Best way to get rid of toys - without tantrums!

[CountessDracula]

DD's bedroom is being decorated etc next week so I am sorting out her room

She has ludicrous numbers of cuddly toys (16 rabbits, 20 bears to name but a very few) I have laid them out on the bed in the spare room with a view to culling them. Now should I just do it or should I get her to - easy excuse to her is that we need more room for the xmas influx (oh god) and that there are other children who would take good care of them and love them.

She is only just 3 - which approach would be best?

As a child I adored my soft toys and would have been gutted if anyone had got rid of them without me asking, hence the rather wet question!

but does anyone really want second hand cuddlies?

I always feel guilty - I am a terrible mummy who culls after dark . DD is only 2 1/2... I have told myself that I will only do it up until the age of about 4. Again, I would have been gutted if my mum had done it.

I tend to take toys away, and hide them for a few weeks - if there has been no mention in that time, then assume that they are free to be loved by someone else

I can't imagine any of my children ever saying they don't want one of their cuddly toys, regardless of whether they actually play with them or not. I do use Starlover's technique for getting rid of other toys though: put the ones I want to get rid of away in a abga without saying anything, and see if they mention them or not.

Carlk I have two Pos, one so vile you wouldn't want is and the other nice, when you push it over it giggles and wiggles its legs. I will try and nudge dd in the direction of getting rid of it and you are most welcome to it!

When I say nice I mean by po standards....

"right tarquin, half your toys are going to the santa recycle, old for new thats santas motto - go sort them out. the ribbish sacks are under the sink.... you got 15 mins before i get on the phone and tell santa your pissing about"

My dd (8) got rid of 42 but only cos she was going to get a new one from Nana if enough old ones went

PMSL @ Tarquin, custy (wrong sex tho)

Hmm total thrown out so far = ZERO

Approach failing

Hold 2 and say which one stays

Then bin the other

repeat as necessary

Sorry but that is awful! How would you feel if someone said to you "Ok I have two of your CDs here, which one do you want to keep?"

(Or, if not CDs, substitute some other prized possession).

I don't ask my kids at all, I do it when they are not there.

I don't think that is a bad thing. I never throw out anything that they play with, but if I can't remember it being used in the last 6mths-12mths then it goes.

If I didn't do that then they'd have no room for new stuff.

No Nutty, I agree with that, but I had horrible images of a tearful child being shown two loved teddies and being told to choose which one goes. Bit Sophie's Choice ish.

same here nutty. i know which ones are chesrished as they are dogged eared, chewed grubby things lol.

Oh god no LM I couldn't do that.

I have to have a toy cull soon actually, need to make space for Santa, well not the actual bloke but the stuff he will insist on bringing