My Love / Hate Relationship with Stuffed Animals by Parenting the Principal

We're glad we aren't the only parents who love all those cute stuffed animals our kids have, but also simultaneously loathe all the space they take up! Ashley from Parenting the Principal is sharing how the Stuff 'n Sit has helped her to contain the critter chaos in her home.

Having three girls (soon to be 4) in one room is a choice we made for a few different factors, and one we can say we are happy with! The bond they have created in the small space that they share is undeniably evident. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes hanging in our house:

“Love grows best in little houses, with fewer walls to separate. Where you eat and sleep so close together you can’t help but communicate. Oh, and if we had more room between us, think of all we’d miss! Love grows best in houses just like this.”

One of the challenges that comes with having them all in one room is making sure that we keep the place organized and functional while still looking cute! Children come with lots of “stuff” and most of it is not small in size. I have taken it upon myself to create spaces in the house that hold their things in a cute, inconspicuous way. And thankfully it just so happens that I love to organize and storage containers are a shopping weakness of mine.

I’ve lined their closet with shelving and functional bins for clothes that they can navigate independently. Sliding storage containers fit perfectly under the two sets of bunk beds to hide a few extra toys. And I’m always on the lookout for creative ways to store their things so that they can easily use them, without the room looking cluttered.

No matter how much I tried, one item seemed to continue to multiple in our house without a space to keep them… stuffed animals!

I think so many parents can relate to my love/hate relationship with stuffed animals. They are cute and cuddly and children quickly become attached. But, THEY TAKE UP SO MUCH SPACE! Only so many stuffed animals can occupy your child’s bed before they end up taking over the bed, the floor, and every corner.

I’ve scoured Pinterest to find cute ways to keep them. I’ve tried large round plastic bins but they just end up overflowing everywhere. I’ve looked at the nets and the stuffed animal “zoos” people have created and it just didn’t fit with my style. I wanted something that is neat, clean and inconspicuous. I didn’t want the clutter of a million stuffed animals showing.

Thankfully I was introduced to Stuff 'n Sits and my organizational, type A personality was elated at my new found way to contain all the stuffed animals!

The Stuff 'n Sit is an empty bean bag chair that comes in different styles, sizes, and material that your child can easily fill with their own stuffed animals and then zip them up so they are out of sight! Then they can use it as a cute, comfy little chair to sit in! At first I was a little skeptical of the comfort of this type of chair but after seeing the girls use it all the time to read and watch the puppy curl up on it each night as he “guards” his girls, I now know it is very comfortable!

Even if I had a huge house with a million rooms, I still think that I would put my girls together in one room. The benefits I’ve seen firsthand are priceless. And with a little creativity you can easily make the space aesthetically pleasing and functional! The Stuff 'n Sit is a perfect example of this!

Thank you so much Ashley for sharing an insight into how the Stuff 'n Sit is helping to keep your girls' room decluttered and organized. Be sure to check out Ashley's account, @parentingtheprincipal for more great tips and creative activities.

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Creative QT designs quality + innovative toys that declutter homes and inspire creative play. Founded by parents of five, Adam and Dana Sue Hinkle, Creative QT’s vision is to empower parents and encourage a culture of families that Make Time Together. All products are designed to enrich families’ lives through active, creative play and play based learning. Creative QT products are laboratory tested for compliance with CPSC requirements and are free of lead, cadmium and phthalates so you can play with confidence. So, go ahead … today is the day: be your kid’s hero.

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