Please, no " just get rid of them" answers. It's not that easy. There's pieces that belong to puzzles and sets and then there's the "special" things. I'm overwhelmed, need to eliminate some and have no idea where to start. Any suggestions?
2007-04-18 12:43:17 · 22 answers · asked by julz6769123 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
Great ideas here re: sorting & discarding. Once you know which ones you want to get rid of, why not pack them up & send them to USACE soldier, Edmay Mayers, stationed in Iraq, who will distribute them to Iraqi orphanages. More info re: her mission is here: http://www.parenthacks.com/2006/09/spread_the_word.html
2007-04-18 15:19:18 · answer #1 · answered by Maureen 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First, go through all the puzzles and sets to make sure you still have all the pieces. Puzzles can be put into gallon size ziplock bags (cut out the finished picture and put it in the bag too). Any puzzle that's missing pieces gets set aside to see if the pieces are found through the rest of cleanup. If they don't turn up then it goes in the trash.
For sets like Little People, legos, etc. you can get sterlite containers at Walmart that have drawers are put all the pieces a specified drawer. Another option would be half size mesh hampers that can be carried from room to room and then stored when not in use.
Get the kids involved and ask them to help sort and decide which toys they no longer want. Then have them accompany you to your local Goodwill (or St. Vincent De Paul or other chosen charity) to donate them for a good cause.
2007-04-18 12:51:33 · answer #2 · answered by Heather Y 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Toss all the "happy meal" type toys. Then gather up all the pieces of toys that are not where they belong. Put the puzzles together, game pieces away, etc... If something is not complete, toss it. If it hasn't been touched in months, toss it. If it is falling about, toss it. Of course you could also donate the stuff the kids don't use anymore to a charity. Make the kids help.
I am doing some of this right now. It happens at least twice a year around here. My kids end up with more stuff than they know what to do with.
2007-04-18 13:57:50 · answer #3 · answered by tessasmomy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sort the toys into piles: keep, throw, give away
Keep = toys that they play with all the time
throw = toys that are broken or missing pieces (such as puzzles with missing pieces)
give away =toys that your kids no longer play with but are still in usable condition
Make sure they are involved so that they feel like they are part of the decision making process. those toys that they deem to give away, put them into bags and take the kids with you when you donate them to salvation army or some other community organization. Explain to them that they have so many and the other kids have none......they should get it.
There are bound to be toys that they play with more than others but want to keep. You can either put those away and bring them out at a later date or remember what they are and the next time around you can make sure that those go to the give away pile.
Good luck and happy cleaning!
2007-04-18 15:03:33 · answer #4 · answered by soccerref 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When the toys get out of control, we usually have a garage sale and my son is able to keep the profits from all of his toys that he sold. With that money, he's able to buy something he really wants. This lets him make the decision on what should be sold and also teaches him the value of money.
If there are items that mean a lot to him or that he still plays with, he makes the decision to keep those.
For some of the items that aren't purchased at the garage sale, we usually donate them to the Children's Juvenile Diabetes Fund or to Goodwill or Salvation Army. We've explained to him about the importance of giving to others and how some children don't have access to a lot of toys that he does. He's usually more than willing to part with these things because he feels like he's doing something good for others.
2007-04-18 16:05:14 · answer #5 · answered by Sylvan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Puzzle pieces that no longer have all the parts?
Take a large frame and take a mat for the front of it and around the outside of the mat take and glue the pieces around some of your fave pics of the kids and make a collage of photos.
Stuff you can't part with?
Make a shadow box Michael's arts & craft has kits then you can see them as an art piece not junk. Or put shelves up to put them on rather then cram them in a box never to be seen again! I did a shadow box of my kids baby clothing and toys it looks great on the wall.
2007-04-18 12:57:52 · answer #6 · answered by Barbara 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you have puzzles with missing pieces or games with missing pieces you have to get rid of them...what good are they. Get your kids into a room and tell them you'll give them a quarter for every toy they get rid of, that way the attachment won't be there and only the toys they like will be left.
2007-04-18 12:47:14 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I went through my sons toys and found toys that he had not played with in a few months. I gave them to other people that had kids younger than my son unless it was something that I wanted to use with my daughter. Keep the "special" things keep sets of things down to two or three different ones. I now take an old toy away and give it away when my son gets a new toy. One in and one out. it has really helped keep his toy collection under control.
2007-04-18 12:47:32 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take photos of the special things and put them in a album.
Throw out the puzzles that are missing pieces, they are good to no one.
Have two garage sales a year one in spring and one in fall. Have the kids price the items, and give them the proceeds toward a new toy that they want.
2007-04-18 12:47:04 · answer #9 · answered by sharkyincanada 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We do a yard sale once a year and thats when they get excited about "spring" cleaning. They get to choose what goes we throw away the broken ones or the ones that are missing pieces and the rest go through a yard sale they get to take that money to go towards a new toy and the rest go to charity that way they learn a good life lesson too
2007-04-18 12:52:40 · answer #10 · answered by Slim 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Save containers and save different puzzles and "special things" in those containers.
Also, cycle your toys. We have winter toys, and summer toys. We seperate our toys in half and switch them out in August and in January. It's a great way to cut down on the clutter.
For the ones with pieces, I write down what is in there and keep them TOGETHER in a sealable container. If my son wants to use the puzzle, I have him pick one, put the other toys away, and work on the puzzle.
2007-04-18 12:48:02 · answer #11 · answered by FaZizzle 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋