Advice for dealing with too many toys.

Here is my best advice for dealing with too many toys. If you are a working parent, work from home parent, stay at home parent and any other type of parent (including grandparents) this advice applies to you too.

“When I had kids I didn’t realize they came with so many toys.”

A few years ago I was over at a friends house for a play date. The kids were having a great time, I was having a great time, but my friend seemed stressed. At one point she mumbled, “When I had kids I didn’t realize they came with so many toys.”

Unfortunately I have heard that phase before by parents on the play ground, by family, and by friends. I know we are all doing the best we can. However, the most important gift we can give our kids is…

Happy, healthy, and calm parents.

Kids don’t need or want stressed, overwhelmed parents. I know those feelings all too well. We are all trying to do our best and it is exhausting. But I am telling you this advice works.

My best advice for dealing with too many toys?

***Simplify the amount of kid toys***

Simplifying and reducing the amount of kid toys might sound simple and overwhelming at the same time. However, I can say based upon my experience, reducing the amount of kid toys is a game changer.

Before I continue, here is my background.

My husband is a first responder and works busy, unpredictable hours. I am a stay at home mom. My job is to be the manager of the house including toys. If I am stressed and overwhelmed my family feels that pressure. To learn more about my family and I, go HERE.

*Why* do I say simplify and reduce the amount of kid toys?

I started reducing kid toys out of necessity. I was stressed from my husband’s long work hours and days. Life felt overwhelming, hello having two kids aged two and under. I needed to find a way to manage life better.

Reducing the amount that my husband and I have to manage in our house has taken almost 2 years! We started when I was a few months pregnant with our second baby. It was a lot of work but now I feel so much better.

This was the best strategy that helped me deal with toy overwhelm and I think it will help you too.

How do I *actually* reduce the amount of kid toys?

I would suggest you start small. Pick one bin, one area, one cubby and just start. Go layer by layer and slowing reduce the inventory in the house. Get a bag, set a timer, and just go for it! If you have older kids you can get their input and help too.

Where else can I go for advice for dealing with a lot of toys?

If you need more tips about the *how* to reduce kid toys then Dawn from The Minimal Mom has great ideas for dealing with kid toys. I have linked her video play list about kid toys.

Another *fantastic resource* is Joshua Becker from Becoming Minimalist. I have linked an article that describes what else kids need besides toys.

The best gift we can give our kids is happy, healthy, and calm parents.

I hope my advice will give you the confidence to reduce (not get rid of all kid toys but reduce) the amount of toy’s your kids have and start to feel the benefits right away.

Thank you so much for stopping by! I write posts every week about everyday routines that help simplify life so you can spend more time focused on what you are passionate about.

Discover what others are reading:

How to easily declutter toys using 4 rules

How to clean up Kid’s toys in 5 minutes or less

Pin for later!