Tell me to stop being sentimental and get rid of all my child’s old clothes, unused toys and plastic tat!

[overwhelmedsinglema]

I REALLY need to tidy out my five year old’s room! It has a large built in wardrobe full of old toys and bags of clothes I’ve put on Vinted but have never sold. In the actual room is another small wardrobe and storage full of toys she never plays with anymore (think loads of plastic tat). Under the bed is all her old bedding from her cots etc! I am a single mum, so get very little time on my own to do a big clear out but I know if get rid of 80% of the stuff in the room (including the extra wardrobe) it will be less cluttered and she will have much more room to play! Can someone tell me to stop being so sentimental and just get to it!

Yes do it! I do sympathise though.

Start with the easiest types of items (whatever you feel least sentimental about). I gave a lot away on facebook and Freegle- spent some time carefully ironing clothes. Finding and cleaning pieces of toys etc. then it felt like passing the things on rather than getting rid.

Another trick if possible is to put things in the loft for a bit as they lose their familiarity and are easier to pass on.

Don't wait for it to sell on Vinted - bag it all up and hand it into a charity shop - that way, people can get clothes they likely can't afford brand new and, when someone buys them, the money goes to charity!

I've kept a wee "memory box" for my little one. It's got her first pair of shoes, the hat and little knitted/crochet toy she got when she was born, the first onesie she was put in after she was born and a wee lock of hair she cut off and proudly announced to me earlier this year! Everything else is going to charity, to my mum's friend who has new grandchildren or in the bin (clothes covered in paint etc)

I'd suggest putting 2 or 3 particularly favourite toys (preferably not huge ones) and items of clothing to one side and getting rid of the rest.

There is no way that everything in a large built in wardrobe holds equal sentimental value. So focus on the few things that do.

It's just stuff was my attitude! I have memories (and a few photos) of now adult children in their favourite outfits with or without favourite toys (as changeable as the weather). The actual things are just clutter.

Put toys on marketplace and get a few pounds in the run up to Christmas and then take everything else to the charity shop.

I make memory bears (and other assorted animals, cushions etc) and have made many from favourite baby and toddler outfits. It's a nice way to have a keepsake without it being just a piece of clothing. Perhaps look into that for your 'must keep' items?

I kept the outfit that I brought DD home from hospital in and her first pair of shoes. I donated the rest to a pregnant friend.

I just don't have room to keep stuff that I no longer need.

Bag it up and get rid as soon as possible.

I’ve just done this over the last couple of days. Been to the tip today (clothing bank did very well) and gave 3 bin bags worth of clothes, books and almost new toys to a charity shop.
I feel so much better and DD has much more space in her bedroom.
It’s a chore to sort it, but definitely worth it.

If donating to the charity shop it would be beneficial to bag the toys up with all their relative components rather than donating a massive bag of plastic tat. As a former charity shop worker, we never had time to check all the pieces were there or sort them all out. It would always go in the bin. I’m talking about lots of little bits and pieces all thrown in a bag

DD is a bit of a hoarder.
I have been quite successful in once telling her that it is just selfish to keep things she doesn't need and that someone would really enjoy wearing stuff that she doesn't use/gathering dust.
I don't advocate guilt tripping as a main parenting plan but it is true!

Maybe you could think of some of it like that?

My kids are 30 and 32. I found some of their framed nursery paintings the other day. Going to photograph them and put on computer
Good luck.