Toys: when do you start culling them?

[Katrina]

I wrote a blog post today on Toys: when do you start culling them?

I would really appreciate any opinions you had on this topic.

Leave comments here if you like :)

Katrina x

The post:
http://www.katrinaleechambers.com/2010/04/toys.html

[jaz_ben]

Time to cull. Just do it... I seem to do it in little bits so they dont know, I had been given like 10 barbies from the sister in law, Jesus I slowly culled them out till we had one. Not to mention my girls didnt seem to care it was my sisters little girl that came to visit and had a screaming fit because all the barbies where gone but aunty jazzy I loved thoses barbies. My girls are into duplo, dress ups and babies so thats all that stayed and a couple of thoses annoying music toys. Have fun culling thoses toys out !! Oh a nd I love your log by the way made my morning especially your tooth fairy experience :D

[Elements]

I actually do it monthly, but in saying that he is still young so the toys are not ongoing educational toys just things that were entertaining and have broken or hes just not interested in anymore, and when I cull I just send them over to the grandparents play box.
If they are larger toys that he has out grown I sell them on ebay.
As his birthday is in Jan he has a full year of his toys before he gets new ones so I know he has gotten good use out of them and I don't buy in between this time(I am so mean aren't I).
Its more that I take the time monthly to resort his boxes and throw bits and pieces as I go.:)

[ssmama]

Now 6, boyo reached the age of possessiveness a little while ago, so culling toys has been difficult.

However, since he started school this year, good old peer pressure has meant that he is suddenly not so attached to some things that he used to adore...like the HUGE Take-Along Thomas collection he has!

He's also just had an extended present season - between Christmas, his surgery in January and his birthday in March he has received so much (mainly his new obsession - Lego. At least that's going to last a few years!;) ). I've told him that a) he's not to expect more toys through the rest of the year, unless b) he saves or earns enough money to buy something special he wants.

I'm about to get a new bookshelf for his room, which is going to prompt a major shift-about and clean-out. We've got a village-wide garage sale in June (which I'm coordinating). Plus, I'll probably eBay some things (like the Thomas collection). I've told him to start working out what he doesn't use anymore - toys, books, and DVDs etc - and most of the proceeds of that will be divided between his 'savings' and his 'spendings'.

Suddenly, he's willing to let go of a whole lot of stuff! I think he's got a new Lego PowerMiners 'crystal sweeper' on his vision board... LOL

[Julie-Ann]

Well we are way past this stage - thank goodness. But when I did cull it was on a 6 monthly basis.
When he was young I would put some away and swap them over, as he had so many toys. He was totally spoilt by both families:D.
We have all his really good toys put away for the grandkids. Toys like his lego, a great Barn set toy and he had some great quality Thomas trains from Japan.
I think there might be some toys still buried in his wardrobe. Dare I dive into the mess to dig them out???
You have motivated me to brave the teenager's room tomorrow when he is at school and see if any toys remain.
These days his toys are all electronic.
I didn't think of selling on ebay, actually I don't know if it existed then. We would go together and take his toys to the women's refuge centre. I thought it was good for him to learn to be charitable:)

[giggle_smile]

I do a cull right before major events - birthdays & christmas, we also have the rule of one toy in and one toy out. My boys have their favourite toys and they do not even notice when the others go missing.

Although last week we did a massive clean thru and they came with me to the salvos and they were yelling at the men saying "dont take our toys we love them" totally heart breaking for the men trying to help me unload my car lol

[Katrina]

Oh no! I am laughing though haha.

I have started and mini cull just now. I have some stuff for their little cousins. I might look at the bigger stuff when we have had a chance to sit and talk to the boys aboout whether they really want them or not. I would like to sell some of it and put towards a trampoline :)

Thanks for all your advice!

[Julie-Ann]

I think you will have more chance of them agreeing to get rid of some if they think they are going to get a trampoline out of it:)

[Lanne]

ohh the dreaded toy cull of 2010 occured here in Jan.

Lochs is now 6 (only child), first grandchild, with an educator for a mother. We skip all the merchandise stuff and only buy unique hardwearing, long lasting educationally sound toys (except buzz and woody.. i am such a fan).
ha. Child is delightful and has never yet broken a toy (except a cheap plastic toy from mum)... but

Unfortunately that means every gift, every toy, every item.. still looks like brand new, and is in perfect order. There is no excuse for chucking it out or donating it. He still played with so much. He has a toy room, a bedroom and space in the family room.. it is over indulgent at best. Whilst i appreciate he doesnt break things. i cant keep it all either.

I tried getting him to do it with me and explaining the good that donated toys could bring last year with no success. This year we spent the entire day, going through everything.. every toy and box and collection - we used the phrases.. Keep, Share and Chuck. He was great with SHARING.. giving away.. not so much.. chuck less so. Share seemed to sit better with him so we sorted..sticking to the three phrases. It was all his choice and he knew he was managing the choices so he was great about it. We shared 8 big bin liners of toys.. and chucked 1.. 9 bin liners of toys down! WOOT.

I had bribed him with a computer game. I said i was happy to reward him for good choices and making other people happy. If they were able to experience joy from new toys.. so could he.. It was a good deal all round.
We now only have age appropriate toys and he has a good understanding of what to keep and share and chuck.. important life skills .

[Elements]

Lanne, what a great approach.

I hope I can be as organised in my cull as DS gets a little older.
I like the idea of giving him the choice. Great idea.....

I like your subheading aswell....The dreaded toy cull of 2010:D:D

[Julie-Ann]

Very impressive approach Lanne:).

[Katrina]

Lanne I think that is great! Loved the words "the dreaded toy cull of 2010" too!

I also laughed so much Julie-Ann at your son who insists on riding his scooter to protest you getting rid of it...clever boy!

I started a mini cull, will see how we go. The swing set is next. My kids are too big and have not been near it for 12 months. Just annoying for my husband to move every time he wants to mow the lawn.

[Lanne]

Thanks Kartina - It has def made a difference. We recently swapped rooms. I am not in the 'toy room' and he has my office. I did it so i cant see my office during normal living, and i can see him all the time. It made sense (although i am in a much smaller room!) ha. Swapping was EASY.. everything was sorted and contained and easily moved.

My mum used to cull .. she did it when i was at school. I hated it. I hated never knowing if something could stay or had i lost it or had she just chucked it. I spent a good couple of years saying a fond farewell to teddy before school each day in case he wasnt there when i returned (as an adult we know no parent in their right mind would throw teddy.. but as a child... you don't).

I am big on choices and consequences and learning life skills as opposed to just doing it over the top of children. I would never throw out his things. Then again i would never throw out (however i have once hidden) my husband's things just because i dont like them. Seems disrespectful.. and i tend to treat lochie the same as I would a friend or adult.

[Julie-Ann]

Oh you poor thing- living in fear your teddy would be chucked out:(.
I've only ever done the cull without involving Mr16 when he was very little- like 1 and 2. Everything gets discussed & negotiated here too. Well almost everything- I did have to remind him many times when he was learning to drive the road rules are not up for debate- you just have to follow them:mad:.

[Lanne]

oh come on Julie-Ann.. not everything is neg... you dont let the poor boy be with just one sheet ;)

[Julie-Ann]

Roflmao- you are never going to let that go are you Lanne. But you are right everyone should use a flat sheet on top:mad:. But stopping at stops signs is also not negotiable- yes he tried to argue he didn't see it so he wasn't wrong to not stop. I told him you might think you are not wrong but that won't help you much if you end up dead:mad:.

[giggle_smile]

My 4 year old told my MIL today that he wanted to be a poor kid so he could have all of his toys back LOL - we tell them when we are cleaning out toys that they are going to the poor kids.

[Julie-Ann]

Giggle_smile that is so cute:D.
I just mentioned getting rid of the few remaining toys to Mr16 and I received a hostile reaction. But they will be going- no negotiating this time. With all this negotiating I've allowed I think I have created a monster:D. Either the toys go peacefully or I will go in there during school and do the deed.

[Lanne]

Julie Ann! Don't you dare.. poor M16.. maybe let him know that they should be in storage and he can declutter his room (with either current things or toys). I still have a box of my childhood things ... and they are so precious and important to me that lcohie can play with them. Please please please dont force that on him.

ps. re the sheet. I bought my mother new bedlinen for her birthday.. and went to buy coordinating sheets and realised. She will expect 2 right? Laughed in BB+T and came home with just the quilt and pillows LOL

[Julie-Ann]

Lanne were people looking at you when you are standing in the store laughing at sheets?:D
We have kept lots of Mr16's toys for his children but this is not quality stuff that is sitting in the cupboard or even sentimental stuff. But I can see this is going to have to be done in stages. So I might offer to put them in the garage for awhile first, then the roof, then the Good Sammys. I can't believe I have bred a hoarder:eek:. I told him he will end up like those people on tv or worse like my MIL- that one shocked him lol.

[Julie-Ann]

Well my strategy of going gently with Mr16 seems to be working. He has agreed to move all the toys out to the garage and review them in 6 months time. I will actually tape up the boxes as proof that he hasn't touched them in that 6 months. Otherwise I think in 6 months he will tell me he has played with every one of them so they should be kept:mad:.

[Katrina]

LOL... I am really laughing... he is a tough little bugger isn't he? He get that from you?;)

[Julie-Ann]

Unfortunately both of us:(. But I bought him up to believe his opinions will always be heard- mistake don't do it. They grow up to be monsters who debate every word with you lol:D

[Lanne]

YAY.. i really like you Julie-Ann, i do.. . but i find myself siding with M16.. perhaps you portray him too sympathetically? hehe
Sadly.. smiling to myself in the sheet section or .. having an out loud laugh.. would not be the oddest move of the week ;)

[Julie-Ann]

Lanne if you saw the state of his disgusting bedroom you would not be so sympathetic. I have put my foot down and said I need to be able to see the floor- it must be tidied a little on the weekend. Would you like before and after pictures?:D

[Elements]

Lanne,Julie-Anne, you do have to be a little bit tough.....otherwise how on earth will he cope with his future wife saying "honey its time to clean out the garage I can't park my car":D:D.....not that we are thinking our boys will ever move out and get married. I certainly can tell you my DS will have to prove his future wife is worthy..........oh I digress.....
My point is I am still asking DH to throw out or sell or give away the Xbox games and PS2 consoles he no longer has time to play with....and I think its because his mum still has toys waiting for him to collect from their house....
I am looking at a box right now that stores his old kiss dolls with matching makeup set......:eek::D

[Julie-Ann]

Rofl Elements - Kiss dolls & makeup are very disturbing:confused:. I thought hoarders were only bred by hoarding parents. So apart from my cushions, throw rugs & silk flowers that I hoard Mr16's hoarding must come from his father. It's always the father's fault isn't it?:D

[Julie-Ann]

I have made progress with the cull. The toys that I swear haven't been touched for years have been moved from Mr17's wardrobe to my office floor:( Not so good for me but it is a start. The one item he was hanging on to was a webcam that was never used. Despite the fact that he has a camera built in to his computer he wanted to keep it:rolleyes:. But then his cousins needed one so they could skype their Nanna- so I gave it to them. Fortunately Mr17 loves his Nanna so much he was happy to give it to her.
So the next plan is to get the toys in to the garage. I am going to tape up the boxes though. At the end of the year I will prove that non of the toys have been touched and so should be culled. It is like being a hunter- having to be so patient and 1 step ahead all the time.:D

[MareeJaeger]

OMG- Thank goodness I am not alone- thank you! This is a huge topic for me- and I am forever telling my children that if they don't pick X up off the floor it's going out and today my daughter retorted Well I will throw out all your books!:rolleyes:

First off I am not an advocate of plastic c*ap - unfortunately MIL has decided that she will shower MY kids with as much of it as possible. This all stems from her asking me what DD needed one year and I told her truthfully she needed some clothes as existing were getting too small. BIG MISTAKE- oh no she could never just get a child clothes. Yet she spent a great deal of time complaining that my BIL's child (only child) has everything, too spoilt blah blah...yet she has decided that it is perfectly acceptable to shower MY kids with this plastic useless junk that they use for 5 seconds and couldn't care less about. I keep saying we don't have space for any more toys. I distinctly remember dd turning three and naturally she got twins...(MIL is obsessed with twins, babies...) ugly ones at that....one of them is going very shortly as she has SO many dolls/babies that I could literally start a kinder.
Oooops just realised that I've gone slightly off topic..sorry ....

Culling- as much as possible when no one is looking :) (DH is HIGHLY SENTIMENTAL so I have to work when he is not around)
I will keep the rocking horse that my dad made for her and some other wooden things...but when I get a chance all the other junk is gone...I also try and get daughter to give some things away when she just had a bday or christmas coming..and we go and put in the charity bin. She is pretty good about it as I've explained that some boys and girls don't have all these toys etc etc.

[Julie-Ann]

Rofl- do you have MIL issues Maree??? Or perhaps it is just plastic rubbish issues:D:D
It is really difficult to cull and all I can tell you in my experience it gets worse as they get older:(

[MareeJaeger]

I think it's both Julie-Ann LOL...don't get me wrong I love MIL but she has too much time on her hands and spends all of it shopping for bargains...and guess whose house it ends up in?:mad:

[Julie-Ann]

Oh I understand- for about 12 months every time my MIL and her sister came over they would bring over all the junk they had culled from their cupboards. Because my DH is a hoarder he would accept it. I tried to nicely explain I didn't have the room for all of it but listening is not one of their greatest skills. In the end I said stop bringing your rubbish into my house:eek: Harsh I know but it worked:)