Crazy Much
A Toy Saga
My never-ending battle with clutter started to end when I began throwing the toys away. Just kidding! I don’t throw them away, but they do go “on vacation.”
It all started when my son asked, “Where is my green car? I need my green car! Not the red one, the green one!”
The green car was likely between the sofa cushions or in the sand box, but out of laziness I replied, “Oh, it must be on vacation.” My son gave a peppy little “Huh,” and went on to the next thing, his burning desire for the green car instantly satisfied.
Since then many toys have gone “on vacation” — an extended stay in a box in our basement, a trip to the consignment store, or donated to a good cause.
With two kids under five, and the younger one in full “pouring out” mode, cutting down the number of toys has been our only salvation.
Sometimes it’s a family affair and my older son participates (I am always surprised at what toys he chooses to send away). Other times, I do it on the sly, pocketing that crappy plastic toy we got at the doctor or squirreling away toys in the cupboard.
And okay, I’ll fess up: sometimes I have a really hard time sending toys away. My first response is always, “But they play with that!”
You know what? They play with almost anything! The number of toys on vacation has had very little impact on the amount of playing they do, but it does give us all a bit more space in which to do it.
Other things that have helped us curb the toy chaos…
- Sorting toys by type (“Animals” “Cars and Trucks” “Blocks” “Food” “Balls” et al).
- We strive to have one type of toy out at a time, but rarely manage it!
- Rotating toys. My son once spent three days thoroughly engrossed in a box of books that had been on vacation. Three days! That’s like three weeks in Mom Time.
- Using the boxes the toys come in for easier storage and organizing. I don’t know why it took me five years to think of this.
- We’ve always done gift-free birthdays (of course, grandma and grandpa and others gives presents, but we let the invited kids/families know it’s not expected). I’ve also seen a birthday party book swap, requests for donations to a meaningful cause, or helping relatives brainstorm long-lasting gifts and fun, shared experiences.
What are some of the things you’ve done to come out from under the toys? It’s time to come clean and tell us about it!
But first let me come clean and show you a recent picture from our house…
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Read more of Stacy’s writing at Mama-Om. If you have questions, anecdotes, or topics for “Crazy Much?” email stacy[@]seattlemomblogs[dot]com. I’d love to hear from you!
Tags: parenting
We have a new system for getting rid of toys. We sell them on Craigslist. Our son is 5, and we let him be a part of the process - somewhat. We told him that any money we make from selling toys goes towards buying new toys for him. We’ve been able to get rid of the stuff that is too small. We bought a basketball hoop for him in return for his train table. We also took a large container of smaller toys and listed them as a lot. He is also thrilled that his play area has room for him now.
I leave them on the floor until they get stepped on and crushed. Then I can throw them away….
I like the “vacation” idea, but where do they stay on vacation? I forget where things are when I “store” them!
Well, the thing with vacation is that they often stay gone for a LONG time, since I am not very organized in my storing of things. Generally, they’re in the basement in boxes or in the guest room closet in bags.
And that’s great, Amy, that you’ve been able to sell so much on Craigslist and involve your son in the process. Another good idea.
Thanks!
That is such a cute idea! My older sister wants me to help her organize her garage & toy room - I think I will suggest this as one way to cut down on the clutter.
Becky
http://www.stinkylemsky.typepad.com/
So very smart. They can only play with so many things anyway.
It’s like Christmas, opening up the box a couple months later.
I always try to send the toys away, but like you said, I think it’s harder for me then it is for them! They pick stuff and I am like, no, I like that. It stays.
And when we give birthday gifts at other kids’ houses we give stickers or bubbles– something that will eventually go away!
I used to do that until my oldest, 6 at the time, wrote and illustrated book for her friend for his birthday. All about how a mama takes all the kid’s stuffed animals and gives them away and how the kid searches high and low for them and finally finds that a bunch of homeless kids have them and how the homeless kids give them back and when the kid gets them home he/she decides he/she doesn’t want them anymore because now he/she wants a computer.
That’s a wonderful idea. Right now I’m looking around at all the … ahemm… treausured toys littering my living room floor. Some of it is literally garbage. We still have a scary, singing Santa head that topped a tube of Christmas m&ms. I just need to call Charities for the Blind. We’ll have the blind driver over and pick this stuff up.
Thanks, all, for the comments. Love the “usable” gift idea. Who doesn’t love bubbles?
MamaShift — I’m curious… what sorts of techniques do you use now that your six-year-old is on to you?
My son (now almost five) is picking up on it, too. He told me the other day, “I want to go in the basement and see some toys down there.”
Hey Stacy,
She’s 8 now, so she understood the process of purging we just went through for our move.
But back then, I didn’t touch any of the stuffed animals with a 10-foot pole!
This is a GREAT IDEA! We recently had a major meltdown when Bacon did not get the toy he wanted from a certain Fast Food place. Since then he hasn’t wanted the toy that comes with the meal. Do you know how many less crummy broken toys that leaves in the house and car? A LOT!
I hear you on the one toy out at a time rule. We’ve been working on it and it makes a huge difference. Love the idea of the toys being on vacation.