5 Ways To Get Rid Of Old Toys

When it comes to the kids, toys fit into one of two categories: those they become emotionally involved with, and those that never see the light of day. Unfortunately, most children treat their toys as both, and whenever you try to do a clear-out, they will suddenly become attached to every single toy! Sometimes, it’s the same for parents, too, such as when they see the best tummy time toys their little ones used to play with when they were younger. There’s just so many memories when it comes to toys in general.  Out with the old and in with the new is a nice thought, but it may not work out like that. However, as hard as it may be on the kids, you need to make space for new toys rather than collecting the contents of the nearest toy store and allowing it to build up!

You don’t have to suffer a toy takeover at home, not when there are plenty of ways to thin things out and make your home less toy shop and more house. No matter whether you are about to enter a standoff with the kids, the toys have got to go – not all of them, but the old, broken and unused ones need a new home.

Here are five ways to do it:

• Garbage. Broken toys, toy pieces, random plastic toys from chocolate eggs and kids’ meals in restaurants have all got to go. You won’t believe how many busted toys your kids have until you start looking under their toy boxes and their beds, as that’s where all the broken toys live. You may have spent time planning to fix those toys, but it’s been months. So, let’s relocate those broken pieces to the garbage and say a short goodbye!
• Sell. Before you go online and start selling used toys with Facebook or eBay, make sure that you know the UPS shipping price for their weight. This will enable you to calculate the worth of the toy as well as the postage and you won’t be left out of pocket. Checking the condition of the toys and giving them a proper clean before you list them is smart – no one wants to buy dirty toys! List them with pictures, and you’re more likely to get bites for the toys, too.
• Donate. Similar to the above, clean the toys thoroughly and remove any stickers the kids may have added. Take the toys to donation libraries or hospitals and make sure that you don’t donate the broken ones by mistake. Toys that still have life in them, but aren’t loved by your children will be loved elsewhere.
• Introduce Rules. As you’re overrun with toys, introduce a new rule to the kids. Before birthdays and Christmas, they’re to put a box of toys they no longer want together. This box can then be donated or sold, and this makes room for new toys. This “one in, one out” rule keeps the level of toys in your home to a minimum.
• Swap. Join some community pages online and swap your toys for others. This makes room in your home for the toys that never get used in favor of toys that will enjoy their new home!