Help! There are too Many Toys!

Today we are going to work through an ongoing challenge for me as well as many other families out there with younger kids… How to efficiently manage the amount of toys that are gifted into your home around Christmas time. On this episode of the podcast I will share some of my wins with this topic and some great talking points to get your family in line and organized. These are both time and budget friendly ideas.

Listen on Stitcher – Apple

Helpful Steps for Organizing Toys

TOY ROTATION – This is an essential step to put in place before the gifting begins.
- In our home we have two rotated out plastic totes. We keep the reserve toys in there for a few months and then switch them out for a nice surprise for the kiddos.
ORGANIZATION SYSTEM
- The next step in the journey is to have a good organization system that works for your family. We decided on a bin system from Ikea that is perfect for our needs.
  - Ikea Trofast System – Click to check out the system for yourself. (Not a paid promotion)
- Repurpose – Reuse existing furniture. Cubbies or bookcases are ideal for toy organization. Add a few plastic baskets to organize smaller toys.
GET YOUR FAMILY IN CHECK
- Be very clear and gracious about your family needs. If you have too much of something make sure your family knows what they can gift your children instead.
- Make an online wish list to redirect your family. We have a revolving wish list through Amazon and Target that the grandparents have access to for any gifting needs. Many smaller companies and boutiques have this feature too if you are looking at supporting smaller business.
- Don’t feel guilty about exchanging gifts – If you don’t need it or won’t use it, exchange it for something you will use.
TOYS THAT COMBINE
- Limit clutter with toys that build off of one another. Great examples of this are Brio wooden trains, Hot Wheels, Lego (Duplo), Magnetic Tiles, Playdoh, Lincoln Logs. It is easier to contain and store toys that are part of a larger set.
DONATION
- Donate gently used toys to clear out space and help others in need. Research companies that take toy donations and see which ones align with your passions and morals.
  - Bring your kids with if they are old enough. Being a part of the donating process will help them develop generosity and a heart to serve others.
RENT TOYS
- Your local library may offer to check out toys in addition to books and online resources.
WORSHIPING MATERIAL THINGS
- In our family we are always working to focus less on material objects and more on following Jesus. We don’t want to be caught up in the lure of always wanting more things….and man is that tough!
- Talk to your kids about a less is more approach to toys. This will help foster appreciation and love for what they do have rather than what they want more of. (Don’t be discouraged by this one. As adults we still struggle with the desire for more things. No human is perfect and that is a great thing to teach your children. )

Thanks for listening and reading along for another installment of the Resilient Mom Podcast brought to you by our apparel line, Fox Rain Baby. I hope this was concise, educational and inspiring. Please share your toy organization ideas as well to start a fun conversation with other parents in our comments section or on social. @resilientbabyproducts