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Original poster

To not want toys brought into the lounge?

464 replies

ohnononofenton · 15/01/2026 17:19

So in context, our downstairs area is all open plan. There’s a smallish lounge, a dining room and then an orangery. The children’s toys and games are in the orangery and their bedrooms.

They both but especially my five year old keep bringing them into the lounge. I hate it. It’s mostly because the lounge is on the small side so quickly gets full, toys get trampled on, end up under the sofa and the TV unit. I end up skidding on toy cars and parts of tool boxes all the time.

I am trying to be quite firm about keeping toys in the orangery or bedrooms. Or is this just too uptight? It’s an ongoing battle keeping the house fairly tidy and I don’t do a bad job but it is a lot of work.

OP posts:
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FancyCatSlave · 15/01/2026 17:46

I love an orangery, conservatories are naff but a good orangery is a lovely addition.

You are completely unreasonable to expect children to play in it exclusively though. Let them be, the period of toys is so short. You need to unclench @ohnononofenton or you will be creating an unpleasant childhood. They should be able to play anywhere.

Tidying up is something to teach though. We have the tidy up song on and it all gets put back.

RecordBreakers · 15/01/2026 17:46

It’s just I have maybe two free hours each day and spending it tidying is depressing. Much easier if it’s all contained!

But why would you need 2 hours to tidy ? Confused
You just have a "tidy up time" - set a timer or tidy to a particular song - and help the dc put everything away or into a big box that gets carried out of the living area to the play area. Do it as routine before bedtime each day. Sorted.

user1476613140 · 15/01/2026 17:45

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 15/01/2026 17:43

I’ve never heard of a house having an orangery unless it was a stately home. OP obvs has ideas above her station. 🤣

One thinks very highly of oneself😂😂

CatsSleepFatandWalkThin · 15/01/2026 17:45

I think it’s fine to keep a room as an adult space. This was the sitting room for us. Obviously, we weren’t draconian about it, but they had a big playroom, their bedrooms and the kitchen/dining area/family room (where we all tend to spend most of our time) to use for toys - this was enough.

As an aside, I’m surprised at all the orangery comments. We’re quite unusual amongst our neighbours as we haven’t got one!

user1476613140 · 15/01/2026 17:44

Sorry I can't get past "orangery"🤣🤣🤣

ICanSpellConfusionWithaK · 15/01/2026 17:43

We had a playroom too but weren’t precious about where toys were played with. I did expect them to go back to the playroom at the end of the day though!

DecisionTime123 · 15/01/2026 17:43

So if your conservatory has a brick base, it's an orangery? Blimey I think estate agents are missing a trick there ...

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 15/01/2026 17:43

I’ve never heard of a house having an orangery unless it was a stately home. OP obvs has ideas above her station. 🤣

Limth · 15/01/2026 17:42

An orangery may not technically be a conservatory but unless its attached to a sprawling pile of a stately home, it matters not. A glass contraption attached to an ordinary house is basically a conservatory in most people's eyes.

Cringing at the idea that you talk about "the orangery" in real life, out loud, in front of other humans, OP.

Irishcharmer · 15/01/2026 17:41

Didimum · 15/01/2026 17:37

Eyerolling at people think they are being snarky and clever when an orangey and a conservatory are different things.

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No I think PP are mainly cringing on OPs behalf that she's choosing to use this term to describe what most people would likely call a bog standard conservatory.

RomeoRivers · 15/01/2026 17:41

Every time they bring them into the lounge just redirect them back to the playroom.

I deliberately got rid of any toys with lots of small parts (I say it’s because they’re not safe for the baby, but it also makes tidying up so much easier).

Peoplemakemedespair · 15/01/2026 17:40

TheMorgenmuffel · 15/01/2026 17:32

What is the appeal of the lounge? Why do they want to play there specifically instead of other rooms? Change whatever that is so it is in the designated play areas.

The appeal is probably that it is the main room in the house (‘living room’), and is comfortable and probably where their mum is and they want to be with her?
Sorry op but your house sounds a bit miserable tbh

FuzzyPuffling · 15/01/2026 17:40

Oxford dictionary says "Similar to a conservatory but where oranges are grown".

If you had a really good orangery you could entertain the kids by making fresh jaffa cakes.

DemelzaandRoss · 15/01/2026 17:39

Your DC are only young enough to play with ‘toys’ for a short period of time.
Just go with the flow & relax. As others have said, it’s their home too.
Don't be one of those DP remembered for always having an immaculate home (with Orangery) but not allowing toys or untidiness.
Soon enough they’ll be outgrowing what they enjoy playing with now.

AgnesMcDoo · 15/01/2026 17:39

just tidy up after

and orangery 😳

OriginalSkang · 15/01/2026 17:39

They may well be different things, but I have never in my life heard anyone actually call it an orangery in conversation

Alltheyellowbirds · 15/01/2026 17:38

Ohpleeeease · 15/01/2026 17:36

You can’t have an orangery and a lounge in the same house. You must start calling your lounge the sitting room or drawing room. Or demolish the orangery.

This is true.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 15/01/2026 17:38

Let them be, teach them to tidy their toys away after they’re finished playing.

NoisyViewer · 15/01/2026 17:38

They’re only young once is all I’m going to say

Didimum · 15/01/2026 17:37

ohnononofenton · 15/01/2026 17:35

So the orangery isn’t a conservatory. I don’t personally care what it is and if it makes MN happy to call it a conservatory, let’s just call it a conservatory. It is a bit different though <pedantic> conservatories are all glass and this isn’t. Anyway Smile

Eyerolling at people think they are being snarky and clever when an orangey and a conservatory are different things.

onetrickrockingpony · 15/01/2026 17:37

I think you need to let go of the idea that everything should always be in its place at any one time. When you tidy up it doesn’t need to be perfect, just sweep it all up into a basket and put it back in the playroom. If there’s anything obvious to put away more specifically and easy to do, fine, but don’t get caught up in it. It sounds like you’re getting stressed at putting individual pieces back in each box at the end of each day and that’s taking up a load of your time only to get ruined the next day. No one cares about this level of tidiness other than you. Just do it once a week with the children and make an activity of it, eg “let’s sort the basket of random toys”.

Limth · 15/01/2026 17:37

ohnononofenton · 15/01/2026 17:33

Indeed it is <wonders if I should take a photo!>

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Yes, we need a photo.

Megifer · 15/01/2026 17:37

If the appeal of the lounge is they just feel connected to the house and family, have you tried just filling in the lounge area with concrete?

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 15/01/2026 17:37

They want to be with you, so their toys will travel wherever you go. As you leave the room and DC follows, send him back to get his toy and bring it with him.

DameOfThrones · 15/01/2026 17:36

If the kids ask to bring more than one toy in from the orangery

Tell them the man from Delmonte says yes 🤣

<< desperately showing age here >>

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