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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Are We There Yet?

Too much stuff again

Now that the holidays are behind us, our home is once again full of toys.

In the past, we tried to encourage our children to get rid of some of their stuff by donating a toy or two before bringing something new into the house. I also started a "toy library" by collecting all the clutter -- the stuffed animals, superheroes, cars, Legos, etc. -- and asking the kids to return a toy to a section of the basement before "checking out" something different.

Both strategies worked for a little while but I wasn't able to stay on top of the toy management. Before long, I found myself either nagging my kids or spending a few hours each week trying to keep Lego sets together, putting clothing back on the dolls and picking up stuff left all over the house. The toys in the giveaway box also disappeared and somehow assimilated back into the mess.

I've also tried to discourage relatives from giving my kids more stuff, but it's not always easy.

What do you do at your house to reduce the clutter?



This blog is intended to provide a forum for parents to share knowledge and resources. It's a place for parents young and old to combine their experiences raising families into a collective whole to help others.