Dealing with a swollen toy box or a cluttered playroom are common issues following a birthday or the Christmas holiday. While having to part with a beloved toy can be traumatic for children, a playroom that is too cluttered to use is of no benefit to anyone. A few helpful ideas can help you to free up some much-needed space without having to deal with tears and tantrums.
More Storage
Clutter that has been properly sorted, organized and stored is no longer clutter. Extra bins, more shelving space or the addition of a bookshelf or similar item that can help keeps toys up off the floor can often have a major impact. The fist step towards dealing with the problem is to assess how much storage space you have and how efficiently it is being utilized.
Purge Unwanted Items
Even the most orderly environments can only fit so many toys. Getting rid of unwanted items and donating older toys that are no longer of much interest is often necessary in order to free up space for Christmas gifts or birthday presents. Encouraging your child to take part in a toy drive or teaching them more about a specific charity can also be a rewarding experience.
Rotating Toys
It may not always be necessary to get rid of a toy permanently. Rotating toys in and out of storage can help to keep things fresh, especially for when younger siblings get old enough to play with certain toys. Before you get rid of items you should make sure what works and what doesn’t. Keeping plenty of alkaline C cell batteries on hand ensures that any toy brought out of the attic or up from the basement will be powered up and read to go. If it doesn’t work with new batteries don’t add them to your rotation. Go ahead and get rid of it.
Start Off Alone
Too much participation from your children can become a real issue. Making the first pass without them can allow you to avoid many fights and battles. There are plenty of toys that can disappear without issue that could be a problem in situations where children are asked to give them up.
Get the Kids to Help
While too help can be problematic, failing to consult with your kids can also be a misstep. Getting them to help you out provides them with the opportunity to point out any oversights that may have been made. Finding out, too late, that you’ve gone and donated your child’s favorite toy is a situation that you would do well to avoid.
