Too Many Toys?

Your kids might have too many toys if…

I recently talked with a group of moms about organizing. One of their biggest questions was about toy organization. Since actually organizing is near the end of the organizing process, I thought I’d share some things to get you thinking about the best way to go about organizing your kids’ toys. The first place to start is to figure out if you have too many toys. You probably already have an idea, if your honest. But here are some clues that your kids might have too many toys.

1. They often say they are bored.

2. They don't clean up their own room/playroom even though they are old enough.

3. They play with the same 3 things but there are 27 bins full of other toys.

4. They don't really play with their toys.

5. They meltdown constantly in their room/playroom.

If you aren’t sure that these things are happening, keep an eye and ear out the next week or so. Closely notice your child’s behavior. If you see that you may have too many toys around, take some time to let go of a few things. To help you do that, think about the things you want to keep around. Below are toy-specific questions. If you’ve ever heard me speak, you have a list of basic questions that would help as well. If thinking about what to keep sounds too difficult for you and you’d rather think about what to let go of, you can find some helpful questions at the end of this article. The point is to make the decisions actively. Otherwise, that stuff is getting the say-so and bringing overwhelm with it.

Questions to help you think of what to keep out and around

1. What toys do your kids go to first? 

   Every child is different but they likely have a few toys that they gravitate toward.

2. What do they spend an extended amount of time playing with? 

   See question 4 below, they might be the same things.

3. What would they cry real, lasting tears about losing? 

   Depending on the age of your child, real tears might not be lasting tears but I hope you get the nature of the question here. A lovey may be different than 1 of 30 matchbox cars.

4. What toys do you see as a grower of imagination and learning and growth as a functioning member of society? 

   These are usually open-ended toys like blocks or craft supplies (not necessarily craft kits) but not limited to these.

5. What toys meet your family's mission statement? 

   If you don't have family mission statement, take some time to come up with one with your spouse or as a family if appropriate.

Questions to help you think of what to get out of your home

You don’t have to get rid of all of these things if you think you will use them in the coming years and have a comfortable space to store them. Letting them go to a new home may be just the easiest choice for you and your family. You decide!

1. Are there duplicate toys that serve the same purpose? 

   I'm talking about 4 xylophones here, not 2 stuffed animals.

2. What toys have the kids outgrown?

   For example, teething rings for the elementary school family

3. What toys do they not play with? 

   Maybe they just aren't into toy horses.

4. What toys are too complicated for their age? 

   100 piece puzzle for a 3 year old is probably too advanced.

5. What toys drive you crazy? 

   Cough, cough, the singing remote, cough, cough.

Take some time to evaluate the state of your children and their toys. Who knows, you might find out more about them in the process.