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  • Make Room for New Toys by Decluttering Before Christmas

    Make Room for New Toys by Decluttering Before Christmas

    Toys. So, so, so many toys. If you feel like your child’s room is absolutely cluttered full of toys, this article is for you. It can be so difficult trying to get your children on board with decluttering before Christmas. After all, no one wants to give up their toys! Here are some of the best tips for helping you declutter and make room for the new toys.

    Remember: at the end of the day, it’s just stuff. Developing strong attachments to material things isn’t healthy for young people, so helping them to understand that happiness doesn’t come from things is important.

    Decluttering Before Christmas

    Emphasize Quality over Quantity

    If your little one has a huge chest full of tons and tons of toys from over the years, help them to emphasize quality over quantity. Pull out their toys, place them on the floor and go over each one and ask which ones they really, really love. Then, have them organize them into piles based on which ones they really want to keep.

    Make sure they understand that you’re not having them declutter out of not wanting them to have nice things, but instead to make room for newer and better things. Make sure they know that their old toys are going to go to little kids like them who can’t afford new toys, so they don’t feel like their toys are just going into the garbage.

    If you stress the importance of having a few nice things over having a ton of old things, it’ll help them to understand where you’re coming from. Put yourself in their shoes: it’s hard to understand why their parents wants them to get rid of things they love. Make sure they understand that there’s only so much room in the house for toys, and that you need that space for the new Christmas toys.

    Elf on the Shelf

    If your family does Elf on the Shelf, consider shifting the conversation to be more external. Tell the little one that the Elf on the Shelf is helping Santa to recycle old toys. This brings in an earlier tactic, of showing the kid that their toys are going to help other kids their age.

    The little ones are likely already sympathetic to the Elf on the Shelf, as he’s a sweet little Santa helper. He wouldn’t ask them to do anything that wasn’t for good, right? You can tie in how Santa wants them to be nice, and not naughty, and that donating their old toys to a good cause is a surefire way to get on the nice list.

    It helps to pick a number of toys that you want the little ones to recycle out. Then, make sure they get that number of toys for Christmas. This helps the kid to better understand that it’s a one-for-one exchange: the old things go away so that new things can come in. It’s an important lesson for them to learn early, too.

    Set Expiration Times

    This one helps a lot in some houses. Let the kids know that they need to play with their favorite toys to keep them. If they don’t use a toy for, say, a month, then tell them it’s time to donate it to charity. If they don’t want to use their toys, it only stands to reason that another kid would love to.

    Now, that’s not to say you ambush them with this. Make sure they know what time table they’re on when it comes to not having toys anymore. If they understand that this is the rule, and that it is enforced evenly, they won’t feel as though you’re unfairly taking things away from them.

    In most cases, they may even not notice the toy missing once it’s donated. If they haven’t played with it in a month, why would they? However, make sure you make exceptions for seasonal toys. If a toy is only really usable in the summertime, make sure your child knows that it’s not on the chopping block.

    Final Thoughts

    Don’t be mean about it, and make sure your kids understand why old toys have to go. Keep them involved with the decluttering, make sure they know why you do it and why they should care. If you keep them involved, and make it fun, the kids will be more motivated to help.

    If you make it something to dread, or something ominous, they’ll nervously hoard their toys and even hide them. Make sure you keep things lighthearted and fun!

  • Great Last-Minute Gift Ideas: Make a Statement

    Great Last-Minute Gift Ideas: Make a Statement

    If you’re like us, you’ve completely blown off shopping for Christmas. Or, you may have forgotten to buy gifts for certain people. If that’s the case, don’t panic. There’s still plenty of time to get some good last-minute gifts for the people you care about. These are last-minute gift ideas that will really mean something special to your loved ones!

    Great Last-Minute Gift Ideas

    Self-Care Kit

    If you don’t quite know what to get someone, there’s nothing wrong with a good, old-fashioned self-care kit. If you’re shopping for someone with a big beard, for instance, get them a beard grooming kit. They’ll get to use fine-smelling shampoos and oils, trim their beard into a stylish shape and enjoy their grooming experience!

    Likewise, if you’re shopping for someone who loves baths, consider a bath kit. A kit with bath bombs, shampoos and soaps is never a bad gift. Many people really enjoy lounging in a nice, warm and relaxing bath, so this is a surefire gift to bring a smile to someone’s face.

    Gift Cards

    This one might seem like a cop-out at first but hear us out. People act like gift cards are strictly worse than cash as gifts, but that’s not necessarily true when you think about it. If you’re like me, when you get cash you instantly think about spending it on groceries or gas or bills. If you’re already covering those expenses fine, a gift card is a fine gift!

    The gift card allows you to spend money on your favorite things without feeling bad about it. You’re not diverting cash from a bill or expense, you’re enjoying a gift someone you love got for you! That’s a freedom of enjoyment that was purchased by your gift card.

    So, if someone you’re shopping for loves video games, get them a gift card to the video game store. That way they can spend the gift money on a shiny new game with no remorse! This is a great approach for people who you know are into specific things that you might not have a good grasp on. That way, they get the thing they want thanks to your gift. That’s a win-win!

    Tickets for a Local Show

    When you’re scrambling for a last-minute gift idea, consider picking up tickets for a local concert or theater show. If the person you’re shopping for is a lover of the arts they’ll find it to be a very personal gift and likely appreciate the thought that goes into the gift!

    To make the gift look that much nicer, consider getting a nice envelop and elegant Christmas card to place the tickets in. Even if they’re digital-only tickets, you can print out the confirmation and put it in with the card. That way the recipient still has something to open on Christmas Day!

    Give the Gift of Baking

    Head into the grocery store and buy a pair of oven mitts and a box of brownie mix. Then, include hand-written instructions on how to make the brownies, and you can even give them a fun holiday twist. Put these things in a gift bag and top the whole thing with a cute bow. Then, ta-da, you’ve not only given an awesome last-minute gift, you’ve given the gift of a fun evening baking tasty treats.

    It’s not every day you can say you gifted a great memory, is it? Well, that’s exactly what you’d be doing with this unique gift idea.

    Subscription Box

    This one isn’t far off from the gift card idea. If you know someone who is into a specific hobby, like cooking or video games, you can get them a subscription box that matches with their interests. For instance, if you know someone who loves to cook vegetarian meals, you can get them a vegetarian meal kit subscription.

    This subscription allows the recipient to keep getting gifts, even after the holidays have passed. So, not only do they have something cool to open day-of, but the gift literally keeps on giving. Loot Crate is an example of a favorite subscription box for gamers, often including T-Shirts and merchandise related to classic video games.

    Pretty much, if you can think of a fun hobby or pastime, there’s probably a subscription box for it out there somewhere.

    Final Thoughts

    This sounds hokey, but it’s so true: it’s not the gift itself, but the thought the matters. If you put your heart into and find a gift you think someone will really enjoy, then that’s what matters. Remember, it’s like the Beatles said: Love is all you need.