Aside from our basement, which won’t be touched until after the house is decluttered, our children’s toys cause the most clutter. The next area I’ll be focusing on this week is decluttering the children’s toys.
Toy Area 1 with aerial view!
Toy area 2 with aerial view!
I often feel like the Grinch from Dr. Seuss as he grumpily complains about the kids on Christmas, “And then, oh the noise! Oh, the Noise! Noise! Noise! Noise!” Yet instead of noise, I grumpily complain, “And then, oh the toys! Oh, the toys! Toys! Toys! Toys!” The Legos! The super hero figures! The cars! The books! The copious drawings!
I’m going to be doing this first round when the children aren’t home, based on what I’ve observed are their most beloved and used toys. I’ll mostly be keeping my youngest son in mind as I declutter and decide what to donate and throw away. My two older sons are pre-teens and not interested in the toys that are overflowing in the bedrooms.
Different Levels of Attachment
I’ve noticed that all three of my children are different in their attachment and sentimentality towards toys and objects. My oldest son has very few attachments to anything and can release things without a second thought. My middle son is much more likely to hesitate and want to hold onto something “just in case”. He is an inventor and creator, like his father; and like his father, he will hold onto broken things “for the parts”. My youngest son is a blend of his two older brothers.
I recently went through large plastic container of stuffed animals with my youngest and had him choose which ones he felt an attachment to. We were able to donate and discard 70% of the stuffed animals. He was happy with the ones he chose and they are now out on his bed, versus stuffed in a large Sterilite container.
“Kid Clutter is Actually Parent Clutter“
When I read The Minimalist Mom’s statement above, I felt convicted. My lack of intention in the past has been the cause of the slow accumulation of toy clutter:
- I have mindlessly agreed to the toys that my kids have added to their Amazon wish lists.
- I have said “yes” to the free toys and giveaways.
- I have eagerly accepted the bins of toys that my relatives’ children have outgrown.
Parent Intention can reduce Kid Clutter
In the present, however, I feel empowered now to sift through the toys with intention. The promise of a more peaceful house is on the other side. Rolling up my sleeves…
Are you working on decluttering an area of the house this week? Does the statement “Kid Clutter is Actually Parent Clutter” resonate with you?
Great job! Being intentional about what your family brings and keeps in your house will help you keep your sanity. It’s a great lesson for children to learn also. It seems that your oldest has already learned to let go and that’s great! Life isn’t defined by our stuff.
Thanks Stephanie. Yes – that’s one new thing that we will be implementing as a family from here on out! I just wrote that up for my “after” blog post.
Avoiding clutter all starts, I think, with buying less. And saying no thank you. I am on that this year. The house already looks much less cluttered.
Yes Julie! I wholeheartedly agree! We are not big buyers but I’m working on saying “no” to hand me downs and other things people want to pass on (ironically – as they de-clutter)!