Throwing out toys ... not sure I can do this

[twiglett]

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Look at it 'through the eyes' of the new baby - which one do you think they would like best? Put the others immediately in a black bin bag so you can't see them (minimises dithering later) and take them to charity shop - imagine how thrilled some other little one will be with them!

I have just done this very thing and steeled myself to be heartless!!

I sent mine off to the charity shop. Some mums struggling to put together a nice christmas for their little ones will get the benefit of them that way.

I hate doing it because it wakes me up to the fact that my children are growing up ... fast!!!

But if we have any chance of making room for the christmas stuff then it has to go

If you truely think new baby will use them can you box them and store them in loft or garage?

If not you have to be ruthless. WE have no storage at all and no plans for more babies so we have been doing a sort out before Christmas too, of clothes and toys.

Toys have generally gone to DD's nursery. She still gets to use them if she wants there and the other children get different toys to choose from. Or you could send them to a charity shop or children's hostel type place.

Clothes we pass on to a colleague of DH's. It is the woman's daughter who has a baby about 6 months younger than DD. Apparantly they don't have much money and do struggle at times so feels like a worthwhile place for them to go.

I keep chickening out too - I've done the sort out and throw all the damaged beyond repair toys, but I need to go through and put stuff aside for the baby. Trouble is - how do you know they've stopped playing with them. Ds is 2.5 but he'll still occasionally pull out very baby toys and play with them - feel horribly guilty taking them away to give to his future sibling.

GeorginA, don't feel guilty because the minute the baby goes near them he will whip them away and pretend he cannot live without them, for a few seconds. That is what is happening in my household as I type!

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Lol snowywong! You're probably right!

Actually, what we were thinking of doing is getting a conservatory sometime next year and making it into a playroom to get some room downstairs - was thinking of moving old "everyone can play with these toys" out into there and then the special "new" toys they don't want to share yet can be in their own rooms.

Has anyone else done similar? Does it work well - or am I being hopelessly naive?

I'm clearly a heartless mother... I regularly (about 3 - 4 times a year) have toy throw outs - anything ds hasn't played with for a while, and/or anything that gets on my nerves..! They go to the charity shop - I always do it when he's not here - or dp for that matter, 'cos she gets more upset than he does! I figure there'll be plenty of stuff for new baby to play with - and a good opportunity to do a bit of new toy buying!

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GeorginA
you ar being noble in the extreme, slightly idealistic, but very goodhearted

twiglett could you store the bag under the stairs or in the loft for a month or so - if the toy hasn't been missed by then it's probably safe to take to charity? If missed, you can say "oh, I don't know where it is, I'll have a look later" then extract it ready for the next day after they've gone to bed.

LOL - a lot idealistic I think I blame the pregnancy hormones...

I let my sons decide what to throw out. I give them each a bag (which they decorate) and then they have to fill it. DS2 did this at 2.5 years old. It saves a lot of hassle.

As dd is only 13 months, she wouldn't notice if toys were missing or not, but I haven't got the heart to let anything go.

As for 10 yr old ds, as it's first day of holidays today, I've told him I want him to get at least 2 carrier bags full of toys to go to to the charity shop before he can play on Playstation. He's been down three times so far to ask me if he can ditch this and that and I've gone all sentimental and keep saying no! Of course anything his mum's bought him can go...(wicked wicked stepmother I am)

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LOL

Because we care about them and hate to see them upset hugs you did the right thing.

Now all I have to do is summon my own courage.

Twiglett, I'm right there with you, why are we scared?

FYI my DH's mum burnt all his kiddie toys on a bonfire in the garden when he was about 11. He claims he never suffered any stress from this event, she was being practical not cruel. However he is king toy buyer, mainly from £1 shops and ebay, when it comes to our family.

My mum always relates when her mum gave her favourite teddy to the dog. She's never recovered and has been a horder ever since!

Well I have been known to talk to the furry members of my ds's toy collection so getting rid would be difficult! But the piles of plastic junk with wheels on are going in the loft next week. If he asks for them more than once I'll have to bring them back down i suppose.
There's also a 3 foot crocodile wearing a baseball hat that is definitely heading for Cancer Research.
I get all dribbly-eyed when I think of packing up the baby toys.

I haven't thrown any away either. The worse thing is that what do you do with toys that have been given as pressies ??I live in fear of someone saying - oh does dd still like the XXX toy I gave ...

Pretend you lost it in the park?

Here I've been talking about chucking out and I've been wandering around toy stores thinking "well, I know number 2 isn't due til May but THAT looks a really cool toy ... maybe I'll buy it to put away".... no no no no NO you're trying to chuck stuff OUT WOMAN!

I did manage to restrain myself...