How ruthless are you about clearing out toys...?

[snowboarder]

We seem to be reaching crisis point in our boys playroom - they have so much stuff, it's an absolute mess and with christmas and birthdays coming I'm feeling the need for a cleanse! But at 3 and 5 they still seem to play with most things - I found them with the mega blocks (the big baby ones) out yesterday, and the happy land I'd earmarked for disposal is suddenly my 3 yr olds 'best thing'!

How does everyone else manage?!? I Javan entire drawer full of castle duplo that is rarely touched, but I'm sure they would play with it if I was more proactive at helping them set it up!

[standswithfist]

I kept trying to empty my daughters toys out (she is aged 5) as her younger brother (aged 16 months) now has toys too! so i got Nana to come down - far more ruthless and hardcore than me. It went a bit like:

DD - no nana i really need that broken bit of toy

Nana - this one? the one you haven't played with for a year

DD - yes nana its very important

Nana - shoves it in the bin

Brilliant!

[yeknomyeknom]

I hide toys. If no one has noticed after a few weeks I know I'm safe to donate them. Also, at xmas, you can tell them there are little boys and girls who would love a wee go on their old toys, whilst they get some new ones.

[SLad]

Could try making a fun afternoon out of putting together shoeboxes of toys to go abroad for other children who need them more to play with. My mum used to do that with me and it was really good at bedding in that idea of others who were less well off than us and learning about the world (looking at where they would go).

Think we started that when I was about primary school age.

[Pickle]

I go through periods of ruthlessness, generally on days where I've tripped over plastic tat one too many times and lose my patience.

Do it when the kids are out, put stuff somewhere they never go (loft room for us). If they haven't asked for it in a week, get rid! I donated some toys to the cr?che my youngest goes to, so she still gets to play with them, but the mess is someone else's problem :)

[joanaj87]

I agree the best option is to just grab the toys and if they dont ask for them after a certain time you can clear them or either you can just tell them you are going to take some toys and teach them that you have to take it because they have too many toys, you can ask them which ones they prefer to keep but the main goal is to clear so there is more space and more tidiness which is main point.

Thats what i do with my children. Although sometimes they dont like it thats the way it has to be, And they have to understand that.

They get over it after a while anyways. :)

[????]

I'd keep everything whereas my missus is like Attilla the Hun, she's right. The quidlets seem to embrace the less is more philosophy by playing more with the toys that are left rather than being overwhelmed by choice (and junk)