Toys...Less is More (by Pam)

So I've come to believe that the more toys a kid has, the less they play with them. My kids anyway, simply don't like to play in clutter.

I'm always surprised at how fast little "clutter toys" collect. Birthday parties, a couple of holidays, a trip to a fast food place here and there, and BAM I'm surrounded by them again.

Sadie is a little pink Tasmanian devil. She loves taking her stuff all over the house, but HATES picking any of it up. I'm working on new summer "chore, and study charts". But I knew first we had to de-clutter.

I dug into Sadie's room first. It had to be on one of her last days of pre-school, because de-junking kids rooms simply doesn't work with them watching. I reduced her room to a few favorite things.

Then on to Toby's room - Again, everything out of closets, drawers, off shelves.

Seriously! How have I let my kids collect so much stuff?! It's exhausting!

Sorting boy toys was harder for me...

At what point is a Matchbox Car or an Army Guy broken enough to throw away?

Is a Transformer an action figure or a car?

Had to organize and display the rock collection.

And little pieces of Bionicles....ummm, what Bionicles, I haven't seen them. That's my story if anyone asks, but no one has, and no one will.

Again, a few organized bins of favorites, some covert dashes to the trash cans. And a stack of less used bins for Dan to put in cold storage.

Ahhhh mission accomplished!!

The kids are thrilled, they have new pride in caring for their own simplified rooms again, and are playing with their favorite things. Now I feel like I am ready to take on a summer full of Kids, cousins, and friends.

I'm also rededicated to quickly throwing away "clutter toys" after the original 10 mins of novelty fun has expired.