Our almost 12-year old is at that tough age where she feels her friends are getting rid of their toys (and some of them are) and she doesn't want to have toys out in her room any longer.
Now, I know for a fact that a lot of her friends have moved the toys out of their bedrooms (opting for a more "preteen" look) but that they have HIDDEN these toys away in the basement! The moms have told me, and their kids DO sometimes bring those toys out to play.
We don't have a basement. We have a 2-bedroom condo and a 1-car garage. I've told her that she is welcome to keep any toys that she wants, but they will HAVE to be in her room. Where else can we keep them?
She doesn't want to have the toys in her room, but she doesn't want to get rid of them. I've suggested getting plastic bins that you can't see in and putting them in her closet. She can "hide" her Barbies and stuff in there. She claim's "Everyone will know!"
She has a loft bed, so hiding bins underneath isn't an option.
Any other clever options? I've thought about getting her an ottoman that you can put things in, or a nice looking trunk that's also a decoration. I've also told her that she just needs to either get rid of the toys or be proud that she still has them. I'm hesistant to tell her that her friends have hidden their toys in the basement because that is their secret.
Being 12 is hard. Not yet a teen, not still a child.
Padded bench, what a great idea! That way it looks like seating, but it's really a box. Clever! Thanks moms! I'm going to go looking for that type of thing now.
(I'd love to give her garage space, but there just isn't any. We have our Xmas decorations out there and there has to be room for our car!)
Get a pretty chest that has a padded top she can sit on. That way she has a pretty chest and a place to hide the Barbie's.
How funny - they all hide their toys but everyone knows they have them. Boys are so much easier about that, LOL!
There are also under-bed bins - don't know if you have room under YOUR bed, but if you do, could they go there?
How about a suitcase?
Maybe some padded seats or stools that have storage inside?
Otherwise I would just level with her - her choices are keep them hidden in storage containers in her closet (and reassure her that NO, they will NOT know they are in there unless they happen to go rummaging around - how would they know otherwise?) or continue to leave them out in the open.
We are moving and my 13 yo is getting rid of her "toys" finally. lol. All she's keeping is her CD's, DSi and some drawing things and books. The only thing I could think of is the solid color plastic bins in her closet. I doubt her friends will dig through them. Or make room in a hall closet for them or even the garage. She could go get them when she wants them. Hope you find something that works! =)
Bins in the garage. Maybe give her a few shelves. She just cannot possibly run the risk of her friends seeing her toys in her room Mom. It would be humiliating. Gotta just love that age. Good luck..
Ger her the bins and tell her your saving them for when she has a daughter of her own. And they have to stay in her closet til you have a bigger place. And she can tell her friends that exact thing.
wondering why you won't let her put a bin in the garage? or maybe some small shelves could be put up out there that the stuff could be stored on. or a shelf up at the top of her closet that could hold those things. if the bins are not see through no one will know whats in there.
I think one of those padded bench ottomans that have storage in them would be a nice idea. Maybe you can get some thin, fleece throw blankets she can put over the toys in the ottoman? I got a bunch of shoebox size plastic tubs at the dollar tree, you could stack the toys in those, then put the fleecy blankets over them so if someone opens it, they would see blankets, not toys.
Buy her a trunk w/a lock.
You can definitely do the padded ottoman but they may open that.
If you do opt for that, be sure to have the part that opens facing the wall so they won't even think of opening it. Put a pillow on it so they will see it
as "seating" and sit on it. Also, get the long one that is trunk size. Not the small box cube size.
I think a padded bench will get opened before storage bins in the closet. What about labeling the bins in "mom" handwriting "Mom's winter sweaters" or even "tax documents". Then she can have her own secret too.
