TOO many toys!!!

Crystal - posted on 01/07/2012

Definitely have the same problem. My kids are older, ages 6 & 4. Everytime a new "present" holiday or bday comes up where we know they will get new toys, we purge some old ones. They help us go thru and pick their favorites (or newest) and then we donate the rest. We've definitely gone through our share of stuffed animals too. I like the idea of rotating too since you have younger kids..they will probably think they are new once they come out again! :)

Jodi - posted on 01/07/2012

Thanks ladies, I like the toy rotation idea...wonder why I didn't think of it myself! I think a part of my problem is...we get all these cheapie toys as gifts, or nice toys as gifts that the girls just don't play with...but I feel guilty throwing them out or giving them away. I guess I just need to get over that huh? lol Thanks again!

Chantal - posted on 01/07/2012

I put all the toys in 4 containers and alternate monthly. The stuff from ELC is the golden toys for me as I find most of them very good for developing skills.

Lydia - posted on 01/07/2012

My Favorites: Lego Duplo, play kitchen, baby dolls, books, wooden puzzles.
They are all separate in boxes. All puzzles in 1 box, all Lego in 1 box... usually it's 1 box out, if she wants to play something else we put first the other thing away. sometimes not...
I really hate toy clutter and I throw out and give away stuff regularly...
1.) throw everything out that has missing pieces and is broken
2.) reduce to one system for building blocks. I love the Duplo so it stayed. I gave away the wooden blocks and I am not buying any other blocks other than Lego Duplo. There is now so many different ones out there and I hate it if you have on set of each but you can't stack them together because they don't fit. So one system but much of it is more fun.
3. I sometimes put stuff away for a while when my daughter is just pulling it out and leaves it a mess. Usually after few weeks without it it's interesting again.
4. Reduce books and puzzles. Find out which ones they go back to, leave the favorites out always. And rotate the rest. like 5 books every week or so. same with puzzles.
5. one doll per girl/kid

Sometimes you just get these useless cheapy gifts that clutter your house... I'll allow this kind of thing to stay (would be a bit cruel to pull away a gift from grandma and throw it out) but the minute it's broken or after few weeks of annoying me I'll throw it out when my daughter is asleep. Usually she doesn't even notice it's missing. You could also ask your daughter if there is any toys she'd like to give away to the church nursery or any other charity...

Sharon - posted on 01/06/2012

I do a toy rotation every 2-3 wks (except for their favs which stay). Anything that doesn't get attention when it comes back out goes away for about 6-8wks, if it still has no love, then it's gone.

Chrystal - posted on 01/06/2012

If they are just out grown developmentally or boring I put them in a box and give them to goodwill. With the rest I've sorted them into 4 boxes and every week I switch out boxes so they don't get over whelmed or bored as fast. I'm not a fan of the noisy toys but the kids are and since they are playing with them not me I let them have them I just turn the volume as low as possible. I like stuffed animals they don't make noise and they don't hurt when I step on them lol

Sarah - posted on 01/06/2012

I have a 4 yr old daughter and a 2 yr old son and I am amazed at the amount of "stuff" they have. We have been purging thing all along but it is never ending! We have passed on the toys they have grown out of, that way they are being uses. I find the kids like to see some old toys at their cousins house, connects them in a way. Otherwise we donate them to local charities. They are always in need of things and they know how/where to distubiute them.
As for favorite toys, they love books and puzzles. My daughter is all girl and loves her baby dolls and princess stuff. My son loves anything that makes noise or has wheels or both. lol.

Maria - posted on 01/06/2012

i have twin girls and i need to clean up their clutter of toys. i am going to get rid of their stuffed animals for sure because they stopped playing with them...they have so many toys...it just keeps piling up. I know how you feel

Liz - posted on 01/05/2012

Anything noisy, flashing, bleeping -- get rid of it.

I like the open-ended, simple wooden toys.