Tell me to stop eyeing these boxes with such anxiety

[Wenjie]

I already posted on here that my ILs got my youngest a giant dollhouse. DH called them and returned it, so I should be happy. But there's a total of 31 packages that have arrived. And yes, many are small. But our home is so small and I'm so nervous that I'm literally having trouble falling asleep at night because I keep thinking about these boxes!

31!?!?!
My blood pressure would be through the roof.

Packaging can take up an awful lot of space, remember. And at the end of January you can have a toy clearout of all the things your dc don't play with - new or old. You don't need to tell your IL's....

31 boxes of gifts from the ILs?
Open some and return the excess to them

You could donate them to a Christmas charity.

I used to open the gifts and sort through so some were saved for summer - activity packs, some saved for end of January dull days or snow days, duplicates went to friends.

Take control!!

@Totalwasteofpaper I opened all the ones for my 8 year old so far. It's mostly little things, and some is an entire box for just one package of sweets. And there's books, markers, batteries.

All from your inlaws?! Are they mad!?

@FlipFlops4Me Yes! Packaging does take up a lot of space. Maybe it would make me feel better to open (and repackage) the rest of them.

@NynaeveSedai I feel like I can't return anymore because I already made such a big deal about the dollhouse. I know it's not true, but it's how I feel.

That is excessive. I would open to them all and put selected ones into a gift bag as their present. Save the rest for another time unless they are all very cheap little things so they can have the lot.

@BluebellsGreenbells Oh, you sound so reasonable! There's a part of me that feels like I'm a mean and petty daughter in law unless I let them all be given for Christmas as intended.

That's a lot of gifts - maybe some can be kept at their house?

I do think however that it's odd you're opening gifts up and rewrapping them? How do you find time?!

Store them in the loft, the garage or the boot of your car if you have one. Or any cupboard. Just not where you can see them or trip over them. Out of sight does help if you can find a suitable place.

@converseandjeans

That's a lot of gifts - maybe some can be kept at their house?

I do think however that it's odd you're opening gifts up and rewrapping them? How do you find time?!

Some people are good at time management. Not sure why that would come as such a surprise!

I don’t think it’s got anything to do with time management and that’s rather rude to the previous poster. I wouldn’t have time to do this and I’m very good at managing my time but it’s causing the op anxiety where I wouldn’t feel that way, so I can see why she would choose to prioritise it.

Could you make a lucky dip box of goodies - using lots of the small things and some of the wrapping etc? I used to love lucky dip as a kid...

I think people are suggesting OP opens the amazon boxes and removes all the excess packaging that way, not rip off wrapping paper and casually chuck the contents into the toy box with no ceremony!

Just a different perspective, my in-laws never bothered with presents for their grandchildren. A book token or cash was they most effort they ever made. I always found it really sad that they wouldn't make the effort to think of a gift the dc would enjoy. It wasn't a financial issue, they simply couldn't be bothered.

I can see this is stressful for you, but my first thought on reading your OP is the hat your dc are lucky to have GPs that love them and want them to be happy.

@RaininSummer This is what they sent for my 8 year old daughter. Mind you, this is only one of my kids!

Wooden magnetic fishing game; fennec fox toy animal, koala toy animal, unicorn toy animal, dog toy animal, llama toy animal, Super Mario video game, Pet Clinic video game, a book called Lisette the Vet, 10 "rainbow" dry erase markers, 6 "neon" dry erase markers, magnetic felt eraser, batteries, a pink rucksack, plastic stethoscope; light up & sound unicorn, unicorn lip gloss; sour fruit flavored sweets; a small pink bag; four Minecraft books, unicorn pillow, chocolate, A Wrinkle In Time; I Want to be a Vet activity book, a hardcover book filled with color photos of animals

@converseandjeans They moved far away a couple years ago and neither of us have visited each other since. But they talk often to my children.

@SequinnedShawl None are wrapped. I just opened the boxes, made a note of the contents, and taped it back up. I still need to wrap the presents for my in laws.

Maybe they feel as they don't see them (their choice too so not saying your fault!) they save up through the year money they would have otherwise spent on little bits. Perhaps next year send them a suggestion of one more expensive present in the hope it stops the small stuff? If she is interested in animals sounds like thoughtful presents at least.

OP I feel your pain, my ILs are totally OTT at Christmas and birthdays and actually all through the year. They turn up with piles of wrapped presents every single time we see them - thankfully this is only once every few months. The DC say things like 'oh we love when GPs come because they always bring presents!' they also like to buy them entire wardrobes worth of clothes and will turn up 'with DCs summer wardrobes'

It does affect your MH having so much stuff thrust upon you and having to deal with it. I think in your situation (where you have been sent the boxes of stuff to unpack and wrap for the kids) you are perfectly within your rights to weed out any doubles or anything that could be kept aside for spring/summer. It's hard to then find the storage space for it.

I tried to suggest a family pass for an attraction this year but that fell on deaf ears and a huge pile of stuff has been bought again. For all 3 DC.

[quote Wenjie]@RaininSummer This is what they sent for my 8 year old daughter. Mind you, this is only one of my kids!

Wooden magnetic fishing game; fennec fox toy animal, koala toy animal, unicorn toy animal, dog toy animal, llama toy animal, Super Mario video game, Pet Clinic video game, a book called Lisette the Vet, 10 "rainbow" dry erase markers, 6 "neon" dry erase markers, magnetic felt eraser, batteries, a pink rucksack, plastic stethoscope; light up & sound unicorn, unicorn lip gloss; sour fruit flavored sweets; a small pink bag; four Minecraft books, unicorn pillow, chocolate, A Wrinkle In Time; I Want to be a Vet activity book, a hardcover book filled with color photos of animals[/quote]
This almost sounds like they’ve asked the 8 year old to write a wish list and then bought the whole lot - without any thought of moderation!!

Can you go through the parcels and separate out anything like batteries, markers and stuff that is needed to ‘complete’ another gift. Then go through and separate out books, activity items, soft toys, games and sweets. Make smaller bits up into a stocking (especially if they’re things that will ‘run out’ or be finished quickly (sweets, lip gloss etc) then sit the rest between birthday and Christmas piles - 1/2 soft toys for each perhaps.

Once you’ve done all that, is there somewhere you can store the stuff once you’ve made 2 piles? So, if you have a pile of birthday things, can they go in a bag in the back of the airing cupboard or back of your wardrobe?

We did similar with our toddler twins and the sheer volume of they’d they got for their first birthday and Christmas that wasn’t age appropriate (and we’ve got a pile of age 3+ things that we may give them this Christmas or may leave till their birthday) then we’ve a pile of things such as books to replace the baby ones that have been repaired because they’ve not been careful so, when we put stuff out on Christmas Eve, we’ll take damaged books out of their book box ready for the new ones to replace once opened.

What was the issue with the dolls house, that's as nice present,better than boxes and boxes of tat they won't play with surely?