Too many toys - how to clear out

[Piplette]

Without causing meltdown!

I have 2 dd's (approaching 3 and 8). I am seriously stressing out about the amount of toys lying around our house.

DD7 doesnt really play with toys (she has Barbie's, Polly pocket, Sylvanian families etc) but only ever goes on her laptop, watches TV or reads books when at home (she also skates, bikes, swims etc and is constantly out playing with friends so doesn't have much time anyway!). She has loads of crafts but DD2 is a nightmare so she never gets to use them.

DD2 also has a tonne of crap that never gets looked at (Duplo/stickle bricks/building blocks etc). She loves baby dolls and has about 8!! Plus buggies/prams/cots/car seats most of which she's inherited from her sister.

Both have birthdays in the next 2 months. Then it's Christmas. It just feels like too much and I suspect they are overwhelmed by it all but also reluctant to give anything away (especially DD7).

Has anyone done a proper clear our and focused on minimal quality toys and how did you manage the transition and also keep their interest in what they do have? My worry is I clear out and then they get bored with what is left and I end up buying more again!

Help!!!

I feel your pain! Hoping someone comes along with words of wisdom. I put stuff in the garage to see if they notice that it’s gone or miss it and they always see it and want it back!

Personally, I like to let them decide. It wont go how you want it, but you will make progress.

I've been putting stuff in the loft but never get round to actually clearing it out.

I like the concept but I know for a fact that this will result in very few toys actually being cleared out!

Im terrible. If they dont play with it. It goes to a local charity
And honestly they rarely ask where it is. If the odd occasion they do, i just say that you didnt play with it, and there are children who would love to play with it that aren't lucky to always get new things.
They generally accept that but if not i say put it on your xmas list ( knowing they will forget)
Never put in loft.

Do they spend time at eg grandparents / aunties houses?

We give good but unused toys to them and suddenly they take on far more interest as there's not as much choice at Grandmas so even less popular toys get played with.

I also have been known to pile up all the eg cuddlies from everywhere in the house on the landing and tell them to save their favourite 10...

Toy rotating

Strict xmas and bday lists to fam and friends

If they really do not touch it, cut down to give to other children via charity shop or marketplace eg keep a box of "best" sylvanian/barbies (I'm a collector and love saving stuff for future kids plus sylvanians are spenny!) then keep one smaller box out in their room, label it
Good toy storage
Cut down on craft stuff just keep some best bits/higher quality stuff or firm favourites
Cut down the babies and prams
Sell on marketplace for them to add in piggybanks or towards new stuff

We go through everything twice a year. If it's broke or missing bits, it goes in the bin.
If I think they don't use it, I ask if it can go to charity. I get about a 50:50 charity:keep ratio.
I also grab stuff at Christmas and birthdays If I know they are duplicates (or close duplicates) and will "pay" to exchange them. I will put some in a regifting box, sell some on Facebook, and charity shop some. I pay well under market rate tho!
Where big collections have been built up over time, I'll give the kids the Facebook marketplace money if they sell.

Give them two boxes each - one for playing and one for storing
Anything that doesn’t fit in the boxes either store in bedroom or remove from house to garage when they’re not around and eventually take to charity shop etc
I NEVER EVER got mine to help with sorting toys afterwards they’d chosen what went on they’re “important “ boxes cos we’d never have got rid of anything!
As for art and crafts, have a storage trolley for those so they all stay together in one place x

Mine have always been pretty good, im conscious about just sorting without asking them as I wouldn't like someone throwing away my belongings. I used to make it a challenge "can you fill this box with toys for little boys and girls who don't have anything to play with". Often saying "you are far too grown up for this, you used to love it when you were (insert age) shall we let another little one show it some love instead of it feeling unloved in your toy box" watching toy story made them think their toys needed lots of love and attention so responded well to that 🤣

Now they are good at sorting for charity and selling bits to buy other things they want (recently dd2 sold her huge paw patrol collection to fund a few rainbow high dolls) we have also sold toys (me and DH sold things of ours too) to do a big day out we couldn't otherwise afford.

I think they need to see us modelling the keep it tidy and only keeping things we need and love too.

I usually ask them to select stuff. They have a one in one out rule on soft toys.

Only once have I bought back a toy from the charity shop after sellers remorse and she still has that one ten years later!

In your shoes (which I have been in with my own kids) I would get rid of the younger kids toys first. Then box up the unplayed with toys of your older children and label and put in loft. You don’t want to be buying those things again. Get them out for the youngest box by box. Then as it becomes clear your youngest has grown out of them, be ruthless and get rid.

I’ve just done this with our books. I keep them back for each of the next child down in a box. Then every 6 months I sort out the bookshelves with new books for everyone from the box that is waiting. And the joy when I get to take a load off the shelf of the youngest child and sell or charity shop them.

I take a similar approach with toys except now I only keep what is good quality (lego, sylvanians, playmobil. I give away the rest.

Try not to let much in to the house - that is the key!