Photo by timsamoff
It’s time for Part Two of our Winterize Within focus for this week. Yesterday, we applied the 3 Ps (Pause, Purge, Push) to children’s clothing. Today, let’s focus on toys.
When I shared 10 Clutter-Free Gift Ideas for Kids last week at Simple Mom, many of you shared in the comments that your homes are already overrun with toys, and that the gift-giving season brings in more toys to an already crowded home. Today is a great day to spend a little time determining what should stay and what should go before those holiday gifts are unwrapped!
1) Pause to make time today to work in a toy sorting session – thirty minutes, forty-five minutes, an hour, whatever fits today’s schedule.
2) Purge those toys! If you don’t have much time to work with, limit your toy purging to getting rid of broken, non-donation-worthy toys. If you have a little more time after you sort out toys headed for the trash, decide which toys could go into storage, which toys could be donated to friends, family, or charity, and which toys could be repurposed with a new life.
3) Most importantly for the purposes of winterizing, push forward with your decisions and get those toys moving! Take the garbage bags to the trash, box up the ones to be stored, and prepare the ones for donation for their new homes.
As you purge the toys in your home, don’t forget the importance of separating yourself from your children’s stuff! Finding new homes for the toys your children have collected doesn’t mean you are discarding beloved memories; rather you are making space for the things your children truly cherish to be honored and enjoyed.
The process of toy purging is something I always intend to get to on a monthly basis, but sometimes my intentions fall by the wayside. Is regular toy sorting and purging a part of your regular schedule? Do you work better with input from your children or is this a task better done alone for you?
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Okay, I’m ready for this one. I love purging toys!
.-= Jackie@Lilolu´s last blog ..Penne Alla "Not-Ka" =-.
Hope you got lots done today!
I tend to purge on a seasonal basis, and more often for my little one (2 years old) than my big one (7 years old). I keep a big plastic tub in the garage of toys for my 2 y/o. When he gets bored with the stuff in our toy cabinet I swap them out for the toys in the garage. I think this is a great time to purge toys – it makes a smidgen more room for incoming toys during the holiday season and donating your gently used toys helps families who might be struggling during this holiday season. I tackle this job on my own, though. The 2 y/o doesn’t really pay attention, but the 7 y/o suddenly gets emotionally attached to every scrap and doo-dad in her room if she suspects a purge!
My oldest tends to get attached, too. I try to swap toys back and forth from our upstairs storage, and it really does keep them interested in the things we already have.
I purged once a year right before Christmas. I usually will just watch and see what isn’t being played with anymore and put it out of sight. If it’s not asked for within a month it goes. Although my boys play with EVERYTHING so it can be difficult sometimes.
.-= LaToya´s last blog ..Bible Story Sundays- Samson =-.
We have the same issue – especially with stuffed animals. We have MANY, but seriously the girls play with all of them. A lot. I try to work on finding workable storage solutions for the stuffed animals because they are the ones that would be the most missed if I tucked them away to find new homes.
i purge the toys about every three months. funny that I always find plenty to let go of, even when she gets to little coming in. She always helps me, and we choose things to go to “baby milee” or to her daycare. She sometimes feels sad about the things leaving, but if she knows it will be at daycare and she can play with it there, she is fine. I like having her help, so she can learn about sharing with others that don’t have enough, and about not NEEDING so very much.
.-= Corey~ living and loving´s last blog ..5 Little Pumpkins…..Sugar Style! =-.
Even though there are definitely things dacey gets attached to, she also surprises me with her willingness to share with others. You make a great point, Corey, about the importance of including children in the process of sharing what we have with others.
Purging is definitely a task that I do without my children’s input. However, I think that I am very in tune with what they really and truly love and value and I would never get rid of something that is special to them. I just get rid of the toys that are junky, old, broken etc.
I don’t get rid of things every month but one thing I started doing which has been tremendously helpful is to keep an empty box in the basement. As soon as I come across something I want to get rid of I automatically put it in the box. As soon as the box is full I take it to the local charity shop. I can’t believe how helpful it has been to have that box available.
Great series! Thanks,
Tricia
.-= The Orchard´s last blog ..Around The ‘Hood (Blogtoberfest 26) =-.
oh! I love the idea of keeping a purging basket handy in the same place all of the time to collect things that are ready for new homes. That would make this process SO much easier. thanks for sharing that!
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