https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 29 Jul 2026 06:28:18 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys/page/2#post-2401359 Mon, 28 Dec 2015 02:55:18 +0000 Cherrybee 2401359@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I reorganised E's existing toys a few days before Christmas. I purged a few, packed away a few and added some extra storage. So it was pretty easy to pop her new toys away on the shelves on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas). Its the adult gifts I'm overwhelmed by - scented candles and room spray and picture frames. Where is it all going to live?? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys/page/2#post-2401357 Mon, 28 Dec 2015 02:29:29 +0000 SugarplumsMom 2401357@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I hid away a few gifts - LO will get them later on this year (Valentine's Day, Easter ...). If she's nice she may even get to open one on New Year's Day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401351 Mon, 28 Dec 2015 02:04:31 +0000 sometimesshesings 2401351@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes! Excessive consumerism makes me feel a little sick to my stomach every Christmas. We really want to raise kids who appreciate what they have and find creative ways to use simple things, particularly things that can't be bought in stores. But consumption is deeply ingrained in this culture. Retail therapy is a strong drug; I know I'm guilty of using it as a crutch.</p> <p>From World Watch:</p> <p>The United States, with less than 5 % of the global population, uses about a quarter of the world’s fossil fuel resources—burning up nearly 25 % of the coal, 26 % of the oil, and 27 % of the world’s natural gas.</p> <p>As of 2003, the U.S. had more private cars than licensed drivers, and gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles were among the best-selling vehicles.</p> <p>New houses in the U.S. were 38 % bigger in 2002 than in 1975, despite having fewer people per household on average. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401324 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 23:42:58 +0000 shellio 2401324@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, and we didn't even get THAT much really. Now that my oldest is 4 he is remembering more and more so it is hard to hide things - but in previous years we've put away almost all of the gifts, I either get them out at different times throughout the year or give them as gifts when we're invited to kids birthday parties. Or donate them sometimes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401242 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 21:14:50 +0000 Mrs. Sunshine 2401242@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MoonMoon: this is a theme in our house too.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401240 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 21:14:03 +0000 Mrs. Sunshine 2401240@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The day after Christmas I went through and donated new toys that were repeats and old toys that aren't played with, reorganized both girls rooms and the livingroom and it feels much better. They still have a lot but it looks nice and gets played with more when everything has its place. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401223 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 20:50:37 +0000 travellingbee 2401223@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did until we organized and purged. Now I'm ok </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401214 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 20:45:19 +0000 avivoca 2401214@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes! She loves Frozen so it looks like Frozen threw up in our living room. I can't wait until Tuesday to purge and organize it all, and put together a lot of her old toys to donate. She still has toys from LAST CHRISTMAS that have never been opened! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401210 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 20:43:16 +0000 Andrea 2401210@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No, our families don't gift and we don't buy the girls a lot of things so it's all under control! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401200 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 20:38:43 +0000 MoonMoon 2401200@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes! Especially because I don't let myself buy LO a lot of things so I feel like most of his toys get decided by other people! I just don't want to be wasteful and buy more stuff when he's already inundated, but he rarely gets stuff that I'd choose, my MIL and I especially have really different tastes and ideas about what kids need. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401192 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 20:31:10 +0000 littlejoy 2401192@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are still organizing. LO's birthday is next week, and we requested no (or one) presents from family. It's a good prompt for me to store or donate her old toys. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401166 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 19:59:08 +0000 Applesandbananas 2401166@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm a little overwhelmed by all the pieces! I'm nervous we're going to lose pieces left and right! He got a Hotwheels set, kitchen with play food, and a bunch of dinosaurs and zoo animals! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401159 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 19:53:21 +0000 ShootingStar 2401159@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not overwhelmed yet, but we dropped off a bunch of presents from the in-laws and then left the next day for my parents' house. We only gave a small amount of presents this year, luckily. I'm off all week so I'll probably take a bunch of toys out of the playroom and add in a few new presents. Every so often we'll take a new toy out over the next several months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401153 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 19:44:37 +0000 jhd 2401153@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A little bit. But DH is good at helping me organize things. </p> <p>@regberadaisy: you just described Christmas with my ILs. Quantity over quality and kids open as fast as possible. It's always made me so overwhelmed and even more so now that I have my own LO. DH sat LO in his lap and just let him open things at his own pace. What makes me even more stressed is that they ask me for suggestions on what to buy, but end up getting what they want anyway. And the past two years LO has received gifts that scare him. :bummed: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401117 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 19:07:19 +0000 regberadaisy 2401117@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>TBH I intentionally did not get our girls a lot of "stuff" this year. Small items only and the biggest thing was prob the 3.5 year olds ukele and it has been getting a TON of use. Once my inlaws and BIL came over it was crazy. With her cousins there it was just a flurry of wrapping paper. I absolutely hated that part. Her cousins were opening gifts left and right at an insane pace and she was mimicking. It just made me sick in the pit of my stomach. I'm not sure how to combat that because I don't want to tell people how to spend their money. But my MiL prefers to gift quantity of quality. But this year BIL's GF did all the shopping so the girls got a lot of stuff that will get a lot of use! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401113 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 19:02:30 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2401113@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@misolee: agree! I was worried my kids wouldn't have enough to open on Christmas but it was actually nice they could focus on their one toy without distractions and being overwhelmed by too much stuff. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401098 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 18:39:02 +0000 travelgirl1 2401098@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just did a big move and had to leave a lot of their stuff behind so Christmas was great because now they actually own stuff again. Bit worried about organising it all in the space we have, but generally pleased. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401094 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 18:32:20 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 2401094@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes! We had birthdays in September and October, and even after we did major purging and donating I really need to organize things! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401080 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 18:18:43 +0000 Corduroy 2401080@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We got a manageable amount of toys but DD got 8 or 9 dresses including 4 costume dresses. She has been changing outfits hourly. They are hanging up and organized but I'm regretting giving her the two I did. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401057 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 17:42:00 +0000 youboots 2401057@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yup, after her 1st birthday in March I'm going to start doing toy rotation </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401053 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 17:34:57 +0000 hellobeeboston 2401053@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes! Ugh, totally overwhelmed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401050 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 17:25:37 +0000 littleveesmommy 2401050@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I usually get super overwhelmed too but this year the parents from our frienda/family group all collectively agreed to do a kids secret Santa. We all drew a name for each kid so that every kid walks away with one gift. I was hesitant but it was the best thing ever! When we got home we had a couple toys and some outfits - no more wasted toys floating around! My and I did get the kids a few toys that we wanted them to have but it's much more controlled. Definitely worth considering for family or friend gatherings with a lot of kids!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401046 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 17:13:32 +0000 artsyfartsy 2401046@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes! I've been cleaning and organizing all day. I feel a bit better but I had to sacrifice some living room furniture to accommodate the big stuff. Oh well.</p> <p>I still need to purge a lot of old toys but I haven't found time yet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401045 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 17:11:02 +0000 misolee 2401045@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I routinely donate/throw toys away. I hate clutter. For Christmas, we only got her one toy. I purposely told grandparents to get her specific one thing. At first, I wandered if she would be "missing" out from the big Santa thing but she likes what we got her and I can keep my sanity. </p> <p>I see pictures of friends and their LO with all their new toys and I get anxiety for them </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401037 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 17:04:32 +0000 ALV91711 2401037@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Once we get organized it won't be so bad. Right now we don't keep toys upstairs, but after Christmas we are going to put a toy shelf in his room with some toys he can easily play with on his own. </p> <p>Also going to pack away some babyish toys or things he doesn't really ever play with. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401035 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 17:03:04 +0000 DesertDreams88 2401035@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel that way and baby isn't even here yet :-/ FIL keeps joking about buying an 8-foot teddy bear when LO is born. They did that for each of their other grandkids. I smile and tell him he can do that, but it will have to stay at his house. The ILs don't seem to understand:<br /> 1) I don't want spoiled or materialistic kids.<br /> 2) I don't want too much clutter.<br /> 3) We don't have a basement OR an attic; and we have a one-car garage. We have a 3 bedroom, 1300 sq ft house. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401028 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 16:58:12 +0000 Zbug 2401028@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yep. I packed up two big boxes and feel better! I need to be better about rotating toys. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401024 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 16:55:54 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2401024@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yup. We didn't get THAT many presents but with all the toys we already had, it's just too much. We are on a trip but when we get back I think we're gonna purge. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401008 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 16:37:03 +0000 yin 2401008@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So many toys. LO1 even asked if we could return or donate specific toys. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/is-anyone-else-feeling-anxiety-about-all-the-toys#post-2401006 Sun, 27 Dec 2015 16:35:57 +0000 Bao 2401006@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes until we organized and filled 3 trash bags to donate. We also put 3 smaller totes in storage. </p>