Toys; how to get rid of them?

Question

I have almost all of my daughers' toys put together and went tp put some in some in their room but I can't. They have too many toys in there taking up too much space. What should I do with those old toys? If I give them away, I'll deal with a mother in law that complains because she bought some of them. I can't keep them either. So, should I just give them away and tell my mother in law what I think if she complains about it?

mother in law already keeps a lot of toys she buys. My girls have plenty there as well as plenty at my mom's.

Answer 1

The mother in law should already know that when you give a gift, it is then the property of the person who recived the gift, and it is theirs to do what they want with it.

I'm frugal, and I always try and get some money back from something in my house that I'm not using anymore so I can reccomend some ways you can do that:

Have a Garage Sale

Put an ad in the paper, or at craigslist.org to sell them

Find a consignment shop in your area, and have them sell them for you.

Donate them to a charity or non-profit oragnization, get a reciept for it, then claim it on your taxes.



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Answer 2

This is a good opportunity to teach your kids about charity. Give them a guideline, like "let's put your favorite toys in this bin, and we can give the ones that don't fit to a little boy or girl that doesn't have any toys". Have your kids help you take the toys to the charity. You get the tax writeoff and your children get a valuable lesson.
If your MIL notices and complains, explain to her that there were too many toys, you didn't have room for them all, and you used that opportunity to teach the children about charity. She doesn't have to like it, but maybe she will recognize that you didn't just throw away the toys, you're method of giving them away was a more valuable experience to your children than keeping them would have been.

Answer 3

Every year right before Christmas and a couple other times a year (when I realize her room is a bit full) I have my almost three year old go through all her toys and look for all the old ones that she doesn't play with and we donate them to the local churches for the other children who can't get toys so that then there will be more room for her to have new toys.....I clean house and teach her to give back at the same time.....

Answer 4

We normally give my daughters toys to the Battered Women and Children's Shelter, but they got so much stuff last year they had no place to put it, so we had a yard sale with all the toys. I explained to my daughter that any of the toys she sold, she got to keep the money to spend on our vacation to Orlando. She made almost $200, just on her toys. What we didn't sell we gave to the DAV. If you kids are old enough, they will understand that old toys have to move out to make room for the new toys.

Any one that has been a parent should understand, that your house can only hold so many toys, then its time for them to move out. My kids have toys are both grandparents houses and at their great grandparents house. So everyone understands I have to get rid of some toys every once in a while.

Answer 5

Depending on their age, your daughters can help you. Picking toys out to give to children that have no toys is a good lesson in charity.
If they're old enough to know the value of money, let them help with the garage sale and let them keep what $ comes in.
Both of these worked for me.
As for your mother-in-law. Don't tell her. If she notices just tell her the truth...that they have too many toys and that too many, especially in one room, is overwhelming to kid. Heck, it's overwhelming to adults when they have too many choices!
Offer Grandma an alternative to toys; like books or an outing. Kids will always prefer one-on-one attention to stuff.

Answer 6

I think that's good you're giving away old toys that are not needed. It's best of course if you place them to a Salvation Army or some notable children's charity. As for your mother in law I say be firm to her and state there's really no room and since there's so much toys you believe that someone else may have a use for them since your children has outgrown them. Be sensible and again firm.

Answer 7

I can't believe that she remembers all the toys she bought!!! I feel for you! My trouble is moreso with my mother because she is by nature a pack rat, every couple months or so I go through the kids playroom - I actually have them pick out toys they don't feel that they will play with anymore to donate them to our local Big Sisters. They actually love it because they will say things like 'I have too much, some kids don't have any' - We put a big bag together and bring it to one of the donation containers... It's kept their rooms managable and taught them to care about others!!

Answer 8

Get rid of them. Why do you have to tell your mother-in-law what you do with your child's toys? If she throws a stink, then next time you need to clean house and get rid of the toys, drop them off at the mother-in-law's place. Tell her "well, I don't really have space for them, and I know you don't want little susie to part with them, so I figured she could play with them when she's here."
After a while, your mother-in-law won't say a word about them, or will get rid of them herself!

Answer 9

you could have a yard sale for the toys or better yet give them to children in need take them to goodwill or salvation army. a good way to clean out toys is to find the ones the kids have outgrown or are broken and get rid of them first. your mother in law shouldnt be so controlling over the toys. yes she bought them but for your kids so technically you can do whatever you want with them. if she has a fit over them then ask her if she wants the toys she bought at her house if she doesnt then do whatever you wish with them. another option is to give them to kids you know if you know of children who for whatever reason dont have any or many toys give them to them. they will be happy to have more toys and you will be happy to have more space.

Answer 10

Give them to some kind of charity like Goodwill. You can also write this off your taxes and it DOES help. Tell the in-laws that the children wanted to help less unfortunate then themselves.

You could also tell the in-laws that they had out grown most of them and that you want to be able to put the great toys they bought them this year in there rooms to play with.