January is Toy Purge Month

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January is toy purge month!

The holidays are behind us and all the small holidays plus birthdays are ahead of us. Most of us have multiple families that will give our children more toys, more toys, and clothes. However, there are toy baskets or bins, overflowing in our homes already. January and even February, the weather permits us from really wanting to get outside. Nice, we are stuck inside with kids screaming they are bored, with the abundance of toys.

Toy Purge!

If your kids are old enough to help, that makes this easier and more challenging all at the same time. If they are still small and can’t talk back, you my dear have the easiest job (I’m jealous)! Make those days you are stuck inside, worthwhile. Pick a child, room, and category, whether it’s toys, games, clothes, or bedding. Then attack the clutter. Is the item still age-appropriate? Does it still fit (the child/their bed)? Does the item still work? If your child is reluctant at first, let them know that they will be helping another younger child by giving up something that is not right for them any longer. Make it a valuable learning and giving lesson.

Spring consignment sales

Now that you have purged the items sort them into three piles: toss out, donate, consign or sell on your own. If you like dealing with marketplace or yard sales, then go for it! I personally like consignment sales. Research sales in your surrounding area. Certain sales have strict requirements for the quality or brands of items that are accepted. Some sales will accept almost anything within reason. Look at the item and ask yourself – would I buy this? There are also options when consigning as to how you price and provide the clothes. One option is to accept less money per item sold by giving all the clothes to the sale, and they do all the leg work. Their representatives sort the clothes, tag them, and take them to the sale. The other option is that you receive the instructions and tags. Then you sort, tag, and take the clothes to the sale. At the end of the sale the items can be donated or picked up. All the hard work puts money in your pocket.

Share the reward with your children

If the child helps, then reward them with cash from the sale. Letting your child know ahead of time that they could make some money from giving up some of their beloved toys (they had completely forgotten about for 6 months, but as soon as you pulled it out of the cobwebs it was their absolute favorite thing in the world), could be a tool you use to get them to help. You call it bribery; I call it leverage.

Purging with your kids as routine

Pick the amounts of times per year that you should purge. Kiddos grow so fast and obtain so many things throughout the year that once a year to purge isn’t enough in most cases. Whether it’s winter and end of summer or spring and right before the holidays, do what works for your family.