The Surprising Effect of Decluttering Toys

Awhile back I was working with a family in San Francisco. Our objective for that day was to declutter their kids’ play areas while the children, who were 3 and 6 years old, were at school.

When I walked into their home there were toys everywhere.

Piles of dolls and stuffed animals, a play kitchen with all the associated doodads, boxes of legos, bins of dinosaurs, herds of my little ponies, magna-tiles galore, and stacks of countless other toys.

Their once-shared spaces had reached the point where the toys were taking over. It no longer felt like a shared space.

It felt like a preschool that had a toy problem.

The parents were very nervous to declutter the kids’ things because toys had been well…a priority, clearly. The clients had prepared their kids by saying that they were going to clean their play areas that day while they were at school. (In the parents’ opinion they were too young to understand the concept of donating, and it wasn’t a regular part of the family’s routine, so I agreed).

After hours of sorting through mountains of toys and culling the the ones that could be donated, we had an entire car filled to the brim with toy donations (more on how to donate toys, below).

We were just wrapping up when the kids arrived back from school. “Ready to see your new and improved rooms?” their mom asked.

We all walked into the home together, and then this happened:

The oldest child squealed, “Oh mom, look at all the new toys!!!”

The parents looked at me with wide-eyed amazement as the children dove into their newly organized play areas.

Even though there were actually fewer toys than before (like an entire carload fewer) it felt more abundant.

This was because the highly-prized toys that did make the cut were beautifully displayed and easier to access. It was such a dramatic change that the children actually thought they had brand new toys.

The takeaway here isn’t to send your kids to school, declutter while they’re away and then trick them into thinking they have more (though in this case, that is how the clients wanted to approach it, and hey, it worked).

The lesson is that children will thrive with even a small, curated collection of play things.

A smaller collection of toys also frees your child of the burden of decision-fatigue, kindergartener edition: do I play with this toy, or this toy, or that toy?

Open-ended play is one of the best qualities of being a kid. The most relatable example - when your kid plays with the box that the toy comes in rather than the toy. A box is so much less prescriptive, and therefore full of opportunities. A streamlined play environment will challenge your child’s imagination and give them the freedom to create.

Let’s foster more open-ended play with more streamlined toy collections.

For your peace of mind, as well as your kiddo’s.

Where to Declutter Your Toys

With toys you need an exit strategy, and one that is easy.

Here are some ideas to help you offload those gently used toys that still have life left in them.

1. Find a friend with a child 6 months/1 year younger than yours, ask if they would be interested in a regular drop-off of toys and clothing still in good condition

2. Search for local Family-focused non-profits

3. Search for local Postpartum Support Center (ex PPSC Marin)

4. Search your local churches, many have community donation programs

Pro Tip: Prioritize a drop-off location that is along one of your regular routes, so that dropping off becomes less of a special to-do, and more of a regular habit.

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