If you feel peace when you hear ‘toy cleanout’ – this is definitely something you need!

As your kids are compiling their Christmas wish lists, you might be thinking to yourself, “Where are we going to put all of that?!”

Now is the perfect time to start preparing for the influx of gifts your children are likely to receive this year with a serious toy cleanout. Here’s how to make this an efficient and tear-free process.

Involve your kids

You probably have a good idea of which toys your child takes out the most and which have been collecting dust, but resist the temptation to quietly get rid of the less-loved toys while they’re at school. Instead, get them involved in the process and make them feel like they are taking part in the decisions.

Explain to them that you can’t let the house be overrun with toys, so you need to make some space for whatever Santa will bring them. A toy cleanout will go over much better when your kids are excited about the prospect of getting gifts!

Gather all their toys in one place, but be warned: it will be shocking to see just how many toys they’ve accumulated! The first step is to get rid of anything that is broken or missing pieces. These toys can’t be given away, and your child can’t enjoy them to their fullest anyway. After you’ve done that, it’s time to go through each toy individually with your child.

Black bag method

You’re going to ask which items to keep and which to give away because you want them to feel included, but we both know that your kids are going to say they want to keep almost everything.

If you’ve read my book, you already know what a big fan I am of the black bag method. All you need to do is get a large black bag – this may even be a garbage bag – and keep it nearby as you’re going through the toys.

If they’re even the slightest bit hesitant about a toy or it’s something you never see them play with but they are insisting on keeping, tell them that you’ll store it in the bag. Explain that the bag will be kept in your storage room or garage for a month (or whatever time period you choose).

If, during that time, your child wants the item, you’ll get it out for them. However, anything left in the bag at the end of the month is going to be given away to children in need if they don’t ask for it because that means they must not need it any more. 

Rotate toys

Now you’ll be faced with your children’s absolute must-haves, and there are probably still an overwhelming number of items staring back at you. I like to divide these into three categories: thinking toys like Legos and puzzles, action toys like cars or balls, and pretend toys like play food and dolls. Then, I fill up three or four boxes with a mix of toys from each group.

One of the boxes will be kept out for your child to use, and the others will be stored away. After a couple of weeks have passed, gather the toys, place them back in the box, and pull out a different box. Continue repeating this cycle so your home never has too many toys out at once. Plus, the novelty factor will keep these toys interesting longer than they would be if they’re always available.

Share the joy of giving

Bring your children with you to give away the toys you won’t be keeping if possible. If you’re going to hand them down to a family member, your child will probably be pleased to present them personally. 

Are you donating them to a charity, church, or shelter? Bring your child along with you so they can experience the joy of giving. If that isn’t feasible, take some time to talk about how happy children in need will be to receive the toys. Encourage your child to imagine all the fun their toys’ new owners will have with them. 

What are you waiting for, mama? Get started on your toy cleanout today because Christmas Day is just around the corner!