It’s no secret that I live by the “less is more” mantra. Less gives me room to breath. Less makes me feel organized and in return, I feel less stress. This is KEY for me. I can’t live in clutter. Otherwise, I feel overwhelmed in my own home.
I simplify things all throughout our homes and our lives, but one that I’ve actually had other people notice and comment on is how few toys we keep in our home for our son. I’ve seen the shock on people’s faces. Like, you don’t let him keep all his toys? Yes and no. I let him keep the toys he actually plays with. I have NEVER taken a toy away from him that he likes. But the toys that he simply doesn’t like or doesn’t play with… they’re just taking up precious real estate and causing a bigger mess when he is digging though his basket for the toys he actually does want to play with. I could probably name them off for you right now. Actually, I think I will. And I’m not even home at the time I am writing this to look. (The list is at the bottom of this post if you’re curious)
Here is how I keep the toy situation at bay: Ever so often (usually seasonally,) I will go through his toys (when he isn’t home or is napping.) You will be amazed at how much of the toys are broken or not working. Like, his toy basket has been full of trash that I’ve been having to pick up! If he isn’t playing with it or has outgrown it, it is gone. Sometimes if he isn’t playing with a certain toy but it seems like something he likes, I send it to his grandparents for him to play with there.
This process is the same for my closet and our cabinets and everything else. I’m ruthless, y’all. If I’m not using it, it is gone.
The same thing I do with my son’s toys, I do with my closet. If I am not wearing it, I donate it or sell it. If it is something I love but I haven’t been wearing for whatever reason, I put in where I can see it. But this is for only a select few. It’s really that simple, and I’ve become pretty good at it.
I have empty drawers in my dresser and I’m ok with that. I have way less clothes than my husband. But an area I’m terrible at: shoes. For what ever reason, I have a harder time getting rid of those. Maybe because I just never know what outfits I’ll get in the future? I’m not really sure, but just know, I’ll never know you my shoes closet (it’s really just a cabinet that I’ve piled all my shoes in.)
So, the process here is pretty easy- if it is not being used, get rid of it. Donate it. Sell it. Just get it out of your home.
Here is a guide for you for any area you want to declutter in 5 steps. Do this with one area of your home at a time. (Toys, dresser, closet, pantry, etc,)
- Take everything out of that area (so, take all the clothes out of your drawers or all of the toys out of your child’s room
- Pick up every object and say to yourself, “If I didn’t have this would I purchase it again? If so, how much would I pay for it?” This question will rock your world. It detaches you from the object. Do it for every item.
- Make 4 piles: sell, donate, trash, keep
- Clean the area where the kept items will be returned.
- Put the item you are keeping back in the area.
Worth’s Toys
- A bow and arrow
- A LeapFrog
- A wooden toy gun that was handmade by Chase’s co-worker and friend (his favorite thing ever)
- Stuffed animals I have a basket for them. It is stuffed full! But as long as they fit in the basket and he knows where they go (so he can pick up after himself,) I’m happy. I’ll start getting rid of the ones he doesn’t play with when they no longer fit in the basket.
- A wooden train set complete with cars and trucks. This has about 1000000 pieces, but he LOVES it. we have it all in a basket, and I store it in a place he cannot reach. Otherwise, he’d lose the pieces. Maybe once a week, he ask to play with it and we get it down and have a ball. It’s also great time spent together.
- Paw Patrol toys- He has Chase and his car, Rubble and his digger, and Sky. Those are played with daily.
- Plastic animals. There are about 15 of them. Usually what is being saved by the Paw Patrol.
- A red car he rides throughout the house.
- A train with blocks.
- And a hand full of other odds and ends he just loves. A safety hat, some work gloves, a cape, a few inside balls, a fishing pole.
- A tool set.
- Tractors and construction toys
- Mister Potato Head
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