Operation Toy Control
If you are looking for the ultimate pre-holiday hack, a serious toy purge is in your immediate future! Clear the way for new toys, crafts and electronics that will be entering your home during the holidays while taking a real time inventory of what your kiddos already have (and then quickly inform the grandparents that you are all set on puzzles from now until the kids go to college). Here are a few easy steps to feel good going into December and armed with a plan post holidays!
Step 1: Remove the children! Have a willing partner or family member take your kiddos off site while you go through your kids' "treasures." Attempting to keep them in the house while you go through their belongings is like brushing your teeth and eating oreos.
Step 2: Categorize - Dolls, trucks. crafts, games, etc. This will help you see what you have (25 Barbies is too many, we don't care how good the movie was).
Step 3: Purge with authority - We are absolutely not suggesting you throw out your kiddos A Team toys and belongings (we don't want to be responsible for their therapy in 10 years!). We're talking about dried out markers, the game that is never played (we're looking at you, Mouse Trap!), puzzles with missing pieces and a Peppa with one arm. They won't miss it!
Step 4: Purgatory - Only when in doubt, create a "toy purgatory" with items you are unsure they will come asking for. If no one has inquired about an item in the category for a month, out it goes.
Step 5: Create or refresh your systems - We love a cubby with pull out baskets if you have the space. Each basket should have its own category and ideally has a label (the clip on variety are super easy to add to containers). Your goal here is to ensure there is extra space for incoming gifts!
Step 6: Create toy rotation/overflow - If you have too much to accommodate in your current system but don't want to part with, create a large bin for toys that can live in an out of the way place (i.e. your garage or storage closet). Rotate these toys back in when they will be received with excitement after going away for a bit.
Received too much during the holidays? Lucky kids! Put aside excess toys to bring out for a (literal) rainy day, forgotten classmate's birthday or donate to a worthy cause!
Keep systems simple! Clear, easy sized bins to allow kids to get involved in the clean up!