Here Comes Gunny Bag!

When we were little, my mom had the "Gunny Bag"...which was more like a laundry basket, trash bag, pillow case, or whatever she could find when she had HAD it with all the toys and mess we made.  She'd go around picking up everything on the floor that wasn't put away and the gunny bag would keep it until she felt like giving it back (or until we emptied the gunny bag and actually put everything away). 

I've been feeling lately that my girls are just not accountable enough for their messes and the upkeep of our house.  We've been WAY too lax on chores, so we decided to do something about it.  I made a new chore chart to help them remember the little things (make your bed, put your clothes in the dirty clothes, clear your plates, etc) and then I sat them down and told them about the new person coming to our home: Gunny Bag. 

I taught them the song "Here Comes Gunny Bag" as sung by my niece and nephew on youtube:
Here come Gunny Bag!
Yum, Yum, Yummy!
He eats leftover toys
And puts them in his tummy.

So keep your toys
Nice and neat
So Gunny won't have
A thing to eat!

I explained that after dinner, they would have a chance to run thru the house and put away all their playthings.  After a few minutes, Gunny Bag would come and see what he could find.  If he found anything, he would eat it and keep it in his tummy until he was ready to give it back.

I guess that was the WRONG choice.  They have been TERRIFIED of Gunny Bag all day.  I don't think they've talked about much besides Gunny Bag.  In fact, two minutes ago, Keara yelled up from her nap "Mom!  I'm afraid of Gunny BAG!!!"  I think they think its a REAL person.  Hopefully after dinner tonight, they will understand better.  I wasn't meaning to freak them out, but I did.

Anyway, I googled Gunny Bag and found this awesome blog (I Am Momma Hear Me Roar) that had a post about her version of the Gunny Bag.  I loved it, I made it.  Here's mine.  I just used what i had lying around, so don't mind the clashing colors.

Check out her post here that has her tutorial.  It's so simple and can be done in a matter of a half hour or so.  Sorry about the smudge in the middle of my lens and the fact that my battery is SO dead that the lighting is pathetic.

My favorite parts about this design:
1. It hangs.  So I can put it in the closet, out of sight.
2. The toys go IN the mouth!  How cool is that!?
3. There's a bigger opening in the back for bigger toys.




LOVE IT! Make your own...just don't freak out the kids!