athomeontheprairie Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 My kids really don't have a lot of toys. they really don't. But, we have a really small house. so it looks like we have tons and tons and tons and tons of toys. It is driving me insane (mind you it's a short drive). it doesn't help that my one year old wants everything out. ALL. THE. TIME. I would really like to go through my house and get rid of half of everything we own. Maybe then my house would stay picked up? or at least look less cluttered? Rant over... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 We got to a toy overflow point (and for me that was still less toys than average.) We live in a small space too and so I had the boys move all the things they play with to the living room. Then they each got $20 fake dollars. Then they earned a fake dollar for everything they got rid of entirely via donating or trashing it. They bought their favorites back from me (I had sets of stuff priced at $5, big toys $3 and small things $1). What was left over went in an out of the way storage closet. They can trade things in their room for stuff in the closet as they want. If their room gets too messy and toy filled again, I will repeat it. They play more when they can see and enjoy what they have. Before every gift giving occasion, they are expected to go through and cull out things they have outgrown. Gifts that are destined to be clutter or ignored get donated or in some cases exchanged. ETA: we did this over a year and a half ago. So far, no need to repeat. And like I said, they enjoy their stuff so much more now. I am not averse to toys all over but it needs to be a manageable amount for them to clean up everyday as we don't have a play room and they share a fairly small bedroom. I didn't count puzzles and games in the buy back because I didn't want to be mean and because those are more group/family activities. I have two shelves in the living room for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 I'm not as clever as Katie with her ingenious toy trading system but I'm done similarly. We declutter multiple times a year and if the children are not able to keep their room clean then I help them declutter again. I believe it is a good skill to teach them. It sounds bad but the kids are always happy when I help them clean and organize. I think our current culture has made the standard of material goods much more than what is needed or good. Sometimes we need to get better routines but more often than not we just have too much stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 I like Katie's system. We'll try that here next time around, I like the incentive for donating/trashing unwanted toys. Currently, we have a few bins in our garage that are the "toy library." When the current toys stop being used consistently, the kiddos can return them to the toy library and check out new toys. We have an ultra small space, and this is the only way to preserve my sanity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athomeontheprairie Posted October 30, 2013 Author Share Posted October 30, 2013 We switch out toys too, though Katie I like your idea. But it isn't just toys, it's the stacks of library books that sit on the bookcases ( this is the easiest and most successful place for them to be). It's the mail sitting on the desk waiting to be gone through by my dh. It's the wonderful LEGO creations my kids have constructed and put on the only counter we have to keep it away from the toddler. the dishes on the counter waiting to be washed. it's the school work that is sitting waiting for us to go through it. Argh! I just want my house picked up and for it to stay that way! Though, if it means ferrying rid of my kids for that to happen I'll keep the mess :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerico Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 ME TOO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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