What if any toys would you consider essential?

[incywincy]

Ds1 aged 5 and a clutter junkie is away this weekend so am making the most of the opportunity and having a major clearout (at least 2/3 I hope). We are bursting at the seams with all the toys games and books but they are all used a lot so I can't decide what has to go. But I am determined to be the mean mummy and go they must as every room has been overtaken and the house looks like a toy factory exploded.

So far I am keeping Duplo, books, wooden train track, bikes, playmobil, outdoor trampoline and swingset. We have everything else you can think of and probably some more. I have ds1 aged 5.3 and ds2 aged 2.4 and look after a friends dd aged 12 months 5 days a week. Any help or advice gratefully received.

Ps they will be found a new home at oxfam

Oxfam may not take them (at least local Oxfams don't do any more, they were overflowing with toys). However... I have been packing boxes of toys in the attic, as soon as DS gets bored I just exchange the toys. It is working well and even saving me some money, some of the toys that come down he has not seen in more than a year so the novelty is back.

I donated some to the local hospital and doctors/baby clinic.
I would deffo put away some in boxes and rotate them now and again- especially with having 3 children to entertain.

If you have any 'classics' then put them in the attic for grandchildren.
You won't regret it. MIL has kept loads of lego and meccano and ds is realy benefitting from them.
You have children of different ages there - are you sure you want to get rid of 2/3 of their things? How do they feel about it?

spend £2.10 on a copy of Play With A Purpose For Under Sevens - it'll make you re-examine the whole shebang.

if they are in good condition I'm sure the mumsnet christmas appeal would appreciate them

Thanks for all the responses, lots of things I hadn't considered, was just coming from the aaargh sea of crap, wheres the floor perspective .

I hadn't thought of rotating them so will now definitely do that, have moved a lot out to the garage.

We live in a very small house with no room for any more storage and the quantity is way way too much for the (lots of) storage that we do have. They are the youngest children in my large family and everyone passes toys on to us as well as giving them presents for birthdays, christmas and two eids a year. So I wanted to pare it down to a manageable amount hence why I asked what would be considered the essentials - the playmobil I mentioned for example is the pirate ship, noahs ark, dolls house, fire engine, bin truck, hovercraft, car, helicopter, aeroplane amongst others.

Will definitely get the book and contact about the christmas appeal.

Books, DVD's, Lego, train track, play doh, crayons and textas, paints, trampoline, balls, scooters, bubbles, stacking cups - we still use them in the bath - I should really get rid of all the Little People stuff probably, not to mention all the little crap toys and stuff that holds their attention for 5 mins.