Getting Rid of Old Toys

Do you secretly get rid of toys the kids don't play with anymore? Or do you talk with them about it and go through what they have together?

I have been secretly disposing of a few things here and there but learned a good lesson today, when I said "we've got to get rid of some of this junk!" and my kids quickly offered up a bunch of things they didn't want anymore.

It all depends on whether it is just a junk toy like what you get in a happy meal at McDonald's or something that they used to play with a lot. I will usually go through their toys with them and try to talk them into getting rid of things they have outgrown or not used in a while. Right now, we are going to go through them again since we will be moving in a few months and I do not want to take all their toys with us. I am hoping to pare down quite a bit to save me packing and to hopefully sell to make some money.

haha I find this a bit entertaining. We sometimes underestimate our kids. I am free to throw away or get rid of my kids things unless I know that they really have a special bond to whatever toy that I might chuck. In that case I will explain that it is broken or that it will be replaced etc. My daughter doesn't have a problem with toys but her clothes on the other hand is whole different story. My little fashionista does not like me to give her clothes away even if they no longer fit her. One way or another she comes to terms with it.

I do both. It depends on the item. if their rooms are a mess we clean up together and I sweep. I sweep everything into a big pile and if they want to keep anything form it they have to put it away before I throw it away. We recently went through their toys and they helped me decide what to keep and what to get rid of. They get rid of things I would have kept and they keep things I would have thrown away!

I'm already finding that I do this and my daughter is already 1! Her grandparents dote on her a lot and bring toys every time they visit...which is sweet but the clutter adds up fast, you know? And it doesn't help that her birthday is 3 days after Christmas -- so toys for both of those occasions see our house looking like a toy factory at the start of the year! I just donate the toys that she isn't interested in anymore. It makes me happy to know some other kids will get use from them.

I only get rid of toys that are broken or cracked and those that just sit idle without him touching them for months. There are always the toys that have a special bond to your children which must never be touched or given up.

I usually secretly get rid of the toys. My children rarely offer to throw the toys away, even though toys for babies.

I try to keep a toy rotation system, as sometimes I think there are just too many toys for them. I'd keep some in the store room, and leave some outside for them to play. Sometimes I'd tell them I am keeping these away, but sometimes I don't.

When they "visit" the store room and find the toys that they haven't been playing for quite some time, they are like meeting "old friends", and get excited with the toys again.

My son is just two years old so I haven't gotten rid of his toys yet. I have thrown away the ones that are already destroyed though. My husband wanted to keep those toys and I was like, "No way!" They could be a choking hazard as well since the parts are getting torn apart already. And really, what's the use of broken toys anyway? They just keep space and they're not going to be played with anymore.

When he grows up, I imagine we'll be keeping the toys he wants to keep. Then, we'll get rid of the ones that he doesn't want. Or maybe he'll learn from Toy Story III and give away his toys to someone he needs it more. I better keep reading that book for him. Haha!

As they get broken or dingy I will clean them out. I try to donate as much as I can because their toys cost so much. Oh my goodness my kids have so many toys, I literally go through them once a month. Of course when you try to get rid of them that's when they want to play with them again. It is a vicious cycle, now I know why I always got clothes for Christmas lol.

My son is 19 months old, so I pretty much get rid of things whenever I decide. The trick is to not let my husband know or notice:) If it depends on him, he would never get rid of anything...:)
I plan to continue that way for the next couple of years. Once my son turns 4 or 5, though, I want to starting sorting through his stuff together with him That way he can learn what things are worth keeping and why, as well as what to do with the things he no longer wants or needs.

I usually give away or sell old toys depending on their condition. We have a great consignment shop nearby and if it's a gently used toy I can bring it over there and get back 50% of whatever they sell it for. I usually go through our toy bin with the kids once a year and they decide if it's time for the toy to be donated or sold. Sometimes when we sell their old toys the kids get back the money to put in their piggy banks.