Toy Overload: What to Do

As a mother of 2 precious little mess makers, I know first hand how challenging it can be to keep a house clean when there seem to be more toys around the house then furniture! While I sat in the middle of my living room after all of the presents had been opened, I wondered where we were going to put all of the beeping and singing toys. I literally couldn’t even see my carpet! That’s when it hit me; there has to be something good that can come of all of the unused toys that are keeping my house cluttered.

I began looking into some different options for paring down to the newest and favorite toys while still keeping in mind that 2 year olds and 4 year olds change what they play with as often as John Mayer changes celebrity girlfriends. In the past I had always shoved all of the toys that weren’t being played with into a closet and would occasionally bring them back out to be appreciated again after they were long forgotten about by my boys. As much as I enjoyed seeing them “rediscover” their old toys, it didn’t help with the shortage of space and I really was running low on hiding places.

After some online and local searching, I discovered some really rewarding and surprisingly lucrative possibilities that every frazzled mother could benefit from:

Thrift Stores
One of the easiest things to do with your unwanted toys and clothing is to donate them to a local Thrift or Bargain store. Simply gathering the items and throwing them all into a black garbage bag and then dropping them off is not only quick and painless, it helps out local struggling stores by providing them with free merchandise for them to sell. I have been recycling unwanted clothing and knick knacks at my local Bargain Bin and have developed quite a nice relationship with the owner. In turn, I am given a frequent donor discount on anything I might find worth buying. All around it’s a great option and you know what they say, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

Children’s Hospitals
Similarly, when dealing with children’s toys, there are many organizations in most cities that accept donations for the less privileged and homeless children in your local area. Some Children’s Hospitals may accept used toys for their playrooms, but they prefer to have new, unopened toys that can be given to patients who are too sick to leave for the holidays. I know our family had many gifts that are still not opened and it warms my heart to think that the sick children could use them to make their holiday season be as joyous as ours. It can be an amazing lesson for your children to see that there is more good that can come from donating their toys to someone in need. Check out local shelters and soup kitchens for details and locations where you can drop off new and used items.

Consignment Shops
An option for those who would like to turn their unused toys into cash is the resale store. Local consignment shops give you a percentage of the sale of your item, but the downside to that is that you often have to wait until the item is sold to see the money. Also, many stores typically desire toys that are in “like-new” condition and can turn away many nice toys.

Craigslist/ Online Resale Sites
Another alternative to resale shops is selling your children’s products on a website like Craigslist.com and RockaBuyGear.com. I have had great success with selling items individually with full color pictures and local pickup and I highly recommend utilizing these great sites for some of the bigger toys and merchandise. You can also purchase toys and gently used clothing from other moms who are cleaning out their closets as well.

From local and charitable donating to earning some extra spending cash, there are some really fabulous ways to keep your playroom from taking over your house. However you chose to rid yourself of the clutter this year, I can attest that there truly is no better feeling than a clean house and smiling kids. Each and every time I see my children happily playing with the toys that they are blessed to have, I will be thankful that my biggest complaint is too many toys. Good luck with your toy removal and Happy “Clutter-Free” New Year!