Toys, Clutter, and Mental Space

Do you ever look around at all the toys cluttering your house and wonder why your kids are still asking you for ideas on what to play with?  I've been chatting with some friends and feel like even though we are on the very conservative end of toy ownership we still have WAY more toys in our homes than we did as kids.  The good old days, right?

I'm also on a de-cluttering binge with as much free time as I can find lately.  Did you know clutter has been researched and found to have detrimental affects on your psychological well being?  It's more pronounced for women, which might explain a few things.

So, since I still love to get fun things for my kids now and then, and because Christmas was last month and "birthday month" is March around here there is much toy organizing to be had.

As my kids grow it's fairly easy to say goodbye and garage sale, consign, or donate toys that no longer match their developmental levels.  The trick is to know your kids!  Will they wail and not allow any toys to leave their room?  If so, consider a toy purge while they are visiting friends.  I find that since we pass on our outgrown clothes to younger cousins my kids understand that it's okay to get rid of outgrown toys too.

Consider asking your kids what they would like to do with their toys, whether to donate directly or sell and save up for new toys or experiences knowing that the used toys won't bring much.  I would also recommend that they donate some of the proceeds if possible.  But you know what's right foryour own family, these are just some ideas to help you get started!

Now, if your kids like collectible toys like Legos I don't recommend getting rid of them, they are SO creative, but honestly, after my kids build their newest set it gets taken apart and becomes part of the giant pile we have on a sheet in the middle of the floor.  They do NOT need more Legos for free play!
 
I know I enjoy building things and I know some of the fun in getting a new Lego set is following the directions and seeing the creation come alive.  But you then don't want to just leave it all put together forever and it adds to your giant disorganized Lego collection.

Would you consider renting Lego sets?  Pley* makes it super easy with their monthly subscription service!

For $20 to $25 a month (depending on how long you want to commit for) you pick out the sets you want and they are shipped to your door!  Play, return, get a new set.  There's no limit, other than shipping time, on how many sets you can get in a month.  And there's no fee for a few lost pieces either.  Pley understands that we are families and sometimes the dog eats one or it gets lost forever in the black hole under the couch!  They also sanitize each set between customers.

What do you think? Would this cut down on clutter in your house AND keep your kids entertained?

PS. Pley offers many other toys besides Legos!  They're taking a survey to see which new categories customers would like to rent.


*This is a sponsored post and there are affiliate links where I will make a small percentage if you sign up.  All opinions are my own.