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Original poster

To want my living room back

53 replies

kitkat6 · 06/12/2020 19:15

We have a 5 not far off 6 year old DS, he has all his toys in a downstairs cupboard and in the living room. His brother is 11 so they rarely play together therefore he plays in the living room with his stuff. How long before I can reclaim the space and evict everything upstairs to his own bedroom?

OP posts:
FinallyHere · 06/12/2020 19:16

Straightaway

Do they each have their own rooms?

Original poster
kitkat6 · 06/12/2020 19:18

Yes they do. 11 year old has the largest room it has a sofa and TV in there plus his Xbox.

5 year olds room is a decent size.

Spare room is an office for my work

OP posts:
Shoxfordian · 06/12/2020 19:19

He can keep his toys in his room then

citycitycity · 06/12/2020 19:20

I’ve never kept kids toys downstairs - that’s what bedrooms are for!

nocutsnobuttsnococonuts · 06/12/2020 19:21

Mine have always kept theirs in their room. I dont mind them playing downstairs but it has to all go back up there at bedtime! 😁

Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 06/12/2020 19:22

Now. Although I would probably let him keep them there longer is its because he just wants some company while he is playing.

DontTouchTheMoustache · 06/12/2020 19:23

Ds is 4 and I let him keep a small box of toys in the living room but the rest stays in his room

Aquamarine1029 · 06/12/2020 19:27

Do you have any good storage in your living room? A storage ottoman is a lifesaver.

HappygoLucie · 06/12/2020 19:40

All toys to the bedroom, if you have some storage downstairs e.g. ottoman or cupboard let him take some toys to have downstairs if that's where he plays mostly. Instruct him to keep the area tidy and if he wants another toy from upstairs then he has to swap it with a downstairs toy.

Bringbackthestrips · 06/12/2020 19:41

We kept some toys downstairs for years so DS could be downstairs with us while he played.

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 06/12/2020 19:52

Younger children tend not to like playing alone in their bedrooms. If you move all the toys up there, be prepared to spend time up there with him playing.

Thehogfatherstolemycurry · 06/12/2020 19:52

Now, toys in bedroom, can being one or two down to play with them put them away.

Souperspooker · 06/12/2020 20:22

Yes put them upstairs. Mine has just turned six and has all her 'special stuff' and Lego, anything more grown up up there , predominantly to protect from toddler brother. All the other random crap, crafty stuff and younger toys are downstairs but all put away. Inc strict that they can have one thing/theme out at a time downstairs (it's mostly in trofast drawrs-so only one allowed out eg cars/Duplo) and if want something else they have to put that away first.
Stuff from her room does migrate but always go back up at the end of the day.

But tbh I'm desperately trying to keep her hanging out downstairs or I feel like I never see her.. so much so I'm shortly installing a high table shelf arrangement in lounge to keep her close while she draws (this is how she spends most of her time) . This will be upgrade on the small kids table with play pen fence all around it to keep him out!

Although I have been pondering that downstairs the main thing she wants to do other than drawing is watch telly -and maybe this is because she doesn't have the passing inspiration of her best toys. I may start bringing a box/tray of her stuff down occasionally see if this gets them played with a bit more.

Sweettea1 · 06/12/2020 20:33

My LG 5 has a small toyboy in living room with a couple of jigsaws in a toy kitchen in the dinning room then everything else is in her room.

Santaisironingwrappingpaper · 06/12/2020 20:35

Ds's crap has been banished since he was 5 but his bedroom is next door to our lounge..
It is a great joy to sit and watch TV and not see creepy toys sat peeping at you!!

texelgirl · 06/12/2020 21:11

Today

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 06/12/2020 23:26

Not wanting to be funny, but, although nobody should take over or fill the living room with clutter, isn't it their living room as much as yours?

You have your own room for an office and also (I presume) a bedroom for the two of you, so surely the living room isn't just your room that you kindly (or even begrudgingly) allow them to 'borrow' but a room intended for the whole family to use and enjoy?

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 06/12/2020 23:27

My LG 5 has a small toyboy in living room

Fab typo Grin

Leaannb · 06/12/2020 23:30

No toys in the living room. They can either at in the playroom or bring 1 or two down but when they are done they put them straight away

SquidInALid · 06/12/2020 23:30

I'm bucking the trend here. I let my DC have toys in the living room, well stored and kept tidy, as it's their space too and I'm not a fan of kids being relegated to their rooms only.

Leaannb · 06/12/2020 23:31

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll

Not wanting to be funny, but, although nobody should take over or fill the living room with clutter, isn't it their living room as much as yours?

You have your own room for an office and also (I presume) a bedroom for the two of you, so surely the living room isn't just your room that you kindly (or even begrudgingly) allow them to 'borrow' but a room intended for the whole family to use and enjoy?

Nope. Its mine and husband's. They just get to borrow it from time to time
notangelinajolie · 06/12/2020 23:31

Do it now. Toys in the bedroom.

Leaannb · 06/12/2020 23:35

@SquidInALid

I'm bucking the trend here. I let my DC have toys in the living room, well stored and kept tidy, as it's their space too and I'm not a fan of kids being relegated to their rooms only.
Ots not an either or or situation. They can play in the living room without storing their toys there. That is what their room is for. Storing their things
AlwaysLatte · 06/12/2020 23:53

We had a row of those IKEA trofast units in the living room for ages as we preferred them to play near us and they still shared a room. Once they asked to have their own rooms they were older (about 8 and 6) and their toys followed them upstairs. They're 12 and 10 now and have taken over our snug with video consoles... I think they just do take over, full stop! (But I wouldn't have it any other way).

Weekends · 07/12/2020 03:09

I operate in the same way as @WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll

It's a family living room for the whole family at our house.
I agree an ottoman could be a lifesaver if it's bothering you.

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