To throw away or give to charity (good ones only) lots of the dcs toys?

[PosieParker]

because they have too much and are jaded with choice and expect material things a lot, because nothing has any value. DP thinks we shouldn't have bought it and it's a waste but lots of it we didn't buy, his parents did and it's rubbish. How much is enough really, dd is under two and dss are 5 & 6? Should their playroom resemble a study area with toys or a multi functional room or a toy shop.
I thought I would pick five things at a time and ask what they'd like to keep, so far the boys have no real attachment to any of their things.....

I feel that my quest will have to be done when dp is at work, I know he'll notice (a bit controlling if you ask me!) but I'm sure he won't be off to the local hospital to retrieve it!!

recently cleared out loads of dd's stuff. but seeing as i have to get baby stuff down from the loft i'm going to have to be even more ruthless.

with reghards clothes, i have 4 piles, stuff to keep for #4, stuff to lend to dsis, stuff to charity shop, and stuff to the ragbin.

You need to get into 'the zone'
I think that helps.

What I mean is you have to get quite cross with the child/ren about something daft, then lose it with their toys when they are happily at Granny's or asleep...I did this after a few years of building up piles of tat/plastic/general electrical cabling and things from the roadside that Ds so loved to adopt

I had bags full of broken junk and rubbish that was not even fit for charity shops.

He was delighted with his 'new' room when he got home, he never noticed anything was missing and I couldn't remember a thing about the whole episode...very cathartic - usually I can't even bring myself to go in his room let alone make decisions about it all...something must have snapped!

Definitely do it.

I noticed a sign at work for students collecting toys to sell at a car boot sale for charity.

First tactic was to ask DS1 (3.5) to choose some toys to give away.

Result - 2 broken cars...

Next tactic, go through all the toy boxes, chuck out the broken stuff, and got 3 big bags plus some books to give.

Some of it was brand new (v. cute soft toys my 2 DS don't play with, brand new Fisherprice plane with sound effects).

I felt a bit funny about giving them away when I know how much they cost, and how much they will be sold for but they are just mouldering away here (AND several came from SIL after I stipulated NO Xmas pressies!).

Feel a whole lot better now it's all gone and the boys have rediscovered loads of stuff. Easier to tidy up too !

Go for it!

PS - don't even tell DH. My DH is a hoarder too - I told him I was getting rid of "some" but didn't let him see the contents of the bags.

Just tell him you've had a "sort-out" - he doesn't need to know if it's in the attic or gone for good!

Hire a skip, it's soooo therapeutic throwing out unneccesary carp.