Too many toys taking over? Tips to toss, downsize, and organize. (2024)

If your house looks like a used toy shop and the kids flit from one thing to the next without even enjoying them, this is for you. Here are some tips and thoughts on how to toss, organize, and downsize toys.

“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Every once in a while I get an intense urge to purge. I’m married to a packrat and these times are very scary to him. I run around the house with a garbage bag or basket and start separating out things that I want to sell, donate or throw away.

For me, it’s honestly better than shopping.

I’d much rather get rid of things than accumulate things. Call me crazy. The rest of my friends do.

But even if you aren’t like me I’d bet you still want to find a way to have toys without having the toys take over the house.

• I love seeing toys around the house here and there because I know this stage is fleeting.
• I like my children to feel that the house is a place to play and have fun, however, I don’t want the toys to be out of control and nearly impossible to tidy up.
• I think we can organize and downsize toys in a way that there is plenty of stimulus for the children without excess.

101+ 15 Minute Projects

In just 15 minutes a night (while you’re in your pajamas!) take your home (and heart and mind) from stressed out to organized.

Here Are Ways To Toss, Downsize, & Organize Kids Toys

I hope this will give you some ideas on what you can do in your own home to have toys available for your children, but not take over the home.

Read: Common Habits Of Organized Stay At Home Moms (With Printables)

Keep some toys within reach, others out of sight or higher up

I would never deprive my children of playing with their toys, however I’ve found that keeping all toys in reach actually backfires.

➡️ Too many visible toys makes for toddlers flitting from one toy to the next without engaging.

I keep all the toys that go in boxes – train set, duplo, wooden toy sets, etc. – in the bottom of a closet in the family room. If they request a toy or need something to do, I go to the closet and let them pick one out.

This also prevents pieces from getting mixed up!

• Board games can be kept in boxes on shelves, slightly out of reach. Or, at minimum, with a family rule not to remove without asking.
• Toys that have many parts that all go together (sets of magna tiles, etc.) can generally be kept together in a cubby or container and put somewhere less accessible, but still reachable.
• Rotate some toys, and keep the ones out of current rotation completely out of reach.

Read: Mindsets All Minimalist Moms Have That Make Life Easier

101+ 15 Minute Projects

In just 15 minutes a night (while you’re in your pajamas!) take your home (and heart and mind) from stressed out to organized.

Don’t be sentimental about toys if the kids aren’t

If you have truly sentimental toys, things people have made or brought from afar, I wholeheartedly think those should be kept.

However, I don’t think we should be sentimental and attached to toys that our children never play with. Just because it was expensive doesn’t mean it’s valuable.

If it’s a cheap plastic toy, doll, or stuffed animal they never play with don’t feel bad giving it away.

When I feel the urge to purge I ask myself a few questions.

1. Did someone we love gift this and is it sentimental to the giver?
2. Is this a toy that never gets played with?
3. Would the kids even notice if it was gone?

If the answers are no, yes, yes then I put it in a donate pile, every time.

Read: 8 Things To Do The Same Time Every Day, Every Week

Room-By-Room Decluttering Binder

The first step to getting rid of chaos is to simplify, simplify, simplify. This guide can help.

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See Also

Adults Still Play With Toys — Generation joyful

Room By Room Chore Checklist

These checklists include all the tasks that need to be done in various rooms so that your little one can use pictures or text to help them complete a group of chores in one area.

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Think age appropriate

If your youngest child is 3 and you aren’t planning on having any others (the best laid plans…) then it’s a great time to get rid of toys for babies and young toddlers.

You may be shocked to find how many toys are taking up residence in your toy room that never get played with and are for children years younger than your own. If you plan on adding to your brood then by all means keep the toys around, but if you have moved into a new phase then I say “out with the old make room for the new.”

• Go through your play room and sort unused toys into piles by age.
• If you will not be having other children, donate the younger ages to another family or charity.
• If you do think you may have more kids, then simply store the toys from each age group separately and out of reach.

4. Lay all the toys out and get a clear picture

The last time I did a major purge I designated the upstairs landing as the toy sorting zone.

This time, I sorted and purged toys as I did major room re-decorations. I spread out all the toys and separated them into developmental age. As I was sorting I felt mildly ill because we had so many toys.

You probably have no idea how many toys you actually have! I sure didn’t.

Just think for a moment. Would they fill up an entire room ? Two? When I stood there and looked at all of them I knew that it wasn’t mean to get rid of some toys. I knew I wasn’t depriving my children of childhood fun.

➡️ In fact, even getting rid of half the toys would still have left them with more than they need.

Read: Dutch Parents Don’t Entertain Their Kids — Here’s Why

101+ 15 Minute Projects

In just 15 minutes a night (while you’re in your pajamas!) take your home (and heart and mind) from stressed out to organized.

Get your children involved in the purging

Now, I realize that asking children to help you choose which toys to keep and which toys to get rid of may be a risky venture.

However, kids know which toys they want to play with and which ones they don’t. Depending on the ages of your children this may be a great opportunity to teach them about generosity. It feels good to give and bless others, and it’s never too early to start explaining that principle to your children.

If you know that the toy situation is out of control and you want to get a handle on it, now is the time!

Don’t feel guilty or worry you are somehow depriving your children of fun. A child’s first and foremost need is for secure and stable love, after that the rest is just extra special.

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