewaveragebear1983]

Oh, and we have open plan lounge/dining room (thankfully not kitchen too!) and we are rebuilding the wall! Not a solution for everyone, granted.

[Areyoufree]

Get a big, plastic IKEA box. Put DD in it. Problem solved! Google 'Skinner air crib' if you want further inspiration...

[luckylucky24]

Genious areyoufree. Definitely the best solution!