If you feel peace when you hear “toy cleanout,” a Christmas toy declutter 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.

1. Involve your kids

You probably know which toys your child plays with the most. You also know which ones have been collecting dust. Resist the temptation to quietly get rid of the less-loved toys while they’re at school. Instead, involve them in the process so they feel part of the decisions.

Explain that you can’t let the house be overrun with toys. You need to make space for whatever Santa will bring. A Christmas toy declutter goes much more smoothly when your kids feel excited about the prospect of new gifts.

Gather all their toys in one place, but prepare yourself — you might be shocked by how many they’ve accumulated! Start by removing anything broken or missing pieces, since you can’t donate those and your child can’t fully enjoy them. After that, go through each toy individually with your child.

2. Black bag method

You’re going to ask which items to keep and which to give away. This helps your kids feel included. But we both know they will 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 hesitate about a toy, or it’s something they rarely play with but insist on keeping, tell them you’ll store it in the bag. Explain that you will keep the bag in your storage room or garage for a month. You can choose a different time period if you prefer.

If, during that time, your child wants the item, you’ll get it out for them. However, if they don’t ask for the items during the month, you will give anything left in the bag to children in need, since that means they no longer need it.

3. Rotate toys

Now you’ll face your children’s absolute must-haves. There are probably still many 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.

You will keep one of the boxes out for your child to use, and you will store the others 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.

4. Share the joy of giving

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

If you’re donating them to a charity, church, or shelter, bring your child along so they can experience the joy of giving. And when that isn’t an option, take a moment 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.

What are you waiting for, mama? Start your Christmas toy declutter today — Christmas Day is just around the corner!