5 tips to reducing kids toy clutter:
Ever wake up and don’t want to do anything because you know darn well you left the house messy from the night before? Kids toys are everywhere, nothing is put away or organized. Woof! It’s daunting to say the least. And trying to find a balance between ALL the things the kids get at school, for birthdays, holidays, Christmas and not to mention the random stuff the grandparents buy for them. It’s all A LOT!
Here are some tips that I have found help me keep the clutter down!
tip #1 - schedule the Purge
I’m not talking about grabbing a bowl of popcorn, turning down the lights, pouring a glass of wine and cuddling up on the couch to watch The Purge on Netflix! I’m talking about doing the hard thing all of us moms dread, going through the toy buckets and getting rid of all the things you spent money on that your kids never touch or play with. I have three major “purge” sessions throughout the year. One at spring time, one before the kids start school and one before Christmas. I have also noticed that inserting smaller purge sessions before birthdays and major vacation trips while we are packing have helped me keep the clutter down as well. Commit to having 1-3 major purge sessions a year with smaller ones in-between.
tip #2 - talk about it with your kids ahead of time & call in the reinforcements
Prepare your little ones by mentioning it several times in conversations at the dinner table or while having breakfast. Before I do this I make sure to mention it to my husband beforehand so that I get have support and reinforcement from him too. I bring it up in a way that explains the reasoning behind why we should declutter. I explain to the kids that they are getting bigger and I see that they aren’t playing with some of the toys they use to. I ask them how they would feel about giving the things they no longer play with to other kids who might not have things like that. I can see the wheels turn in their heads when I mention it. They start to think about others and what we can give or let go of. They contemplate what they are willing to part with, how it will make others happy and we talk about it. At this time I like to help them connect the dots. I like to talk about the movie Toy Story. Putting it into words or scenarios that they can understand is always a gamechanger. I talk about how the toys always want Andy to play with them but as he grows older life becomes fun in other ways. Kids grow into different toys and gadgets leaving other toys left un-played with. I then explain that although we are giving toys away, they will still be happy toys because other kids will find them and play with them too. Check out this clip we often watch!
tip #3 - DONATE
After I have planted a few seeds, and we have had 2-3 conversations about it, I let the kids choose a few things (it’s never more than a few because they just can’t let go at their ages). I let THEM choose, watch and listen to them. They usually start picking things up and telling me about how they play with the toy, why it’s important to them and why they will keep it or want to give it away. They say things like "Mom this is a little kid toy, we can give it to someone else". But, there are other scenarios where they just don't want or are not ready to let go of something. The hardest part during this step is not saying “But you never play with that toy, let’s just get rid of it”. Trust me, it takes every inch of my body not to let those words roll off my tongue. And if I’m being honest, I have said that before. But I know it doesn’t work for us. It only ends in an argument and zero cooperation from that point on. I keep it moving and remind them it's donation day and our goal is to fill one bag. After the hard part is done we load up the car! I would like to admit I immediately drive to goodwill and drop it off, but most times that's not the case. I usually drive around with the bag in my trunk for a few days before I make it there. But once it's in the car, its gone and I'm able to drop it off at my convenience.
tip #4 - have a day where you also do it when the kids are NOT HOME!
After I have talked to the kids, seen how they go through their toys and how they talk about them I have a purge day without them. No matter how hard I try to get rid of things when we are all home on a lazy Sunday, it never fully works with children around. Find a girlfriend that you trust to watch your kids, tell her you need help! Set dates to swap babysitting and continue the purge by yourself. I swap babysitting ALL the time and it is such a blessing. I not only get a “free” babysitter, but I also get to do it in less time and don’t have little ones hanging on me while I’m trying to get it done. Added bonus, the kids get a play date! It is THE best! And I feel amazing when all the purging, decluttering and organizing is done.
Also come to grips with the fact that your children will ask about the toys that you get rid of. It's like the universe taps the children on the shoulders and says "Psst...ask your mom about the bluey toy you haven't played with in 3 years". It's going to happen, it always does. Don't feel guilty and take the stuff to goodwill asap, so that you don't have to fish it out of the bag in the back of your car (been there, done that).
tip #5 - REMEMBER…TIME is MONEY!
As much as I think all the things my kids own are worth something, most of the time its not. I have a donate pile, throw away pile and if there is something that was expensive, holds sentimental value, is in good condition and I know someone who could use It, I text them a photo and ask them if they want it right away. Don’t get me wrong, I have sold a few larger items online, but only because it was actually worth my time and money to do so. I always weigh the time that is spent answering messages from buyers with how much I will actually get out of selling the item. I literally calculate an hour for communicating with someone who wants to purchase it/answering questions, add in time for them to pick it up and ask myself if it’s actually worth whatever price I would get for it. Nine times out of ten its not worth the hassle. I even search marketplace ahead of time to see if anyone is selling something similar and what they have priced it at. Sometimes it’s just easier to pull an Elsa and “LET IT GO”!
A clean house keeps a clean mind
In reality all of these things would work seamlessly, but as mothers we all know that we make plans and sometimes God laughs! These are things that have helped me contain the kid clutter and my hopes are that they will help you too! Navigating momlife, keeping a clean house and organized toy rooms is tough! Give yourself grace, tackle it when your ready and take breaks when needed. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out or post a comment below. I would love to hear your successful tips and tricks that help you keep the kid clutter away! After all, we are in this together mama!
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