Whether it’s a birthday, major holiday, or another special occasion, our kids tend to be the recipient’s of lots of gifts. They get goodies from us from friends, neighbors, and other family members, and it doesn’t take long for the accumulation to become overwhelming.
While many gifts have sentimental meaning, there are also those toys that kids “had to have” that they have since gotten over or outgrown. These items can be handed down to siblings or donated to make room for new stuff.
If there are toys that your child still plays with occasionally and you really aren’t ready to part with them, consider storing some of them and keeping the most used items out and handy. It’s actually kind of fun to swap this stuff out every once in a while. It’s almost like getting new toys.
There is also usually some “junk” that every child accumulates. Games or puzzles with missing pieces, those little prizes from fast food kids’ meals or birthday party trinkets, and it makes sense to go through these items from time to time. Weed out all the broken crayons, broken toys, missing pieces, and other odds and ends. You’ll be surprised how much this little stuff can add to (and now take away from) the clutter.
Have your children help you go through their stuff. Often times there are things kids don’t mind getting rid of, especially if they are planning to get a new item to replace the old one. Since I have all girls, we’ve had a huge assortment of baby dolls living in this house at various stages. Right now, we’re trying to decide which ones need to find new homes so my youngest can get one of the new ones she’s been eyeing (and it looks like it’s going to be “Mommy Make Me Better” Baby Chou Chou, if she doesn’t change her mind again).
Decorative Storage for Kid’s Rooms
Some Cool Ideas for Kid’s Curtain Rods
Trash or Treasure? (Freecycle)