https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 16 Apr 2026 05:11:03 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-manage-toys#post-2902325 Wed, 13 Nov 2019 07:37:08 +0000 hilary 2902325@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My kids love to craft so I ask for craft/art supplies and kits. I love stuff that are consumable then they go away. We also like to the send the giver a result of the craft/art, and my kids love mailing stuff to their relatives. It's a good cycle for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-manage-toys#post-2902311 Tue, 12 Nov 2019 21:17:31 +0000 Jennibenni 2902311@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>These are all good points. It’s a totally fruitless battle to try and get grandparents not to buy gifts of their choosing so I’ve just stopped bothering. </p> <p>I guess what irks me the most is how it feels like such a wasteful cycle and I hate getting rid of perfectly good things just to make room for more crap. I’ve tried to rotate toys to some extent but I just don’t really have the space or the time to deal with that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-manage-toys#post-2902272 Tue, 12 Nov 2019 15:15:05 +0000 pachamama 2902272@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We really insist on no gifts but like you said, as they grow this will be harder 😬<br /> I work hard to keep toys out of the house. I can't stand clutter. And I can tidy the house (2 little boys) in like 5 minutes bc they have so few. Our policy (clothes, kitchen stuff etc) is one in, one out. (My moms a slight hoarder so I work really hard to just minimize stuff). Mari Kondo changed my life!!<br /> For Xmas I ask all family to do no gifts. ds1 got a trampoline park pass and children's museum pass from his aunties. It was the best!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-manage-toys#post-2902269 Tue, 12 Nov 2019 15:10:27 +0000 brownepiano 2902269@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>-rotate toys<br /> -let the kids consign stuff they are done with (and buy new/smaller/less toys with the money they earned)<br /> -ask gift givers to add to collections that can be stored together (duplos, trains, dolls, kitchen food, etc)<br /> -have gift givers babysit and realize the kids have plenty then request activity gifts (zoo membership, special outing with Grandma)<br /> - let gift givers know of specific non toy needs (clothing, bike, helmet, etc) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-manage-toys#post-2902203 Tue, 12 Nov 2019 10:54:16 +0000 periwinklebee 2902203@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm a big fan of asking for books as gifts, if people must give gifts. My baby shower for LO1, everyone brought their favorite picture book, and LO at almost two loves and gets such good use out of most of them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-manage-toys#post-2902190 Tue, 12 Nov 2019 10:26:04 +0000 graceandjoy 2902190@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I actually don't think it's that bad. We don't have a huge house; I hate clutter, so if something comes in that I can't find a space for; something has to come out! It also helps that I have 2 girls 2 years apart; I imagine it will be more difficult once DS3 adds on his own stuff. </p> <p>Nov is actually our big toy purge month because both my girls have Dec birthdays plus Christmas time. We usually take an hour, go through all our toys and purge together. I also can anticipate the need to purge something big; for example DD1 is asking for a big-ish toy for her birthday so I've already warned her we have to find a way to make room for that, otherwise she is not getting it!</p> <p>And the honestly really only get new toys once a year, this time of the year. I also make wish lists for them on Amazon to share with family so they don't go and get completely random things the girls won't play with. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-manage-toys#post-2902187 Tue, 12 Nov 2019 10:16:41 +0000 shabang 2902187@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've searched for items and taken them back to stores without receipts. Target has a yearly limit for this, and you only get store credit, but that works for me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-manage-toys#post-2902181 Tue, 12 Nov 2019 09:42:46 +0000 LCTBQE 2902181@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Everything that @DesertDreams88: just said. The toys the kids love the most are in our main play area on the ground floor, and the non-favorite B-level toys I throw in a canvas bin in our (finished) basement. Now whenever we're in the basement they play with those toys, whereas when they were upstairs competing with the good shit they literally never got played with and just created extra clutter. I also throw out anything half-broken or anything with missing pieces. </p> <p>But when family give the kids tons of stuff, I take half of it and put it brand-new into charity boxes, which is 1000x nicer than slightly used and makes the aggravation over waste feel better. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-manage-toys#post-2902180 Tue, 12 Nov 2019 09:41:32 +0000 nwm 2902180@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you have any storage, one thing we try to do is rotate toys so that we aren't overwhelmed storing everything out/in reach, and then old toys seem new again when we rotate them back in. I feel the same guilt over the wastefulness, but try to take solace in donating when we really have no more use for something. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-manage-toys#post-2902178 Tue, 12 Nov 2019 09:37:13 +0000 LadyDi 2902178@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Basically everything that @DesertDreams88: said. We take stuff to the grandparents’ houses because they live close by and we’re there a lot. I purge before birthdays and Christmas and try to donate the toys either on my neighborhood’s free Facebook group or to the organization Play it Forward. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-manage-toys#post-2902177 Tue, 12 Nov 2019 09:24:11 +0000 DesertDreams88 2902177@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I heavily suggest to family members gifts of shoes, pjs, stickers, tattoos, arts and crafts (consumable), outdoor toys, books, and tickets to local places. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-manage-toys#post-2902176 Tue, 12 Nov 2019 09:22:38 +0000 DesertDreams88 2902176@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>- Donate some to family / grandparent houses that you visit<br /> - Store some in the car and/or work if your kids ever visit work<br /> - Store some outside even if they aren't outside toys<br /> - Don't buy gifts for your kids, let them just enjoy family/friend ones (this part is sad to me.)<br /> - Donate some to new moms or a church with baby/kid classes or a small preschool<br /> - Re-gift or sell unopened items that you/kid doesn't like </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-do-you-manage-toys#post-2902170 Tue, 12 Nov 2019 08:36:31 +0000 Jennibenni 2902170@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How do you manage toys in the big picture?</p> <p>We just had a birthday with a small family party and now there are TONS of new toys. In the past we have done no gift parties but our oldest is now old enough to want allthepresents, so that isn’t as much of an option anymore. </p> <p>However, at this point we have more toys than they could ever play with. Kids are in daycare full time so our playtime at home is limited. </p> <p>Of course I could donate excess toys but I’m trying to understand big picture if there’s something I’m missing besides a constant cycle of purging and new gifts for birthdays, which seems so wasteful and pointless. </p> <p>What do you do? </p>