Decluttering Toys Before Christmas

Where Will All The New Toys Go?

If you declutter the kids toys before Christmas hits – it is much easier to find places for the new toys after Christmas.

I had someone make a comment this week that prompted this post.  She said that she will have to find room for all the new toys that will be coming in at Christmas.

I’m sure that is how many of you think when you think of all the new toys, etc… that come in.  Toys from Grandparents, Aunts & Uncles and of course you.

It is a simple solution, but not one that many people do. It can also be hard to do…. want to know what it is?

Here you go….  Get rid of toys NOW…. and make more room.  Simple as that.

One in – One out!  But do it ahead of time…. get the “Out”  ….out now and it will make bringing in the “In” much easier.

The advantage there is to clearing out the older toys now is that there hopefully will be some other children that will benefit from it on their Christmas morning!

Decluttering the Toys

Go through the kids toys (personally I prefer to do it when my kids aren’t home – I’ve never yet had them be upset because I got rid of a toy) and clear out toys they don’t use.

* If you have a toy box – look at the bottom.
* Get rid of broken toys (don’t donate those please – it just makes more work for the people who volunteer when they have to throw it away).
* Stuffed animals usually always need to be cleaned out.
* Be careful not to keep a toy just because you know what was spent on it. Keep it only if they really play with it still.
* Try to decrease by as many toys as you can estimate that are coming in.

It can be hard – but it is necessary if you want to keep a handle on the amount of “stuff” in your house.

But also keep in mind  that kids get overwhelmed by too much stuff.  We might think that you can’t have too many toys – but in a child’s eye – that is their “stuff”… their “clutter”.  So… think to yourself how you feel when there is too much “stuff” around… why would we think that a child wouldn’t feel the same when there are too many toys around?

Less is more – It doesn’t mean you are a bad parent if you don’t have as many toys as your neighbor… honest!

Linking up to these Link Parties:

Sorting Toys

Sorting Toys – One Toy In….One Toy Out

With all the new toys coming to invade your house (from you, Grandparents, gift exchanges at school etc…) can your house handle them? Do you have the extra room for them to have a place to go? Will you be trying to figure out where to put all the new ones?
Try the “One toy in…One toy out” rule. For each new toy that comes into your house, find one toy that can be donated (or thrown away if its broken) to go out.
This can be done with or without the kids. You know your children. If they are ones who are going to pitch a fit and say they they can’t possibly get rid of ANY of their things…then it is better to do it while they are not home. Don’t pick out their favorites that they still play with. Find those ones that are underneath a pile that they haven’t seen in months (or years) and get rid of those. Chances are they will never miss them. My children never complained or missed a thing that I got rid of over the years. HONEST!!
If you have children who have a heart for helping other children, then it may be good to involve them in the process. (Although it is probably the kids who have the difficulty giving up their things who really should be learning that other kids can really use the toys more than they can.) They will realize they are helping other children and will enjoy it. The triplets are good about this. I usually go through without them, but when they realize what I am giving away they talk about how much the other kids will enjoy using it.
Don’t continue to pile on more toys just because YOU have an attachment to them. Kids can only use and play with so many things. Less is so much more in this area.