How to Declutter Toys Before Christmas and Hanukkah

With the holidays at our doorstep, November is a great time to get the toy clutter under control. Since many of us are not flying or entertaining this year, like we have in the past, we have an opportunity to prepare our homes for the influx of toys and other presents.

An effective way to declutter toys that is particularly appropriate for this time of year begins with you simply watching your child play. If she or he uses up all the tracks to make her railway, then you can make a mental note to (a) make sure to store the trains in an easily accessible place and (b) perhaps invest in a few more pieces from this same set (not another type), as she clearly likes using this toy. On the other hand, if, once lego time is over, your child has used less than half of the collection to create all of his masterpieces, you know that you have way too many for him to ever use them all, and can add some to the donate pile. In other words, it is not an all or nothing affair. Yes, your child needs some of those legos, but he certainly does not need ALL of those legos.

Oftentimes, there is so much stuff that we are too overwhelmed to know where to begin. My advice is always to start small. Pick just one category, like shoes or one bookshelf, and spend 15 minutes putting items your child has outgrown into a donate bag. If you still have time, attack another category, like coloring books or board games. You will be surprised at how much you can get accomplished in short bursts of focused time.

For more ideas on how to manage the mess before all of the gifts arrive, listen to the short interview I did with Carrie Rubin, who runs a blog called Surviving Early Childhood: