To not want toys brought into the lounge?

We had a friend like that and there was a sofa they wouldn’t let the kids on…going to their house was a nightmare.

YABU, it’s their home too. My aunt was like this, the lounge was meant for adults and kept pristine at all times. Her DC are very different with their own children.

My DC are 8,6 and 4 and tidying up can take longer with them, so I started storing all their toys similar to nursery do (dinosaurs one box, cars another, Barbie’s another, lego another, craft stuff all in a box next to the table etc) and it made tidying up much quicker because they have to tidy as they go, so if they want the puzzle box out but they already have lego out they have to pick it up first (I do help though). Plus we had a storage cupboard built in an alcove and put all messy stuff or small piece stuff at the top so they have to ask for it so we can say ‘okay, but we need to tidy this mess first’. Then at the end of the day we quickly put things back in the boxes and I put Danny go/floor is lava/ a brain break thing on YouTube for them all to do so I can do a quickly put the boxes back and put anything back they’ve brought downstairs from their rooms. It works well, following the sort of routine they were used to at nursery and school meant they were more compliant and it’s all tided before bedtime and things don’t get lost as often.

Smart arse ! Rather that then pretentious ...

We’ve always kept toys out of the living room area. They belong in the bedroom and that’s where they stay.

I think you are being unreasonable, children like to play and they like to play with others in their family and be part of what is happening in the household. Restricting their play to their bedrooms and conservatory is setting them apart. When they come into the living room what are they supposed to do? Children don't tend to sit and chat
If you have children you have to accept that your house won't always be tidy.g

Firstly what the hell is an orangery. Secondly you share a home with your children so obviously it will look like children live there. You should see the absolute state of my living room currently but my kids are having fun and it will be tidied away before bed and its better then them being shut in a seperate room alone all day.

How old are the children? I think it's completely normal because they just want to play where you are. We have a playroom, but when they are little they only want to play in that room if I'm in there generally, and since I obviously have tospend a lot of time in the kitchen, they often bring toys to the family room attached to the kitchen to be where I am. I try and get them to put the toys away when they are finished, but often it's me doing it or we have regular times where we all tidy up (usually impromptu after I've stepped on a Lego or something)

Or you could call it an orangery,vwhich is what it is, and not try to be a smartarse?

I’m still laughing at “Homemade Jaffa cakes” ……………..🤣🤣🤣

I've never known anyone who had a playroom (and I'm guessing this is what you were hoping your orangerie would be) where the kids wanted to sit, alone, playing, while mum or dad were in the kitchen/lounge/dining room. Sounds very civilised but it's an impossible dream. They want to play next to you.

Best hope of reducing the mess is to have toy shelves/cupboards/drawers [note, NEVER a toy chest] in the rooms where adults spend most of the time. They get out one set of toys at a time and have to put that set away before getting out the next lot. Then before some evening TV, it's TIDY UP TIME - which involves you helping I'm afraid. But they get better - especially if the rule is TV goes on at eg. 6.00 or once the toys are away, whichever comes first.

My 2 had a box each. Small bits of tat all got chucked into these at the end of the day or after playing. Big toys stayed in the lounge in the corner or in the trunk. Stuff stayed there till next time.

Took a few minutes to tidy up.

I'm sorry to continue this theme - but day to day do you call it the 'orangery'?

DH shouting from upstairs - ''love, where's my glasses?''

OP yells - ''in the bloody orangery where you always leave 'em!''

🤣
sorry OP

This is giving me flashbacks to a lovely former colleague who invited several of us to view her new orangery. We all arrived to be shown into the room which did look much like a conservatory to me. Maybe there were subtle differences that I wasn’t aware of? The walls were all painted a brilliant white, all the furniture was white with a white rug on the floor. I was terrified the whole time I was there that I was going to spill my drink or leave a mark on something. Anyway embrace the mess @ohnononofenton they are only little for such a short time. I miss those days.

I live in a town house so open plan downstairs, the kids have a playroom, living room above and then a big bedroom each. I solved this problem by just having set toys in the living room and rotating occasionally because of course they are going to want to play in there

I'm with you OP. My DC have their toys in the family open plan kitchen / dining room thing, (neatly) and a playroom upstairs. They know they are not allowed to bring toys into the "grown up" lounge, and actually, they're not allowed in there without an adult anyway. It is a calm, quiet, clean, peanut butter finger print free zone, and although my friends think I'm batshit, they appreciate when they visit and say things like "Oh isn't it nice in here?"

Yes, because my DC have the entire rest of the house to play in. They are welcome to join adults in the lounge but certainly not to just play in, or run around in. I don't care if that makes me sounds draconian, it means at the end of the evening, DH and I have a peaceful space for us that is ours

Why would they get lost?
each evening before kid s bedtime just have everyone children and adults spend 15mins rounding everything up and back where it belongs

if it takes longer than 10-15mins you have way to many toys

We just used to call that an extension ...

OP have a nice big wicker basket that the kids can bung the toys into when they've finished, or that you can chuck a few bits into when it gets too much during the day. Take it back out into the extension (😉) at the end of the afternoon and bobs your uncle.

Then maybe she'll learn to look after them - natural consequences and all that.

As many many people have said on this thread an orangery is a proper brick room with a proper roof and lots of windows, the roof sometimes has a glass section but is proper roofing material. Compared to a conservatory which is usually much more plastic walls, and corrugated plastic roof and therfore colder and less insulated.

It's a normal word for a type of room tbh. It's not a conservatory. A conservatory has to be seperate from the house but an orangery does not as its better insulated.

I really understand your frustration but personally I think it’s unfair to not allow the DC to play in the lounge - usually a fentral
point in any home - with their toys.

Like this??

Children love to play everywhere in the home. The only place we had that was not for toys was in the kitchen near the cooking area. Toys are not "mess" they are educational. Just have a smallish box in the sitting room and a larger one in the other area. Before they are going to bed get them to put all the toys in the boxes by making it a game/part of play.

Your house is a Home not show rooms.

I hope there's still enough room for the orange saplings what with all those toys in there...

Seriously though, I understand the want to dispel toys but I guess it's an impossible task and it won't be forever...