Inside: Cut down on toy clutter by eliminating these 5 toys today.

Toy clutter can be one of the biggest sources of frustration in a home with children. I know it totally is for me!

After the first couple of holidays and birthdays for my son, it seemed like our toy collection got out of hand quickly. We had cars, trains, legos, balls, you name it, we probably had it. On top of all that we still had the baby toys out that he clearly just dumped out of the toy bucket to get to something else.

And then every day before bed we would pick up All. The. Toys. And let’s be real it was mostly me picking up all. the. toys because, well, my son was 2! I was overwhelmed and knew I had to do something different.

Before I did a major overhaul of all the toys I quickly went through and decluttered the below list of toys and, let me tell you, it made a huge difference. It was not perfect, far from it, but it was a great place to start and I felt like I could breathe a little bit easier in our home. Phew!!

Toys with broken or missing pieces.

Am I the only one who can’t seem to keep all the pieces together? I don’t know how my mom did it or how people can sell whole sets in garage sales! We seem to lose stuff faster than you can say garage sale.

Trinkets from gift bags, fast food happy meal toys, freebies from wherever.

I don’t know what it is about these things, but they are kid magnets! My son loves these little *junky* toys! I think it’s ok to have them around for a few days, but once they have lost their allure it’s time to pitch them.

Toys kids have outgrown.

Anyone with more than one kid knows that the baby wants to play with the big kid toys. I tried to get my baby to play with baby toys but she really didn’t care too much for them! I had a few car seat toys and the rest just sat in a box untouched or were just dumped out for the most part. It’s been helpful for me to remove the toys that my kiddos have outgrown, otherwise, they are just dumped and cause more frustration for me!

Toys kids are not interested in.

This is similar to the last item, but it’s a little different in that the toys may be age appropriate. But for whatever reason, your kids just aren’t into them, and that’s ok. But to eliminate the clutter and stress, get rid of them!

Multiples of toys.

In other words, toys that do the same thing. Maybe your kid is into trucks or balls. But do you really need 10 of each??? Probably not!

>>> Related Post: 5 Tips to Combat Toy Clutter

And now that you have decluttered the toys on the list above, this is how you should feel!

Phew!! That is a great accomplishment!

I am learning that it’s important to be intentional with our toy choices and stay on top of the clutter before it becomes overwhelming.

I am also learning that this decluttering thing is not a one and done venture. As kids grow their interests change and so do their toys. Staying on top of the toy clutter will help combat the overwhelm!

>>> Related Post: 8 Steps to Clear the Clutter + FREE Checklist 

Keep Reading

Raised Good’s Free Simplifying Childhood Challenge – This is a short e-course that devotes the first two days to simplifying toys. Definitely worth a read.

The Toy Detox course from Simple Families – I completed this course and it has practical information about the why’s of simplifying toys as well as the how’s of simplifying toys.

Top 25 Toys from Simple Families – I refer to this site for gift ideas for my own children and for others.

A Helpful Guide for Decluttering Toys – I love anything on the becoming minimalist site.  This is a great article for parents just starting out on this simple living journey.

The 20 Toy Rule – This mom chose 20 toys for her playroom and packed up the rest.  The bottom line is that kids thrive on fewer toys, no matter how many you choose to keep or not keep.

Simplifying Your Playroom – This article has some great tips on what to look for in toys that you do decide to bring into your home.

How do you keep the toy clutter at bay in your home?

If you are ready to tackle even more clutter in your home download your FREE 8 Steps to Clear the Clutter checklist! You can also read this post for more details.

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