Decluttering children's rooms

[Beansandcheesearegood]

I tried to declutter with my dd11 & ds9. They want to keep everything! Ds9 has toys from years ago- toy story, dinosaurs etc that he doesn't want to part with but doesn't play with! Dd11 has a small room and there's a limit but she has so much stuff she doesbtvyse- ornaments etc.
Any ideas on ways to declutter? I'm now at the point that they can't but anything new as we have no space!

Suck it in the attic, if they don’t ask for it in a couple of months bin it.

This is exactly what I do- up in the attic and if they don't ask for it I pop it up on facebook marketplace nearer Xmas time.

Take photos. DS didn’t want to let go of anything until I thought of photos as a way to remember toys.

Give them a box each to put the bits they want to keep in. If it doesn’t fit, they can’t keep it. Smaller rooms need more work to keep tidy.

Do a Stacey Solomon. Lay it all out somewhere. They can keep 5 things each. The rest goes.

I tell them I’ll try selling it on fb and they can buy new things with the money. In the run up to Christmas I ask them to choose what to donate so other kids whose parents can’t afford it can get Christmas presents. Failing that I have a complete ban on new things if any kind because there’s nowhere to put it.

What I never do is ignore that their stuff is theirs and go behind their backs. That triggers hoarding and is also massively unfair. My parents did it and I’m still livid 30 years on.

Hmmm I'm torn. I never had very many toys/belongings - I remember at age 13 I had 1 'toy drawer' and a bookcase - I know I didn't technically play with toys at 13, but these were some of my old toys. I had a wooden jigsaw with holes in it for houses and trees etc., probably made for children up to about 3 years old but I still had it and it was MINE! I went to boarding school and one holidays when I came home it was gone. My mother had given it away, without asking me. I don't remember ever being asked about getting rid of any of my things.

I think it's important to include your children in the decision of what to get rid of. I'm sure there will be loads of good ideas on here as to how to do that.

I agree. Let it be their decision.

I used to find things handed down to my brother (when I still used them) or given away and it makes me feel very panicky getting rid of anything now because I know how I felt when I wanted them back.

Give them the option between selling and keeping the money or choosing to give them to someone who may love it.

I'd just hold fire, op. It won't be long and they'll have grown up a bit more and will be happy to get rid of it.

I'm now at the point that they can't but anything new as we have no space!

You've solved it yourself there OP. It's their choice. They can keep what they have or if they want something new something else has to go. Let them choose.