Too Many Toys - Johnson City,TN

I wouldn't do it in one massive event, and I'd definitely do it while they're away. I'd take a few things, keep them elsewhere for a week or two to see if they get noticed as gone, and if not, let them go. And repeat that several times. This way it's gradual, and less likely to get noticed as a change. And if something does get noticed, you simply say, "Oh, it's in there," and get it back. No hassles, no tears.

boy do I know that feeling! slowly take them out esp the big toys. I never let m kids see me doing this b/c they decide that they still use everything lol

We constantly have a donation box/bag for clothes,toys, anything worth donating. We started when my oldest was about 2.5-3y.o. We explained that if he had toys that he did not play with then he could donate so another child who did not have many toys could have some. I have always let the boys help in donation items along with taking it to the drop off place. If it is a store then they can see firsthand how the donations help. If you donate to a crisis shelter then you can explain that. Good Luck

S.,
My sister and I were devastated when our mom did that once. I'm 33 and still remember coming home to find many of my belongings gone.
Having said this, I have cleared out my son's room a little at a time while he was at school. Rules for tossing: 1)if he hasn't seen it because it's buried in the closet, 2)duplicate items, 3)broken or missing parts, 4)he doesn't play with them. If the toys fall into any of these categories, I will toss them in the course of a week. I won't do a full sweep of the area because he WILL notice. If you tossed something he's looking for, you can tell him to keep looking. Kids have fairly short attention spans. Usually, they'll give up the search when they find a more interesting toy.

On the other hand, your six year old may be willing to part with some toys if you make it a project to help others. My son parted with many books, toys and cubby bins when we donated them to a preschool. It gave him the chance to do something good for the 'little kids'. You'd be surprised how generous children could be if you allow them the opportunity! It's never too early to instill the value of giving and sharing. God bless!

I had a friend that got some Rubbermaid containers. She then put toys in them & put them in the garage (clearly marked). Then she would rotate the toys once a month or so. That way not all the toys were out at once & they seemed to appreciate the toys more because they'd forgotten about them and it was like they were new to them again.

And they can't go get toys out of the container unless they bos up what they have out currently. THey have to rotate them.

Good luck to you.

Hi! I have a 6 and a 3 year old and done plenty of cleaning for the same reason (we used to live in a 2bedroom apt. and you can run out of space pretty quick.

I did it both ways...one with them first. Having them pick which toys they will donate to other kids is a lesson. Mine are not allowed to include anything broken or not useful (parts of a toy).for this I give my 6 year old a plastic bag to fill (supermarket size)
The little one doesn't get it yet.

After that, I check what was collected, put it in a black bag (trash bag) and continue to fill up after they go to sleep.

This way, if they ask for something they don't see, I just "asume" they put it in the bag to donate and end of problem :)

Good luck!

I too have this problem. It's great to involve them. Set a limit and tell them to say, pick 10 of their top toys and the other 1,000 go to needy children. Involve them in the giving process (let them go with you to goodwill or other location and be involved in what happens, and understand what charity is). They won't forget it and it's a win/win all the way around. Charity doesn't have to be goodwill, it can be a cousin that doesn't have as much, a neighbor that likes Barbies, etc. Just as long as it's GIVING and not RECEIVING. : )

Honestly, it depends on the nature of your children. I usually go through my son's things (he's 4) and bag them up while he is otherwise occupied, though he is usually with me when I take them to the donation center. He hasn't missed anything yet. However, I wasn't able to go through his toys without him this past Christmas, so I bagged them up as I normally would and he got rather upset, so I let him go through the bag and choose 4 things that he really wanted to keep. I explained to him that we were giving some of his toys away because he has so many and there are lots of kids out there who don't have any. Then he thought that was okay and there was no more fussing after he picked out his four things.

I would guess that your 6-year-old is probably going to be more okay with going through her things than your 4-year-old, but as I said, it depends on their temperament. Good luck!

I have 2 boys who are 3 and almost 6 and they too have way too many toys. Even after I go through them I still feel like I didn't take out enough. I have done it both ways. I used to always go through and throw out or put up their old toys when they were gone from the house. Honestly, for the most part, they didn't even notice right away and some of them they never asked about. And I think they liked that they had more room to play with the toys that they really wanted. There is no way I could have my 3 year old participate in cleaning out the toys because he would insist that they play with everything. But this year before Christmas, my 5 year old and I went through the whole playroom while my 3 year old napped. He was actually a big help. It took him a few minutes to really agree that they don't play with everything and that a lot of it could be taken out. We're pregnant with our third child so most of the nicer toys are just being stored in the attic, but he even got into throwing away a lot of the smaller junk toys. Some of the toys that I wasn't sure about, I would take away but keep them near in case they had a melt down for them, but that usually didn't happen.

There was an episode of one of those nanny shows where the mother was all hysterical and blubbering when the nanny said they needed to clean up their totally cluttered house - so naturally the kids were all sobbing and ridiculous as well. The nanny told the mother to get her act together and be matter of fact with the kids and put on a happy face, so she finally did. All the broken toys were to be put in the trash; the ones they didn't play with were put in bags to be donated, and the remaining ones were to be organized and put away. The kids took on their mother's disposition - so they were helpful and happy when she was. It worked well.

However! I don't think it would hurt one bit to do it yourself when you're in the mood. The kids probably wouldn't even notice. If my kids ever ask about something that they miss, I just say that they always threw it on the floor (which they do with everything - our house is a mess) so they must not have liked it much. But that is a very rare instance that they actually notice something is gone. Another thing that some people do is to box up the toys and store most of them, then rotate what box is out, as then it's like having new toys and they are all excited and play with them more than if they had all the toys all the time. But if you don't have the room, then you don't have the room.

If you're planning on donating the toys, you could use this as an opportunity to teach the kids a lesson in being generous/charitable. You can get them involved and tell them that the toys are going to kids less fortunate, etc. and that since they don't play with them as much the other kids can really use them. During the sorting process they can learn where the toys will go, who will use them, why it's important to give. I'm sure they will resist at first but it's one of those lessons that will stay with them. I think they would take it harder if they came home one day and everything was gone.

Hi S.,

I recently went through this exact issue. I have 4 children and toys are everywhere. Right before Christmas I cleaned out tons, my advise to you is to do it when the kids are not around. If they aee you taking anything all of a sudden it turns into a toy they have to have. As a mother you know their favorites and what never gets touched, I would definately do it without their knowing. They wont even realize what is gone. Hope this helps, J.

My oldest is 5 and we do a "clean out" twice a year. She is always involved and understands the process. I think it's a wonderful lesson for our kids to help others out...by giving to goodwill or whatever it is your going to do with the stuff. I'd give them a chance to help...you may be surprised at how giving and considerate kids their age can be! And that would make any parent happy to see. =0)

Hi S., having done this with both my children a bit of advice.... If you get rid of it when they aren't around you will not be happy when thy discover it is gone. Mine remember everything they owned, and who gave it to them and why so it turns into a meltdown if something "goes missing". I have however come up with some things that work when you do it with your kids help. the first is to get out the camera and let them take pictures of anything you are parting with. they can make up a photo book for looking at those things anytime they want to (makes it easier to part with items they are on the fence about). the second was to pick 3 items and tell them they have to pick their 2 favorite from those to keep and the other will go to another child. If you can pick a place for the toys to go when they leave your house, such as a church day care, a homeless shelter, goodwill, etc then you can explain that these toys will be loved and make someone else very happy. this is what seems to work with my Daughter who is almost 9. I wish I had started cleaning out her room when she was younger, but we really didn't do any major pursges other than baby toys until she was 5. My son who is now 5 has been doing this with me since he was old about 2 1/2 and it goes much smoother with him. not sure if he gets less attached to things or if it's just that he is used to it. oh yeah the other thing we sometimes do is let Grandma take things home for them to play with when they get there. after a few visits she will take an item or two out and give it away. they don't seem to miss it as much this way. Good luck with what ever you do. you know your children best and i'm sure you'll make the decision that's best for all of you.

My 4-y/o and 2-y/o never noticed when I got rid of a bunch of their stuff. Several months later, my older son has asked about a few things; since I had boxed up the toys and put them out of sight, I was able to retrieve them, but I wouldn't have had a problem telling them that I had gotten rid of them entirely. [I had also gotten rid of a lot of the baby toys they had at the same time, and sold them at a yard sale; but their "older" toys that were just too many, I intended to pack away for a few months and then get them back out so that the "old" would be "new" again.] Your kids are probably old enough to help you with the process, and may surprise you with the toys they want to get rid of. When I tried to involve my kids, they didn't seem to understand the concept, and my older son started putting all of the toys he could reach (including his new stuff from his birthday and Christmas) into the garbage bag. So, I just take care of that myself. When they're older, I'll involve them; but if they won't let go of stuff that they don't play with, and they don't clean it up either, I will use my parental veto power and get rid of them.

At 4 and 6 I would definitely involve them! Not only so they don't come home and go "where is x?!?!" But also what an awesome opportunity to involve them in giving to those less fortunate! Let them pick out what to give (maybe set a space limit of how much they can keep?), let them help bring the items to goodwill or some other charity. Maybe even investigate several different charities with them and let them decide who to give to.

My DD is still too young but when she is older we plan on instituting the "for every item you get you need to get rid of something" rule. She will be allowed to pick it out and help bring it to a charity and as she gets older help pick out the charity.

I want to recommend flylady.com and the sister website of housefairy.org

The House Fairy makes it fun for your kids to help with the cleaning and decluttering. Your older two are the perfect age to start doing this.

Good luck!

I would include them. You never know which toy may be really special to them and you not even know it. I had that experience. There was a broken toy and I threw it away and it tramatized my child. In fact, it was an old toy and I was lucky enough to find one on ebay and she was elated. Children are funny like that; they may not play with their favorite all the time but they have the security of knowing their stuff and feel safe in knowing it is there when they want it.

Good Luck!

What a wonderful teaching moment you will have with your children if you include them in this "clean out." It is a great opportunity to know only talk with your children about wants and needs, but you can also have them help you donate the toys to a local shelter, church, or another family that you may know with younger children or any other organization that may take donations. Good luck.

Hello, S.! Your kids are exactly the same ages mine were when they were that old! 2 years apart for the oldest 2 and then 4 years for the third! What a joy it is to have lots of kids, however, they come with toys! Lots of them! Every year around October/November, we go through the toys with the help of the kids and let them give away gently used toys. This is also a good time to find the missing pieces to some! We give our toys to a local woman who gives them to children who will not get anything for Christmas! That way they aren't sold like at Goodwill. My kids have not always been that way where they give away their toys. There was also a time, way back when, when I realized that it was more of a fight and not worth the fight. So my husband would take them out for the day and I would go through everything when they weren't home. Do what is best for you but eventually they will come around to it! Some fights are just not worth it, especially when you know they haven't played with that specific item for so long. Just try it with them first and if you realize there will be a fight, stop and wait a few weeks and then just purge the items by yourself! Word to the wise, store them in your attic or garage (in non see through totes) for a couple weeks before giving away, because they may want something specific you weren't sure about and that way you have it before it is really gone!

Another idea is finding one of those clothing/toy consignment sales. There is a local sale here in the Lancaster, SC area in March and August. They sell gently used clothing and toys. You have to clean up the toys and price them and you get 60% of what you sell. That way if you get the kids involved, they will make money too! That way they are willing giving up but to make money. You can tell them that they have to 1/2 to charity or something!

Good luck!

I understand your frustration and yes, most kids today have way to much stuff. I would defiantly involve your kids in this process. 1). If you don't you can really rock their little worlds. They may be okay with it but then again they may be very upset by it. Think of how you would feel if you came home and found that someone had given your stuff away. I know they are children but their stuff is important to them. To suddenly find it gone can make them feel unsafe. Okay the good side of involving them. 2). This is a good time to teach them about giving to others, managing their world, looking at what is really important to them, realizing how blessed they are with what they have and awakening their desire to help others less fortunate. You can have them help you go through their things then also involve them in taking them to a church, hospital, shelter, etc. so they get the good feeling of helping others. The second choice is a win-win for everyone involved and builds trust and respect between you and your children. I know many families that make this a yearly event. Or you can all do it and have a yard sale. God's Blessings on you and your family. B. E.

Hi S.,
My daughter has always been pretty reasonable about cleaning out. Every so often I explain to her we just don't have space for everything. I also explain to her that we can donate the toys to people who can use them and enjoy them since she isn't playing with them very often, and she likes that idea. I thought she would be clingy and not want to give up things, but I was surprised at how much she volunteered to give away. Actually, I found myself telling her she was giving away TOO much and some things she should consider keeping. :) I also let her choose what she might want to give away, and what she could pass on to her younger brother that he might like (this helps "phase" it out of the house if it stays with brother for a while before it completely goes if she's a bit unsure about giving it up). We go through this process about every six months and it seems to keep things under control (or at least as under control as our life can be with kids, right?) :) I will admit that while this process works well, I do occasionally "sneak" some things out of the house that I know she'll never miss but would insist on keeping. I asked her teacher at school if she wanted a lot of the stuff (the smaller toys and all that junk that piles up from kid's meal toys and birthday party favors and such) and she took it all for her treasure box. . .which is funny because occasionally my daughter comes home with something from the treasure box that used to be hers, commenting "I used to have something just like this but I don't know where it went." :)

It really depends on your childrens personalities. With My daughter I put a trash bag full of toys in the attic and wait to see if she asks about anything. If she doesn't I get rid of them. Whenever I have tried to get rid of toys with her around everything becomes SPECIAL to her. :) I know some moms who involve their children so that they can give the toys to needy children. I think thats a wonderful thing, unfortunately my very fortunate daughter has attachment issues with her toys.
Have fun decluttering!

I am on a continual quest to rid our house of extra stuff. I've tried several ways. When my kids were really small, I would tell them a story of a (fictional but believable) child in the area who would not have many, or any, gifts for Christmas (complete with many details to help my kids feel how that child might feel) and then asked them to sort ALL their toys. That literally meant to handle each item and decide if it was to keep, toss or give to the child. That worked for a few years (and I felt really good about the lesson it taught my kids on empathy and giving.)

Now my favorite method is to have a "yard sale" where I am the only buyer. My kids gather up all the stuff they are willing to part with and I buy them for yard sale prices (or lower), say 25 cents for little toys and only $2.00 for stuffed toys. My kids are now 10, 13, and 15 and I still do this, and have expanded to clothing (a flat 25 cents per item) which works great.

OK, it sounds crazy, especially when I buy back the presents I once bought for them...but it keeps me sane and they have really changed how they look at stuff. This way, they are responsible for their choices AND they have the little extra push to part with the marginal stuff.

I, too, tried to cull out the toys I know my kids didn't play with or love, then stashed them for a while to make sure they didn't ask for them. However there was always that nagging sense of deceit...and one time they found the bag of give-aways and greeted each item with, "Oh there's my favorite _____, I have missed it SO-O-O-O much." Now THAT made me feel like an ogre!

I encourage you to find the way that fits you the best and keep your eye on the prize: simpler living, less clutter, even less materialism.

-H.

Every couple of months my 4 year old daughter and I go through all her "stuff" and sort them into piles. The "keep for sure" pile, the "maybe pile" and the "do not want pile".
About a year ago I decided that I would include her in on passing on her toys and things that she didn't play with or need any longer to other kids. The way I did this was to ask her who she would like to give it to, friends, cousins, etc...By doing this she not only gets to decide what she REALLY needs and what she would like others to have. Right now we have 3 boxes ready for shipment to 3 different family members in FLA! She loves do do this and actually will come to me once in awhile with the request to make the "piles".
We also take the time to tell her that obviously there are less fortunate kids and her toys are still in great condition and that it would be "so big girl of her" to pass them on so they can continue to be played with.
She also has a hanging net/bin for her stuffed animals and shelved bins in her closet and when these get too full it is very apparent to her that we need to go through stuff and make room for the things she really loves..and also for thigns she may get in the future. She is able to see the limitations of her bins and has no problem making room.
Also, she loves to help pack up the stuff to send out. The possiblity of her seeing the stuff later at a family member's house also cheers her up too.
But take it slow at first. If there are a few apparent things that you know your children haven't set eyes on in a LONG time, then slowly remove those items. Keep them in a bag or box hidden away and if they aren't asked for in a certain amount of time, give them away, they aren't missed. Even if your children only part with 3 things each, or one, it is a start and they will really get into it over time. Good luck!

If you don't want them to help, you could take a few things away at a time, so its not such a shock.
OR
If you do involve them be prepared it can go either way. They can get involved and take the toys to a pregancy crisis or shelter for kids that have nothing. Or they will all of a sudden become very attached to something they never played with before. YOu could say choose 2 toys to keep and one to give to another child (try to avoid saying get rid of or throw away)
P.S. Make sure you keep the best toys for the baby and regift for Christmas/Birthdays!
You know your kids and their little personalities. So make the best decision for the situation!

When my kids were that age we helped out at a "food pantry", where they would also give away gently used clothes and toys for kids. I took my kids with me a couple of times and let them help hand things out, then I told them we were going to donate some of their things so other kids who didn't have any toys could have some. They loved it! They even tried to give away some things I thought they should keep - sometimes I would let them and sometimes I would suggest that they keep those things. You may not have a place to take them and actually SEE the toys being distributed, but if you have a DSS office or a Guardian Ad Litem office or an orphanage or anything like that in your town, you could donate them there. The point to me was to help the kids have a GIVING spirit. Not to just get rid of stuff, but to help others at the same time. I think if you approach it right, they will react well. Good luck!

I think it depends on what you are planning on doing with them. If you are going to consign them or have a yard sale you can tell your girls that they can clean out their old toys and make some money to get some other things they want but half has to go in savings.

If you are donating to a charity (goodwill, etc) I would just go through and clean it out.

I do this with my kids about 2-3 times a year.

Before Birthdays and Christmas we go into their room and clean it out to make room for their presents. The kids and I go in together and clean up.

We start out with 3 buckets. Trash, donate, keep.

When we go through the stuffed animals I hold two up and say which one do you like better. The better one is kept and the other donated. At the end they are allowed to make 2 trade outs in the event they have a small mind change.

It was a little hard on them at first and we had a lot of tears, but now that they are 12 and 9 years old they sometimes call me in and ask me to help them sort through all their stuff. This is also a great opportunity to help them learn to clean their room. As we go through and finds misc. things and we make small piles. Books, pencils, dirty clothes, etc. Once we get all done sorting we clean up or put away our piles all at once instead of 15 trips to the pencil box in the other room we only make 1. Less distraction on those walks = done faster.

This is a great thing your teaching your kids and I applaude you on it!!!

Do what I did when my kids were little I took half their toys and bagged them put them away in a closet 6 monthes later I switched them out for what I left out, they think its christmas twice a year.. Good luck

Maybe have a dinner table (or breakfast) discussion and ASK them if they want to let you do a 'clean sweep' or do they want to choose (like 5-10) things that they want to keep. (Hey, I made a rhyme! LOL)

Since you must've never done it before, this is a trial run and it may not work even if you do it the way they choose. We humans (and especially kids) rarely know what they truly want or need, but just stick with whatever decision is made. If they want to help, make guidelines BEFORE you start -- like, you may each choose 3 things that you play with often, 3 things that are old but you want to keep because of the memories, and 3 things you think you'll use later (or something like that. You know your kids better than we do -- I hope! LOL). Then STICK TO IT. Take the rest to Goodwill or other thrift shop for a good cause. This would also be a good time to help them decide what's really 'trash' and beyond use and discard those items.

If they want YOU to clear out the toys, ask them if there are any special ones you should save (or have them go choose a few and put them on their beds 'for safekeeping' or whatever.

Have fun!

I'd do a combination of things.
First, by yourself go through everything for broken or unsafe toys. Remove those from the equation entirely. Children often hang on to broken toys either because they are sentimental about them or because they are afraid to tell you they lost parts of it.
Then, have each child pick ten toys that are "keepers". These need to be their favorite toys or toy sets (such as a train set).
After that, let them keep one toy for every two they donate to a charity/give away/freecycle/etc...
Try to get them to keep a wide variety of items: some soft toys, some activity type toys, some games/puzzles/crafts... this way they don't drive you bonkers wanting to replace something right away.

My 3 are teenagers now, but we started this when they were young. Don't think you want to wait this long, but every Novmember, my children go through their toys. They pick toys they no longer play with and we donate them to shelters so other children might have toys to play with at Christmas.

I put some of the toys my son didn't play with , little by little, in a huge box out in the barn. Every few days, I would add more to the box. I waited for an reaction, and never got one. He didn't even notice they were gone. After a couple of weeks, I gave them away. He never asked for them again.

I don't think you should do it all at once, but take things out a few toys at a time over several weeks. I think the 6 year could definitely be involved, and maybe the 4 year old, but you'd have to let them keep things they want if you ask their opinion. Something I did was to take toys away a little at a time and put them in a box in the garage for a few weeks to see if they miss something, and then you have the option to give it back. If there is a younger cousin or playmate who might like their toys you could suggest to the kids that they give that child some toys and see if that makes it easier. In any event, I wouldn't take away a lot of toys at once without telling them.

S., I let my boys tells me what they want to get rid of. I involve them in the garage sale and I let them use the money from the sale to buy toys that would be better for them now that they are older. If you aren't having a sale try explaining to them that you are going to donate them to a family that doesn't have toys. This will show them that it's important to help people in need while it's cleaning your house.

J.

Allow your kids to join in and decide what the are too big for and what would be considered for babies.My kids had fun sorting things out.I have a 5yrs old girl and 3yr old boy.

When my kids were small, I had the same problem and this is how we handled it. We took half of their toys, put them in boxes, and stored them in our storage room, Then every 6 months or so, we would pull out the boxes and swap the toys in them for the ones they had out. It was like they were getting all new toys because they had forgotten about the ones we had stored.
I don't know if this is helpful, but it worked for us.

It depends on your children's personalities. I can take my oldest daughter into her room and say, "Let's pick out a bunch of toys that you don't use anymore and give them to children who don't have any." She will get rid of sometimes more than I had planned. My 4-year old, however, has a hard time parting with Happy Meal toys, if I ask her about it. With her, I have to just keep track of what is her favorite. If I find something she hasn't played with in a long time, I give it to her. If she is excited and plays with it, it stays...if no, it goes. Have fun!

When my boys went to summer camp I went through their rooms totally...clothes & toys..got rid of anything they had out grown,didnt play with or had parts missing.I did tell them that I was going to do this so they werent surprised when they came home and asked if there was anything they just could not live without.When we moved a few yrs later we did the samething..this time with the boys involved.They has no issues either time....good luck
S. B

S.,
I feel your pain! :-) I have 2 girls, 2yrs & 4 yrs, and I can not believe the amount of toys they have! From family, yard sales, happy meal toys - we could easily open a toy store.
I have started cleaning out the toys twice a year, birthday and Christmas. My 4 year old loves the idea of picking out toys so she can give them to kids who don't have any. We have even let her keep the money (for our Disney trip) from the toys she sold at a yard sale.

But I have to confess that after she goes through her toys I will go back through them and clean out some more. I then make sure that they are removed from the house - Good Will, garbage, whatever. She has never missed them or asked me for a toy that I had gotten rid of.

Have fun cleaning - I always feel better when my house is clutter free! :-) ~ M.

Yes, it is a great idea to involve the kids. My daughter is 5 and we recently did a mid winter cleaning. I just explained to her about how there were other kids that didn't have as many toys or no toys at all. I then told her that we needed to go thru her stuff to figure out what she didn't play with any longer and we could donate those toys to kids who need them. It went great and she very much understood that we were giving her toys away. She was fine with it. I think it's great to teach them to be giving and to donate things at a young age! I think if you did it without them, that it may hurt their feelings. I think the end result would be better if they were involved, but that's just my opinion! Good luck!

Have you thought about taking some of the toys to Grandma's House so some of their toys could be there for them to play with when they go to visit. Maybe some of them could be put into a box and stored in the basement, or attic, or garage, or whatever. Some of the stored ones could then be rotated so that they always have something "new" to play with and not get so bored witht he same old ones. It's not that they're "gone"....just "resting" for a while.

We have the same issue & are in the process of a purge.

My children are 3 & 5 and I have always involved them in culling their toys. You might be surprised at some of the choices.

I had my kids get a box of wipes & "clean up" the toys they chose to get rid of. To get it ready for a child who may not have toys. They go with me to drop them at the mission.

Or, we sell them at a yard sale and I let them keep or spend their profits.

It is a longer, harder task... but in the end you are teaching your children to let go of "stuff". (it is just stuff... don't want it to rule their lives, right) They are entrusted with making decisions in their own lives. This gives them a sense of responsibility.

I start by suggesting letting go of all things broken or missing pieces.

Then set aside the top 10 (or so) favorites. ASSURE them nothing they absolutely LOVE will be gotten rid of. Trust is huge for this to work.

Then have a bin for definite "to go" and make a box for either charity or yard sale.

Then, have a box for "not sure" that can be re-examined a little later.

Good Luck with what every you decide to do!

P

Since you already know what they play with, start with small things they wont miss, and make sure they cant be found if they go looking 4 them.Anything bigger Id go a couple at a time, u can donate these. Maybe telling them that theres other little girls who dont have any toys might help??

S., My 2 sons are grown now, but many yrs. ago I had this problem plus we lived in a very small house at the time; I boxed up some of their toys and hid them away for a while (even if you just have room for 1 box) and then brought them out later and it was like getting new toys! Also, you could encourage them to give some away to a some type of charity. Enjoy your young children! N.

My son 3yrs old the same way so we did the toynizing while hes napping then it went to my trunk to the consignment store funny story i go to this store alot my son realized his toys were there but he was ok with it and hes only 3 which we did keep some of the toys he dont play with because i also have a 1 year old son that can take them over my husband said just the other day i dont want to see another firetruck or dumptruck as long as he lives lol thats my sons obsessions tear

YES I have. If you let them decide, it is all important and they won't want to get rid of any of it.

I've cleaned out my boys' stuff a few times, and either they don't notice or they notice maybe 1 thing. If you are unsure about totally getting rid of a toy, try hiding it in the attic or a closet they can't get into. If they repeatedly ask about something specific, that you don't object to getting put back in their room, the toy can magically reappear.

We go through your same situation often. We usually go through their toys close to a holiday where they will be receiving more toys. I take a box into their room and tell them what we are doing. "We are going to give some of these toys away to children who don't have any toys. If you do not give away at least this box full, we will not be giving you anymore toys for your bday, Christmas, etc" You could even give them the box and give them 15 mins to fill it themselves before you come in. We don't always agree on what to get rid of. If I feel like it is something that they "may" play with, they keep it until the next clean out. If it is something that is junk, like a happy meal toy, it goes...no discussion. I usually start my "collection" by talking to my kids about how some kids are not as fortunate and if people like us do not give to them, they will not have toys. Then, when everything is collected and boxed up, I take them with me to donate the box. This is helping me teach them to give. You can also make a trade, when they want a new toy, they have to give up an old one. If you are willing, you could sell their toys on ebay Craig's list, or even a garage sale and then give them the money so that they can buy new toys. That will make them excited about cleaning out and teach them about making money, selling, and buying. I would definitely involve them. I could not bear the broken heart if I snuck and cleaned out their rooms anyway.. involving them will teach them. good luck!

Try involving them in the process by explaining that some kids don't have toys at all and they have a whole lot and that they should pick some that they no longer play with to give to some kids without toys.

My son had way too much stuff too. Everything seem to have sentimental value when I would try to involve him in the clean out. He was holding on to stuff that he NEVER played with. So, I got a box (about the size of a case of paper) and without him knowing, I got a box full of toys and put them in the garage. If he didn't ask for anything in the box, it went to goodwill after a couple of months. Then I did it again. It takes time to weed it out, but it worked. Then, as he got older, we had (still have) yard sales and he is responsible for the toy department and he gets to keep the money he makes on his toys. Last year was the best sell ever. He was quite the salesman and people were buying his toys just because he was so cute and funny. He is 11 now and he has already placed several items in the garage sale corner of the garage. Good luck and I hope this helps.

Hi S.,

My kids are now 13 and 11 and we've always had this problem. (Only grandkids get quite a few gifts.) I think it would be nice if you could include them in the clean out process. It will be a good life skill for them to have later. If they've already accumlated that much stuff already, chances are that it's going to return - even with the purge! My children take good care of their things, so they don't break too many. Now that they're older, we've started giving some of the things they are too old for to their younger cousin. This way, we don't offend the familiy members who bought the items - they're getting used again by another family member. Your kids are old enough to understand that all children are not as lucky as they are and don't have as many toys to play with. Explain to them that they can donate them and share with another child. Letting them choose the items gives them control and they won't feel threatened or like you're taking away their things. You can always have a yard sale, too. We used to let our kids buy one item with the money from the sale. A pretty good trade when they had so much to sell! Broken items just disappear - they can't play with them anyway. As they get older, the toys seem to get smaller in size, but more expensive. It's important to try and get it under control early. I didn't and now I'm paying for it. It's a constant battle to keep everything neat and tidy. There's just too much stuff! Good luck! L.

S., you could consider selling them at a consignment store.
You could also slowly take a few of the baby'ish toys out a little at a time, they may not miss them as much.

I tell my Dd who is 6 that she can go through them and we resell them since she isn't playing with them and get something NEW that she will enjoy.

just an idea.

I know you've gotten lots of advice, but I wanted to share mine. I have always included my children. I feel it teaches them about giving to others. We did it about every 6-8 months when they were younger, very spoiled! I would put a box in their rooms and say, ok, find toys that you no longer want and lets give them to kids that don't have any. They would work very hard and made sure there were several toys in the boxes. We did have a time when they refused to clean their rooms. I threatened to pick them up and give them away, so they said ok. Well, everything on the floor, except clothes went to the black bag and to Goodwill. They had so much they just didn't miss it. It really did help them to learn to give. HOpe this helps!