Do you sometimes feel like toys are taking over your house?
Sneaking into every nook and cranny until you don’t even remember what it was like to sit on the couch binge watching your favorite show without an army of stuffed animals as your viewing companions?!
Let me tell you. You. Are. Not. Alone.
I am without a doubt a text book type A, always planning down to the smallest detail, organizing, and making lists.
And even I at times find myself looking around and wondering “where the heck did all of this come from?!”
But the good news is, that no matter how bad it is (yes really, no matter HOW bad!) it’s never ever ever too late to regain control of the toy situation, and teach your kids some important life skills in the process!
This guide will show you step by step how to finally eliminate excess toy clutter, and manage it easily from now on!
Of course if your kids (or you!) aren’t used to decluttering toys regularly, then there may be a bit of an adjustment period while everyone learns to work together, but in the end you will have achieved a shared goal of less clutter and more play!
Keeping that in mind, let’s start with a few easier steps first…
(Be sure to join the newsletter so that you can get the FREE printable toy declutter checklist that goes with this guide, to make sure you’re taking the right steps TODAY!)
Lead by example
It really does start with you!
It will be much easier for your kids to get rid of their things if they frequently see you doing the same.
This can help teach them that stuff is just stuff, and it’s okay to let go!
As well as teaching them that they aren’t the only ones expected to get rid of things!
If they are resistant to the idea, remind them of all the things you’ve gotten rid of to make room for new things or to keep your home from being cluttered.
Even kids can appreciate the benefits of having a clean and decluttered house!
You can even offer to let them help you declutter another area of the house before starting on their own things.
This can be something as simple as a single drawer or shelf, but be sure to point out how much nicer everything looks, and how much easier it is to find what you’re looking for once you’re finished!
This might get them thinking about how much easier it would be to find a specific toy when they want it!
Or even how much more room they would have to play if they did the same thing with their space!
Seeing the difference a little decluttering can make might just help give them the push they need to tackle their stuff next!
Even if your kids are still too young to help declutter their own toys, I would still highly suggest you make sure you are setting a good example and allowing them to watch/help with your own personal decluttering.
Kids watch every move we make, and so staying on top of your own clutter will help them to eventually do the same once they’re older!
Tackle it all at once
When you sit down to go through your kid’s toys, you should make sure you have a decent stretch of free time to work with, and that you have EVERY SINGLE toy in front of you to go through (be sure to check under the couch and any other areas your kids frequently lose toys in before you start!)
Tackling this entire project all at once may seem daunting at first, but it will actually save you a ton of time in the long run!
By stopping part-way through and then trying to continue later, you’ll likely loss track of what you’ve went through and what you haven’t since toys might be rearranged or misplaced.
Also if you don’t throw out broken toys, or put up toys to be gotten rid of right away, your kids might change their minds about getting rid of them, and either mix them up with the rest of the toys once again, or even try to hide them from you!
Either way it’s just double the work for you, so save yourself the headache and wasted time by doing it all in one go!
Throw away anything broken
Starting with broken toys will likely be easiest for both you and your kids.
Be careful not to fall into the trap of keeping things because you will “fix it later”
If there are toys you truly believe you can and will repair, then set them aside in an area you won’t forget about them.
If they’re still there after a week, it’s time to throw them out!
Make a rule that any broken toys are gotten rid of!
This not only helps to cut down on how much stuff they have, but also will hopefully help teach them to take good care of the things they have!
Get rid of any doubles
Doubles of the same toy are almost always unnecessary, even if you have multiple kids.
Limiting toys this way can actually help encourage kids to share!
Kids actually also tend to play more, and more independently for longer periods of time when they have fewer toys. If it feels difficult just remind yourself that you are helping them to rediscover what they have!
And often when kids have multiples of the same toy, you can narrow it down to just keeping the one that is the highest quality (or the most played with, a “favorite”) and getting rid of the rest.
Out with the unused
Kids grow out of toys rapidly, and even the ones that used to be favorites will usually get forgotten at one point or another and replaced by something new.
You probably know pretty well what they play with and what they don’t, and so if you haven’t seen a particular toy being played with for several weeks (or even months) consider getting rid of it.
If you know your kids haven’t played with a toy in a long while, but they are still reluctant to part with it, you can always try putting those toys up for a week or two, if your kids forget about them then you are probably safe to let them go!
The only exception to this should be if a toy is too advanced or not age appropriate yet, but you feel like they will definitely use it once they’re a bit older.
And even then I would be very careful about buying or keeping any toys that they won’t use for a long time, since this can lead to a lot of unnecessary clutter!
Only keep the ones that you think they will grow into within the next 12 months or so.
Donate toys
If you have toys to get rid of that aren’t broken, you should definitely consider donating them rather than just throwing them away!
You can teach your kids the importance of giving, and reframe the entire experience.
This way they are giving something instead of losing something.
If you are getting rid of toys your kids have grown out of, you could also suggest giving them to younger cousins or friends who may still enjoy them!
This way your kids can see firsthand the joy that giving can bring!
Put a system in place
Now that you’ve accomplished your incredible toy declutter, you need to put a system in place!
And by system I mean how you organize your kids toys, and how/how often they access them.
A toy rotation system has worked incredibly well for my family (you can read the complete guide to that here: Easy Toddler Toy Rotation System)
I’ve found that when my son only has access to a small number of toys at a time, he is actually much more engaged, more creative, and does play independently much longer!
There are a lot of options out there, so don’t be afraid to try out a few different systems until you find what works best for you and your family!
When all your kids toys have a home, it will be so much easier for them to know what they have, and find what their looking for!
I like to see it as eliminating obstacles that get in the way of all their creativity and imagination!
Gift fewer toys
Of course kids are always going to want toys, and toys can be a wonderful way for kids to learn and express their creativity!
But let’s be honest, our kids don’t need a new toy every time we’re in the store (this includes quarter machines!)
This is especially important to remember in dollar stores, where it can be very tempting to buy them something just because it’s inexpensive!
Don’t get me wrong, I have found some amazing toys at dollar stores that my kids truly did love and play with a lot!
But think carefully about whether they will really get any use out of it, or if it will just end up forgotten at the bottom of a toy box.
And if it seems like there’s always too many around the house, consider toy alternatives for gifts on birthdays and holidays instead!
Experiences are wonderful gifts that won’t take up any space!
Another idea would be subscription boxes, you can find all sorts of different themed boxes, many that are educational and fun, no toys included!
What kid doesn’t love a gift that keeps on giving?
You can also gift things like clothes and shoes instead of toys!
I know that the assumption seems to be that those are boring gifts, but both my boys LOVE getting shoes, and my youngest is only 2!
Books are another great idea, as well as science experiments (store bought or DIY!)
For birthdays you could also give kids the choice between receiving multiple gifts, or having a big party with friends and receiving fewer or even just one gift.
Be sure to include them in planning the special day, and many kids are happy to get less stuff in order to have an awesome party!
Do it all over again
Another important part of maintaining all the hard work you just accomplished (along with having a system for toy organization and access) is to make a plan to regularly declutter toys periodically!
I know that it may seem daunting to have to do this whole process repeatedly, but it’s truly the only way to keep the toy clutter from spiraling out of control again!
Plus if you’re staying on top of it and decluttering regularly then each decluttering session will be much quicker from here on out!
Practice makes progress!
So mark your calendar or set a reminder on your phone so you don’t wait too long before decluttering again!
You’ve got this!
I hope this ultimate toy decluttering guide helped to encourage and inspire you to tackle the toy clutter in your home!
If your kids are very young, I would probably suggest doing this decluttering when they are sleeping or otherwise occupied.
Young kids are much less likely to budge when it comes to getting rid of anything, and will probably decide they suddenly love that firetruck they haven’t touched in six months as soon as they see you boxing it up!
If you’re hesitant to get rid of toys without their knowledge, try using the method I mentioned earlier and put them up and out of sight for a week or two to see if they’re missed before actually getting rid of them.
Every child matures differently, and so it’s hard to say at exactly what age they will be more open to helping.
You know them best! If you think they might be ready, give them a chance to participate and see how they do!
Remember that even for older kids it may take some practice before they get comfortable with the idea of letting go! Be patient with yourself and your kids, and you’ll be masters of decluttering before you know it!
And don’t forget to join the newsletter so that you can grab my FREE toy decluttering checklist to help you take action NOW, and be on your way to an organized and a mess free home in no time!
Remember, you’ve got this!
Let me know in the comments below what your biggest struggles are when it comes to toy clutter!
