Nicole Brunner

We live in a small cape cottage with plenty of charm and not much storage. Between the baby gear, toddler toys, and endless gifts, our cozy space has become one big obstacle course. Even though we’ve kindly asked friends and family to skip the toys (diapers, anyone?), they still seem to multiply after every birthday and holiday. So if you’re in the same boat and craving a little less clutter, here are my favorite things to buy for kids instead of toys.

I have always been somewhat of a library junky, but since becoming a mom, I have taken advantage of all that my local public library has to offer more than ever! There are so many programs and classes that you can attend absolutely free! I really love the library, and so does my toddler. So here are the top 10 ways you can also start taking advantage of your local public library. 1. Mommy and me classes! When I first had my daughter, I searched high and low for a mommy and me class.

Upon returning home from work to find my home in its usual disastrous state, my heart sank. As is her usual ritual when I get home, my toddler was tugging at my hand to play, and I was left reeling about how my house would ever actually get cleaned! Then it hit me, my 18-month-old loved helping mommy around the house, and I would be able to get a few tasks accomplished before starting dinner while she worked on her toddler chores.