Decluttering the playroom (toys, etc).

[ChristusG]

How in the world do I declutter the playroom? I've gone through multiple times and cleared all out junk toys, anything they do not play with, all babyish toys, etc. However, they STILL cannot keep it clean. That tells me that they have too many things. It looks like Toys R Us in there!

 

But I cannot figure out what to get rid of. They have a lot of very nice toys. And the thing is....they DO play with them. They'll go through a week of playing with houses/buildings. They have about 10 different house-type structures....from a Little People house to a Little People barn to Precious Places fold out houses. They will set up a town and play with it every day for a week. Then it won't get played with for a little while. But then they'll go through a week of playing with American Girl items. They set up an area with a table for them, drag out all of their clothing, etc. Then it won't get played with for a while. They do this with all of their things.

 

Right now, the floor is strewn with a bunch of little things....EVERYWHERE. All big things are put on the shelves. But there's American Girl clothes, shoes, small animals, paper dolls, knights, pretend food ALL OVER THE FLOOR.

 

Yes, I've tried putting everything in it's own bin....and it works to a degree. Everything is separated and has its own home. Yes, I've done the "clean the playroom right before bedtime" thing. But if we get rushed at night, that's the first thing cut out. I like for the kids to go to bed on time, so if we are running behind, we just forfeit cleaning the playroom. And then it just goes downhill from there.

 

I have no idea what I'm asking for here LOL. Ideas? Sympathy? I just don't know what to get rid of, if anything. I've already cleaned out everything they truly don't use very much.

[Chris in VA]

Maybe not get rid of things, just pare down what's available--store a lot in the garage and YOU choose what they have for each week. Make enough available that they can still do the big and complicated play they want to, but not so much that it's really too much to handle. That's one thing--then...

 

Perhaps a change in your evening routine would help. Close the playroom before dinner and don't open it again until after school is done (or whatever works for you) the next day. Clean up, not at bedtime, but half an hour before dinner time.

Make after dinner your time to do something together--go for a walk, do a devotion, watch something, play a family game, go to the park, etc. Is there time for this in your evening? I know some families eat really late, or go to bed early.

[snickelfritz]

I would pack things up for......a month??? at a time and rotate them out. If it's an item that gets played with daily, leave it out. Those houses?? Pack them up.

 

For us, it's the Brio train set, legos, & marble run. They are nice toys, but tThey have lots of pieces and the girls go through cycles of playing with them. OTOH, my 5 year old consistently plays with her dollhouse, barbies, LPS....so, I leave those available.

Edited April 26, 2011 by snickelfritz

[BlsdMama]

You could do what we did and get rid of all things electronic & plastic.

 

That will thin it out QUICKLY. :)

 

Then get three milk crates and only allow what fits in them with the exception of dress up clothing.

 

You'll only choose what you LOVE. The rest? Gone.

[fairfarmhand]

you need tall shelves.

 

Anything with a billion components goes on a Tall Shelf. Only mom gets it out. And in order for mom to get an item off the Tall Shelf, the other things with small components must be returned to the Tall Shelf.

 

I do pare down even things that they play with if it just becomes too much. I tell them to pick out 5 stuffed animals. The rest go to Granny's yard sale. (they like to help Grandma make money)

 

It gets to where I dread birthdays and Christmas because it will add to the mess.

[merry gardens]

Maybe not get rid of things, just pare down what's available--store a lot in the garage and YOU choose what they have for each week. Make enough available that they can still do the big and complicated play they want to, but not so much that it's really too much to handle....

.

:iagree:

Garage, closet, storage benches, somewhere else that they can NOT access. Get out only what they can care for within a reasonable amount of clean up time. Then rotate what is out. It'll be like Christmas for them, seeing "new" toys they had forgotten! I rotate toys about once a month, always having some type of building toys and some type of stuffed animals, some type of plastic characters, but not every single item they own.

[SweetMissMagnolia]

whenever I de-clutter zach's room/toys,I go through broken stuff first and that goes into trash...next comes anything that's maybe too young for him (unless it's something he's really attached to)...then comes things he doesn't play with anymore (happy meal toys,etc)... :glare: I really need to figure out what to do with all the video game cases...that's my dilema right now.... zach has cubbies in his room for storeage and a bookcase and shelves for books--the cubbies really need to be replaced though...

[Cera]

My kids are close to the same age as yours and I keep around 75% of their toys packed in bins in the garage. We switch things out every Sunday afternoon. It works well and has the added benefit of things being new when they are brought back out (most toys are out for 1 week each month).