Decluttering Toys Before Christmas

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 along with the best zero turn mower for her big lawn 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!

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 like cleaning your best above ground pool– 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!