I’m pretty confident in saying that toys are both a great tool and a bane in parents’ lives. While a toy can keep kids engaged and focused (allowing us time to breathe), toys can also get boring quick for our little ones— and that’s when the clutter begins.
Just like an adult getting a quick dopamine rush from say, shopping and buying something new, kids also get that rush from a shiny, new, colorful toy.
And before you know it, you have a room full of unused toys.
Or, toys played with for five minutes, and then tossed aside.
Or, beloved toys forgotten because they’re buried in a mountain of colorful clutter.
We’ve all bought toys (or been gifted toys) that our children immediately love and then just as quickly, forget. And as adults, we see the dollars adding up and refuse to get rid of the toys, because dang it, we spent a lot on that stuff.
So now, we have toys everywhere, kids are bored, and we’re upset about the financial waste.
Here’s a few ways you can experiment with your kiddos, figure out their favorites, and declutter the rest!
Toy Rotation
—>Take four large bins (plastic, hampers, boxes, doesn’t matter) and divide their toys equally.
—>Try to keep a different array of toys in each bin to encourage engagement (evenly dispersing dolls/action figures, building blocks, noise makers, etc.).
—>If you have more than one child, aim to still use only four bins, or you can try four smaller bins per kid.
—>Keep one bin out per week; the other three go into hiding. Remind your children that you’ve not thrown out the toys, but that you’re rotating them.
—>Pay close attention to the toys they gravitate towards. Those will be the keepers. The ones never touched need to make an eventual exit.
—> Every week, pack up the current box and put out a new box, keeping a mental (or physical) list of the toys to discard.
—> At the end of the month, discard the toys no longer played with. At this point, you may need to redistribute items to make four equally sized bins. OR, you may choose to only have two or three.
—> After another full cycle, you’re going to be left with their favorites, and can make a permanent toy storage solution for them!
Donation Compensation
If your kids are younger, they might not fully grasp the altruistic notion of donating their toys- and that’s okay! If they’re having a hard time parting with toys they no longer use, you can try donation compensation! Here’s an example:
Mom: For every big action figure you donate, I’ll give you $1.00!
Kid: Really? I think I can find one, maybe.
Mom: And for every small action figure, I’ll give you $0.50!
Kid: Not $1.00?
Mom: No, because they’re smaller. Bigger ones are worth more, buddy.
Kid: Hmmm.
Mom: When you’ve saved up enough money, we can go get you another toy you’d really like!
Kid: Really? I like that!
Mom: Just remember, you’re paying for this yourself!
This works for so many reasons.
—>You’re teaching your young one that toys not only cost money, but are also worth money (and when they’re a little older, they’ll even begin to grasp the concept of depreciation!).
—>They’re also learning that it’s okay to let things go, and that working through their feelings can be rewarding!
—>For us parents, we get a dozen toys out of the house and replace it with only one! And even better: this toy will likely mean more to your child, because they had to work for it.
—>Math, humanity, and ethics lessons all at once!
As you embark on your toy decluttering journey, here’s a few products I really like to use for toy rotation and storage! (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)
Cube Storage from Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/3z7x2Fr
Clear Totes from Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/3nkfof8
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