Archives for Baby

Your children can have toys and you can have an uncluttered home

A few times after speaking and writing about having an uncluttered home, people have said to me:

You obviously don’t have kids.

I know that these are lighthearted statements meant to let off a little steam about one’s personal experience, but they always rub me the wrong way.

Simply stated: Having children and being uncluttered are not mutually exclusive endeavors. You can have both. Problems occur when people (of any age) have more stuff than they can store and routines do not exist to take care of the things they own.

If a child has so many toys that they are strewn in every room of the house, it’s time to get rid of a large selection of the toys. If the child doesn’t have a toy chest, cabinet, or closet to properly store his toys, then he needs one. Lay out all of your child’s toys on the living room floor for him to review. Next, have him pick which toys will be kept and which ones will be donated to charity (or recycled or thrown away, if necessary). Have your child go with you to make the charitable donation so that he can see the children who are benefitting from his generosity. Then, after returning home, organize the remaining toys in a designated storage area.

A reader on the site recently left a comment that I agree with wholeheartedly:

If a child is old enough to get out a toy to play, she is old enough to put it away.

Yes, it takes diligence to monitor a child’s behavior to know when to encourage her to put away her things after play time, but it’s not impossible. If you’re unable to keep on top of toys being put away at the end of every play time, then have a routine in place where the child walks through the entire house and puts away all errant toys 15 minutes before starting her bedtime routine. Teaching children these life skills at an early age will help them to always live an uncluttered life. Yes, there will be times when your encouragement will be met with resistance, but such are the ways of parenthood.

Be sure to check out our previous posts in the Baby and Children categories to get even more ideas and suggestions about keeping toy clutter under control.

Popularity: 13% [?]

Posted by Erin on Jun 15, 2009 | 66 Comments | Tweet This

Swap baby goods

My daughter is going to be three years old in less than a month. The amount of clothing and other baby products that we have gone through in those 36 months is pretty extensive. We have donated a lot of items to local charities, consignment shops, and friends, but it seems like we still find ourselves behind the curve in the accumulation battle.

Reader Tina wrote us to recommend a website that focuses on swapping baby goods. From the Swap Baby Goods site:

SwapBabyGoods.com is the first web site of its kind, providing a friendly place for parents to swap, buy or sell baby items that are no longer needed. Our philosophy is very simple - Why buy when you can swap? Our product focus is baby items; for this reason, our users can enjoy the website, knowing that they are part of a community. Our primary goal is to provide a platform that brings together willing sellers, buyers and swappers in an online marketplace, benefiting everyone involved.

Babies grow so fast and so do their needs. Before we know it, the cute little outfits, baby toys, and other baby items we once could not live without become outgrown and underused, taking up an inordinate amount of space in our homes. The baby item one family is ready to put in the attic or out in the garage sale might be just what another mom or dad is looking for. Our ultimate goal is to help parents all across the nation save money and the environment by providing them an online venue to swap baby items.

While there are many options to buy, sell, or donate items, this looks like a pretty good resource for tracking down some must-have baby products. It also looks like a place to get rid of clutter that your little one no longer wants or needs.

Do you know of other baby goods swapping websites? Let us know about those resources in the comments.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Posted by Matt on Mar 30, 2009 | 11 Comments | Tweet This

New baby products from Built NY

builtny-changing-padBuilt NY has some great products that I have highlighted in the past. The lunch tote for kids and the lunch tote for adults are both useful, durable, reusable, and well-organized lunch sacks.

Built NY has recently unveiled a couple of useful baby products that can be helpful to new parents. Of all things that are indispensable to parents, the diaper bag is something that goes everywhere during the first year of a child’s life. The Built NY Diaper Bag looks rather reasonable in size and, like other Built NY products, is constructed of durable neoprene and water resistant nylon.

Another item that goes hand-in-hand with the diaper bag is the changing pad. The Built NY Changing Pad (pictured) has a built-in compartment for wipes and extra diapers.

If you’re welcoming a new child into your family, you may want to consider these durable products.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Posted by Matt on Mar 19, 2009 | 3 Comments | Tweet This

Unitasker Wednesday: The baby food organizer

baby-food-organizerAll Unitasker Wednesday posts are jokes — we don’t want you to buy these items, we want you to laugh at their ridiculousness. Enjoy!

My daughter will be three next month so we have no need for a baby food organizer at the moment, but I’m trying to figure out when we would have ever needed a mini Lazy Susan for 10 jars of baby food.

The number of months that we fed our daughter jarred baby food went by in a blink of an eye. I don’t recall getting lost in an avalanche of baby food jars. Baby food jars are very tiny and take up a relatively small section of cupboard space. The Baby Food Organizer is just a semi-stylish way to clutter up your counter top with 10 jars of baby food.

The “space saving design” is a little suspect in that it displays the jars in a vertical fashion rather than simply stacking them neatly in your cupboard. What is so space saving about a vertical contraption that may or may not fit in your cupboard?

Thanks to reader Ronise for bringing this unitasker to our attention.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Posted by Matt on Mar 18, 2009 | 35 Comments | Tweet This

Baby safety clutter

baby-knee-padsI’m not exactly sure how I survived my early days as a baby without the ever-expanding assortment of infant safety products. After browsing through an unsolicited baby product magazine that I received  in the mail, I am now aware of the slew of products that over-protective parents just can’t live without.

Here are some of the outrageous products that my parents never once considered buying for me, and that I did not consider buying for my little one’s safety:

  • Snazzy Baby Knee Pads (pictured): My daughter learned to crawl on hardwood floors and she didn’t even have the luxury of knee pads. How will she ever forgive me?
  • Walking Wings: According to this Pediatrician Recommended product, your baby can learn to walk without the fear of falling. I don’t know about you, but I think kids need to fall once in a while. (Also, I’d be afraid my kids arms would be ripped out of their sockets if I used this thing!)
  • Mommy I’m Here Child Locator: Are you always misplacing your child? Now you can watch your stories without having to pay too much attention to your toddler. Since this teddy bear only works up to 150 feet and if your child is carrying it, this locator is pointless as a child Lo-Jack device.
  • Video Monitor: This device is for the Big Brother in all of us. Why stop at simply listening to your child when you can watch their every move with this day and night video monitor? It even has night vision!

Yes, these items go overboard, but there is certainly a need for child safety in your home. Below are items that we actually use for our little explorer. They keep her safe, but they don’t make her feel like she can’t do anything on her own.

  • Outlet Covers: Tiny holes in the walls are awfully inviting to little fingers.
  • Door Knob Covers: Opening and closing doors is a favorite hobby of many toddlers. Door knob covers put a stop to this and make sure that little fingers aren’t caught in door jams.
  • Cabinet Latches: These keep cleaning products and other dangerous household items cabinets and drawers inaccessible from your children.
  • Baby Gate: If you have stairs in your home, gates help to keep your child from tumbling down.

If you are a first-time parent and are worried about the safety of your child, take a deep breathe and relax. Your child will definitely get sick and sustain a few bumps and bruises along the way — it is simply part of childhood. Do your best to protect them, but remember children also need to develop their independence.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Posted by Matt on Feb 3, 2009 | 42 Comments | Tweet This

Classic and timeless toys are the way to go

blocksI’ve written about keeping children’s toy clutter under control in the past and I also recommended some toy alternatives here and there. Simple Mom has a great post on a similar theme, but specifically classic toys. It’s an article that should be read by anyone planning to give a gift to a child.

My daughter has received some rather gimmicky toys over her first couple years and we have been pretty good at predicting which toys will be the duds. The classics are always reliable and have proven their entertainment value by their staying power. That’s why we purchased our daughter some basic wooden blocks this past Christmas. They are simple, versatile, and provide imaginative play for our daughter. Blocks are among the classic toys mentioned by Simple Mom along with art supplies, dress-up clothes, books, and dolls (among others):

Our general guidelines for toys are that they’re made of quality materials, they appeal to a whole range of kids, and they’re open-ended to make room for all sorts of creative play.

I also encourage you to browse around Simple Mom’s site. It is a great read for those of us who are dealing with being a uncluttered parent.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Posted by Matt on Jan 12, 2009 | 15 Comments | Tweet This

In with new, out with old

pic_toysDuring the holiday season, you may get a few new gifts. Now is the time to take stock of what you received and what those new gifts can replace — one new gift in, one old item out. And, depending on how much use you got out of the old items, they should be donated or thrown away.

If you receive new slippers (very exciting I know) you should get rid of your old ones. In all likelihood, your received the new slippers for a reason.

One important area where we make a concerted effort to keep in check is our daughter’s toy collection. When she receives an above-average size gift, like an chalkboard/easel, we will remove a similarly sized older toy. For example, we would remove something like a kitchen play set. Toys are a constant struggle to keep in check. It is also a good idea to have your child take part in choosing what is to be donated and help them understand a toy they no longer play with is going to a less fortunate child.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Posted by Matt on Dec 22, 2008 | 11 Comments | Tweet This

The Puj Tub

I was a bit weary of giving my daughter her bath when she was just a little one, but I eventually got used to bath time. We had your run-of-the-mill plastic baby bathtub at the time, and we also had a dedicated bathroom for giving our daughter her baths. We lived in a larger house then, and the baby bathtub wasn’t much of a nuisance since she had a dedicated bathroom. 

Since we no longer need the baby tub, we don’t have a storage issue now that we are in a smaller home. However, I am intrigued by the Puj Tub as a solution to small-space baby bathing. It fits any standard sink, and lays or hangs flat for easy storage when not in use. There is no need to worry about where to store the large unforgiving plastic baby tub with the Puj Tub. The sink is a perfect place to bathe an infant and this product really makes the task that much easier.

(via ohdeedoh)

Popularity: 11% [?]

Posted by Matt on Nov 25, 2008 | 29 Comments | Tweet This

Repurpose that changing table

In a past post I wrote that a changing table is not a must have and that parents can make due by using the top of a dresser instead.

If you find yourself with a changing table and don’t know what to do with it once it outlives its usefulness in your child’s room, you may be able to repurpose it into something more useful. Over at Ohdeedoh, they highlight a rather nice media center that was made out of a child’s changing table. The changing table pictured originally cost $1650, so I completely understand why its owners would want to find multiple uses for the piece of furniture.

Do any of our readers have examples of repurposed changing tables? Use the comments section to share your ideas.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Posted by Matt on Oct 21, 2008 | 27 Comments | Tweet This | Tags: ,

Bare bones baby buying guide

Yesterday, I gave some advice for ways new parents can avoid becoming overwhelmed by baby-related clutter. Today, I want to discuss what I see to be the essential items that are always useful to new parents. Think of this as the bare-bones guide to stocking a nursery.

(Note: I don’t have any clothing, bibs, or blankets on this list because these are the items people will most likely give to you as gifts. If you’ve decided to go without a baby shower, then you’ll want to add a few of these to your acquisition list.)

Baby Essentials:

  • Portable crib with bassinet attachment. I recommend using a Pack’N Play with a portable bassinet attachment instead of a traditional crib. You can take this with you when you visit the grandparents, you can wheel it next to your bed when the child is sick so that you can keep a watchful eye, and you can do a hundred other things with it that you can’t do with a permanently located crib. Oh, and you’ll likely want two pair of corresponding sheets.
  • Convertible car seat. Buy new, and get a “permanent” convertible seat that can be both back and forward facing as your child grows. I do not recommend buying a separate infant car seat because then you have to purchase a second car seat when the child gets too big for the infant seat. Also, I don’t like the models that snap in and out for dual use between the car and a stroller. Their unused parts are bothersome to store, they are more expensive over the long term, and I’ve found the safety ratings are usually higher on the permanent models. I know some people swear by the snap-in-and-out models, though, so use what is best for you.
  • Stroller. I recommend buying the safest you can find that will grow with your child. I do not recommend getting a frame that snaps in an infant carrier for its seat for the reasons I mentioned in the car-seat entry. If you plan on taking paved trail walks with your child, strongly consider getting a sturdy exercise stroller with good maneuverability. Some of my friends are foregoing the stroller and only using a sling/backpack carrier, but by the time their kids are two years old, I think they’ll want the stroller.
  • High chair or booster seat (based on preference). We’ve recently discussed this topic in detail on Unclutterer. The comments to the linked post are very informative.
  • Food service items. These may include a breast pump and assemblies (if applicable), bottles, and formula (if applicable). Make sure that the bottles have age- and purpose-specific nipples so that they serve your child’s growing needs. Also, you will probably want a baby bottle parts cage for the top rack of your dishwasher (you can buy one or make one out of two clean plastic berry baskets and twist ties). This will keep your bottle nipples and sealant rings from flying about the top shelf of your dishwasher. If you don’t own a dishwasher, then boil all parts of the bottle. Also, if you don’t have a dishwasher, you’ll probably want a bottle cleaning brush.
  • Diapers and wipes. Whether you choose to use disposable or cloth, you need them before the baby arrives. Even if you go the disposable route, you will also want cloth diapers and wipes on hand for burping rags and spills. If you use cloth diapers and wipes, you will probably want a diaper pail (like the Diaper Champ that uses regular trash bags) or a trash can with a lid.
  • Home safety items. These may include baby gate, window stops, drawer locks, knob covers, electrical outlet covers, fire ladder (if not on the ground floor) and baby monitor.
  • Hygiene items. Baby nail clippers and/or emery boards, baby-safe body wash and shampoo, Vaseline, and a nasal aspirator.
  • Health items. Baby digital thermometer, a baby pain reliever/fever reducer, infant sunscreen, gripe water (if your baby has colic), pure lanolin (for mommy, if breastfeeding), and a diaper rash cream.

Additional considerations:

  • Child carrier. You might consider a front/backpack or sling, especially if you’ll often be in spaces where a stroller is cumbersome. The packs that range from infant to toddler will give you the most bang for your buck.
  • Comfortable chair. You probably already have one, but if you don’t, you’ll want someplace comfortable where you can sit for more than half an hour.
  • Electric fan. The New York Times recently reported that a fan in an infants’ room reduces the risk of SIDS by 72 percent. If you don’t already have a fan, it might be worth it to get one.
  • Diaper service. New parents have enough to do, and outsourcing the washing of stinky diapers to a service sounds like a sane idea to me. I’ve often considered this as a gift I can give to new parents.

My friend Krystal also recommends checking out the Baby and Kids pages on Craigslist to find out what you won’t need. The items most available are often the clutter-prone items.

Consumer Reports recommends buying car seats, cribs, baby gates, strollers, and breast pumps new since you don’t know the history of used items. The rest of the items on this list, excluding the consumable hygiene and health items, are great to find on the cheap over Craigslist or Freecycle.

Finally, by no means is this list the law. Think of it as a reference and as nothing more. Once you have your baby home, you may discover that he or she loves the neighbor’s bouncy seat and so you’ll want to bring one into your home, too. For some people, this will be all they have, and for others it will be a starting point.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Posted by Erin on Oct 14, 2008 | 73 Comments | Tweet This

Reader Question: How control pre-baby clutter?

Reader Zoe recently sent us the following question:

I’m expecting my first baby in December and I’m already worried about the impending cloud of clutter. My husband is unfortunately not devoted to de-cluttering like I am, so I suspect there will be struggles even between the two of us, not to mention the grandparents! I would love to see a post from you guys about how to deal with/prevent baby clutter before the baby even arrives. Has anyone created a list of baby clutter rules, for instance?

I currently have seven close friends who are pregnant and all of them have asked me versions of this question continuously over the course of the past eight months. So, to put it mildly, I have given this question a great deal of thought.

First things first, if you’re blessed to have generous friends and family, you need to accept that people will want to give you things. If you beg and plead with people not to give you things, they will either ignore you or get mad at you. It’s best just to come to terms with the fact that there will be stuff — and that it will probably be lots and lots of stuff.

This doesn’t mean that you need to throw in the towel and sit idly by while your home fills with baby clutter. You can be proactive and keep clutter out of your home with just a few actions on your part.

  1. Create a wish list. There are practical things that you will need when the baby comes: diapers, a car seat, a stroller and crib, for example. Research through Consumer Reports the safest products, learn about product features through reviews on websites with active communities, and go to baby stores to find what you like about what you see. Be an informed consumer and create a list of essential products that fit your needs. When your family or friends ask you what you need, show them your list. Let them know about the research you’ve done and why you have picked the specific products on your list. If you don’t find registries offensive (I don’t), then put these items on a registry — but ONLY put these essential items and nothing else. It’s best to have your list prepared before you go to the baby store so that you aren’t tempted to add extraneous items. Explain to your family and friends that these are the items you need, and people will gravitate toward them. (Tomorrow I’ll write a post about what I believe are these essential items.)
  2. Buy as you need, not in anticipation. Beyond the bare bones items, avoid buying (or acquiring through Freecycle or Craigslist) anything until you need it. People with children will give you a constant stream of advice that begins with the phrase, “You just HAVE to have …” Until your child arrives and you grow to understand his or her preferences, you won’t have any idea if your child really has to have specific things. Your neighbor’s child may have loved the vibrating child carrier, but yours might hate it. Their must-have items may very well be clutter in your home. Also, don’t buy any clothes or toys ahead of time, you’ll very likely receive lots of these as gifts.
  3. Don’t agree to a shower or only agree to a shower with a theme. You don’t have to have a baby shower. If you don’t want one, then don’t have one. If you’re okay with the idea of having one or have a super-excited family member chomping at the bit to throw you one, then ask for the shower to have a theme. Guests can bring their favorite childhood books or everyone can bring a pack of diapers. If you’re adopting, have a shower where you ask guests to bring gifts for the orphanage or foster care services, and give the presents to children who haven’t yet found homes. I’ve also heard of pamper the parents parties being a huge hit for keeping baby clutter at bay.
  4. Return unwanted items for wanted items. Products you don’t want that were purchased in stores can be returned. There is no law saying that you have to keep something you don’t want. Build up a store credit to help you purchase the items you really need.
  5. Donate unwanted items to charity or sell on Craigslist or eBay. If you receive four blankets, give two away to someone who needs/wants them.
  6. Don’t open items until you need them. It will be a lot easier to return items in their original packaging if you haven’t opened, assembled, and then dismantled the boxes.
  7. Immediately store items for when your child is older. You’ll inevitably receive items that you want to keep but that your child can’t play with or wear until he or she is older. Have inboxes ready to go in your nursery for these pieces. A plastic box labeled “clothes” and another labeled “toys” will provide you with space to immediately store these items out of the way.

Stay tuned for tomorrow when I’ll present my bare bones item list.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Posted by Erin on Oct 13, 2008 | 38 Comments | Tweet This

11 cheap (and free) toys from Simple Mom

In the spirit of the baby toy alternative articles we’ve written in the past, Simple Mom has a great list of cheap and free toys for your toddler. It’s easy to forget about the simple and classic toys for our children. Toys with a lot of bells and whistles seem to replace the simpler toys because they are perceived to be better somehow. This list is a nice reminder that a child’s imagination can create entertaining fun with just about any object. From the list:

1. Egg cartons. They make great caterpillars, they’re good storage containers for little treasures found on walks, and they can even become airline seats for little animal toys. 

5. Dried beans or rice. It’s fun to pour into bowls and cups of different sizes, and it’s a good sensory exercise. Sand works well, too.

7. Washed out empty food containers. My daughter loves to play kitchen, and she’s stocked with some of our empty syrup, ketchup, and dressing bottles. No need to buy a child-size version of the same plastic thing.

We do have the miniature versions of food products. The variety pack of just about every Kraft food imaginable was a gift and those tiny replicas turn up just about everywhere around the house. The regular size hand-me-downs would be easier to clean up and keep in order.

We also use egg cartons as a way to keep the finger paints in a confined space while our daughter creates her next masterpiece. The paint inevitably ends up all over the place, but the egg carton is a great way to bring a bit of organization to the painting chaos.

Popularity: 17% [?]

Posted by Matt on Sep 25, 2008 | 22 Comments | Tweet This | Tags: ,

The Loopa Bowl

Having a two year old daughter snack in the back seat of our car is a blessing and curse at the same time. The snack gives her something to do, but there are inevitably stray Cheerios spilled all over the floor and seats when she is finished. The Loopa Bowl is the brainchild of parents Brad and Melinda Shepherd and it is a cleverly designed bowl that makes spilling treats just about impossible. From the Loopa site:

Its revolutionary spill-resistant technology utilizes a weighted inner bowl that rotates 360 degrees, keeping the dry snacks inside – no matter how little ones grab or turn it.

The bowl is very child and parent friendly. The design will save you from having to pick up snacks from the back seat of your vehicle or your living room floor, that is unless your little one is prone to tossing his snack. For more on the Loopa Bowl, watch the demo here.

Additionally, we know that this is a very specific item, so be sure to pass it on to another parent with a toddler when your kid is through with it. What keeps clutter out of your life one day, can easily become clutter the next.

(via Ohdeedoh)

Popularity: 9% [?]

Posted by Matt on Sep 18, 2008 | 24 Comments | Tweet This | Tags: ,

Are mobiles necessary?

Every child is unique. Some love to suck on pacifiers until they are well beyond three years old, while others never use them at all. Which causes me to wonder if anyone’s child got use out of their crib mobile?

Well, I’m not entirely sure about the need for a mobile. My daughter couldn’t have cared less about the mobile we had hanging over her crib. I don’t think we ever wound it up more than a handful of times. We ended up donating it way before we moved her into a bed. Are you depriving your child by foregoing a mobile? Are they going to miss out on early child development, because you failed to supply them with a spinning musical mobile? I doubt it.

Granted, some kids love their mobiles and they help them fall asleep. But, a one-size-fits-all guide to raising a baby is not realistic. I guess what I’m saying is, there is no magic toy that all babies need. Mobiles are a traditional product that parents have come to attach to their cribs with little or no hesitation. Maybe it’s time to pause before buying baby gear simply out of habit.

Is there a “can’t live without it” baby product that your son or daughter ended up not paying attention to? I have a fairly long list of things that my daughter easily lived without.

Popularity: 14% [?]

Posted by Matt on Aug 28, 2008 | 51 Comments | Tweet This | Tags: , ,

Avoid baby gates that require screws

I’m pretty useless as a handyman. Tools are not my friend, and I try to avoid them whenever I can. When my wife and I were looking for a baby gate we were set on finding a gate that did not require installation of any kind. We would eventually settle on something very similar to the First Year Hands Free Gate. It requires no screws and is pressure mounted to the door frame. 

Some entrances may require a gate wider than 44 inches and require a larger gate like this offering from Evenflo. It expands to 60 inches. Rather than buying multiple gates for your home, these gates are convenient since you can easily move them around your house. 

Avoid the screws and hardware needed to mount permanent gates and keep your eyes open for pressure-mounted options.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Posted by Matt on Aug 21, 2008 | 40 Comments | Tweet This | Tags: ,

Keep the stroller at home

We’re going on a cross country flight with our two year old in a couple of weeks. The anticipation of a delayed flight and more time spent in an airport isn’t appealing. Luckily, my parents are accompanying us on the trip and they will surely help with keeping our daughter entertained.

I have found a solution that can substitute the stroller and free up a lot of space. It is the Traveling Toddler: Car seat travel accessory. It is simply a strap that attaches your child’s car seat onto your carry-on luggage. So rather than bringing along your child’s clunky stroller, you can replace it with a strap. That sounds like a big space saving trade-off. Just make sure you watch where you are going and you’ve tightened the strap sufficiently.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Posted by Matt on Aug 12, 2008 | 35 Comments | Tweet This | Tags: ,

Get more use out of a convertible crib

Our daughter used her crib for less than two years. It started to lose its usefulness when she began to climb out of it. We also decided to move her into a “big girl’s bed” when we moved into our new home. If we had gone with a convertible crib, we could have easily doubled the time she used her crib. Convertible cribs, for those who don’t know, are cribs that convert into smaller beds. This makes the transition to a regular bed a bit easier for some children, and definitely easier for parents.

The crib pictured is the Davinci Emily Convertible Crib. The large rail on the back of the crib can eventually be used for a headboard for a full-size bed, as shown. The day bed conversion rail kit, full size headboard and footboard are included with this and most convertible cribs. There are many different makes and models of convertible cribs, so make sure you shop around. Also, don’t be afraid to look for cribs on craigslist or garage sales–these are options that can save you a lot of money.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Posted by Matt on Jul 24, 2008 | 45 Comments | Tweet This | Tags: , ,

The transforming diaper bag

I’ve been looking around for baby items that can multitask, and I may have come across the most unique and useful one yet. It is the Hoppop. The Hoppop is a diaper bag that transforms into a baby seat.

This is a fantastic idea for parents on the go. The Hoppop would have been used quite extensively if my wife and I had owned one. It serves two very important purposes and comes in a fairly compact size. The step-by-step instructions look simple and straight forward. If you want something extra when it comes to your diaper bag, you may want to look into this innovative design.

(via ohdeedoh)

Popularity: 14% [?]

Posted by Matt on Jun 30, 2008 | 14 Comments | Tweet This | Tags: , ,

Baby toy alternatives (part 2)

Cutting back the influx of toys is an ongoing issue for my wife and me. Last summer, I wrote about everyday items that could serve as toys for your little one. While my daughter grows, she’s now two years old, and her taste in toys changes daily I figured I would update the list that I posted last summer.

Paint brush and water: Man, does she love to “paint” the sidewalk or fence with a paintbrush and small bucket of water. She can easily spend a half an hour painting and when she is done there is absolutely no mess to clean up. My mom clued me in on this one.

Laundry time: She loves to help with sorting laundry. So much so that we sometimes give her clothes on non-laundry days to sort through. Match up all the socks!

Magazines: When she no longer wants to look through any of her books, which is rare, we hand her a magazine. She flips through the magazine while looking at all of the interesting pictures and photos.

Household chores: She is really showing interest in everyday household chores. Isn’t this the reason to have a kid in the first place? (I’m kidding of course.) As I mentioned above, she loves to help with laundry, but she also helps with taking out garbage, emptying the dishwasher, watering plants, and wiping up her spills. These are not really “toys,” but my wife and I find it important to have her help out around the home. She’s even starting to clean up her toys without even being asked.

Computer time: She watches us use the computer quite a bit so naturally she shows an interest. Her favorite site is Elmo’s Keyboard-O-Rama.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Posted by Matt on Jun 3, 2008 | 31 Comments | Tweet This | Tags: ,

Reader’s Digest tips to tame kids’ clutter

Reader’s Digest is a fun periodical. Recently, I was happy to come across this article as I was checking out their site. The “6 Ways to Tame Kids’ Clutter” isn’t groundbreaking content, much of it is common sense, but it is still helpful advice. I’ve always found reading common sense solutions in writing makes them click.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Posted by Matt on May 8, 2008 | 6 Comments | Tweet This | Tags: , , , ,