Whatever It Takes
For a long time I’ve debated getting rid of a lot of the kids toys, like for years. In fact, when we moved from our home in Boone and put everything in storage two years ago, I did get rid of a lot them. However, they still had so many and the amount of time spent cleaning up said toys was getting ridiculous.
What took me so long?
I love my kids, so stinking much. And just because I lean more towards minimalism doesn’t mean I want to necessarily impose that on them, when it comes to their stuff and their space. So, even though I read multiple times, from multiple sources, that kids play more deeply when they have less toys, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. In particular, my four year has a difficult time parting with things, so I couldn’t involve him because he would say yes to every single thing and each thing would suddenly be his favorite. However, if I got rid of it without telling him, he’d ask for it at some point and then be upset to find out I’d gotten rid of it. This is a big deal to me because I want him to feel like his stuff is safe in our home, and therefore that he is safe in our home. I also don’t want him to think I don’t care about him or his things because I get rid of his stuff.
How did I start?
Well, I started by throwing away their toys, one tiny left-in-the-floor toy at a time. Part of what led me to the point of being ready to do a major purge was the fact that they’d drag out so many (if not all) of their toys and not even play with them. They were strewn all over the house and it drove me bonkers! So, as I tidied up around the house, I’d through away two or three, or four or five, small toys that I knew for a fact they didn’t play with anymore and were just being pulled out and then picked up, so they could be pulled back out and then picked up, so they could be… you get it, I’m sure. So, this was how it started. And honestly, I think it’s how I needed to get started in order to get comfortable getting rid of their stuff and see that they would indeed continue to be happy children without the gazillion, tiny, pointless toys they had.
When was the moment I finally decided to do it?
Remember that sweet four year old I referenced earlier? Well, he loves character toys from shows and one day he asked if he could have Rescue Bot Transformers for his birthday. I gave the classic response, “We can probably do that, you just have to remind me when your birthday is closer.” Then fast forward later that day and I have this light bulb moment. I asked him, “Buddy, if I get you the Rescue Bots now, can we get rid of toys?” And…HE. SAID. YES!!!! (As an aside, Ebay is the best place to buy toys like this. They are a much better deal than in stores, and usually easier to find!)
How did I decide what to keep and what to get rid of?
Thankfully our boys play together really well, for the most part. So one of the criteria was if the boys play with it together. This included their basket of cars, their Paw Patrol collection, their DUPLO legos, a GeoTrax train set, their Playmobil castle and accessories, their kitchen and kitchen items, and their collection of board games. We kept all of these things because they play with them often, they play with them together, and they play with them for a long time. Also, most of these things can be stored easily. While we still kept quite a few toys, those rescue bots, which take up minimal space, enabled me to get rid of four garbage bags full of toys. They do also have a toy box, but it is only about 1/3 full since the clean out.
Was it worth it?
So very worth it. There are far less toys laying around the house now after they play, and the toys we do have clean up so much quicker and easier. Plus, they truly do play better. My one regret is that we didn’t do it sooner.
What to Consider When Purging Toys
Real-Estate Value vs. Play Value
If it takes up a lot of room but doesn’t get played with often consider getting rid of it. (An idea of how often is if it’s played with 1-3 times a week or for longer than 45 minutes.)
Little Siblings Don’t Need Much
It’s easy to think you need to hold onto baby toys for your younger kids. However, most younger siblings just play with the toys their older siblings have. So if it doesn’t have much monetary or sentimental value, don’t think twice about parting ways with it.
Kids Play More With Less
Do you get dressed easier from a closet with 5 outfits you love or 50 things you feel eh about? The same is true for your kids. They will engage more quickly in deeper play if they have fewer options, and the options are things they love.
