Decluttering toys before Christmas can help create a more organized and stress-free holiday season.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

• Start Early: Begin the decluttering process well in advance of Christmas to allow enough time for sorting, organizing, and donating. This will help prevent last-minute stress and ensure a smoother transition. Use my blog post on Less Toys, More Calm for guidance.

• Involve Your Children: Encourage your children to participate in the decluttering process. Explain the importance of sharing with others and making space for new toys. This can be a valuable lesson in gratitude and generosity.

• Sort: Separate toys into three categories: keep, donate, and discard. Consider donating gently used toys to local charities or shelters.

• Set Boundaries: Establish a reasonable limit on the number of toys your child can keep. This will help prevent overwhelming clutter and encourage your child to appreciate their favorite toys more. Make the container the enemy- say for example, you have as many cars as possible that will fit into this bin.

• Rotate Toys: Consider implementing a toy rotation system. Store some toys out of sight and periodically swap them with the ones currently in use. This can help maintain interest and reduce clutter. This works great for children of varying ages; you can put some away and bring them back later and it’s like Christmas morning all over again.

• Create Storage Solutions: Invest in storage containers or bins to keep toys organized. Label each container to make it easier for your child to find and put away their toys. Check out my favorite products for organizing toys.

• Teach Good Habits: Encourage your child to clean up after playing with their toys Establish a daily cleanup routine to maintain an organized play area.

• Consider Experiences: Instead of focusing solely on physical toys, consider gifting experiences such as outings, memberships, or classes. This can help reduce clutter while creating lasting memories. My blog post on Experience Gifts for the Whole Family is filled with great ideas!

• Lead by Example: Model good decluttering habits by decluttering your own belongings. This can inspire your child to follow suit and develop lifelong organizational skills.

Remember, decluttering is an ongoing process. Regularly reassess your toy collection throughout the year to prevent excessive accumulation.