Managing the things people gift your children

[leigh09]

How to you manage these things that are (mostly) all junk? I am meaning loot bags from birthday parties; the colouring pages my kids come home with from play group; people often give our children dollar store toys; etc.

it seems kids are a magnet for cheap gifts that really, honestly, belong straight in the trash. it seems like such a waste to me, both of money and to the earth. how do you all manage this stream of junk?

[Turquesa]

[lucky_mia]

It mostly goes in the trash at my house, otherwise, it starts to overtake up. That stuff accumulates so fast. I find it I get rid of it in about 24 hours, no one notices.

[zoebird]

yup; quick turn-over is the answer.

bed time, i recycle what i can, trash what i can't. if possible, i leave it behind.

[earthmama369]

Quick turn around here, too. I encourage them to play with them right away if they're interested, and usually the stuff breaks or gets used up and out it goes. Otherwise, it just disappears.

[sleepypeanutsmom]

YES! This topic is a struggle for me. Eventhough we refrain from buying *stuff* it manages to make its way into our home...grandparents, aunts, music class, grocery store (stickers clerk gives), etc. The stuff clutters our home and our car. I agree with previous posters, it is best to get rid of it asap before it takes over and breeds!

It does feel like a huge waste of money, the earth, and MY TIME to move it out of the house/car. I have a Goodwill bag in the garage that I toss anything usable the rest ends up in recycling/trash bin. I think having a place (like the bag in the garage) to put it helps.

But, I know, UGH!!

[ElliesMomma]

she sets it down, if i want it gone, i stash it far away out of her sight for awhile. if she doesn't ask after it, i get rid of it as soon as i can. once in awhile she does want it, so i let her play with it again, and then when she loses interest, i stash it far away out of her site for awhile. if she doesn't ask after it, i get rid of it as soon as i can...

[Shera971]

My problem is that DS (5yo) remembers everything! After I've thrown away what I think is a piece of cr@p that he has never played with, months later he'll say "mommy where is the XXX I got at so and so's b-day party". agggghhhh. He used to be great at giving away stuff but now his new line is "but mommy, I LOVE all my toys!" sigh

I've told him for his upcoming 5th b-day that he will need to give away 5 things to make room for his new toys. So far he doesn't mind the idea...

[juliasmum]

I get rid of it as soon as I can, either trash or put it in the donation bag. After the initial looking/playing at the stuff they tend to forget about it if it is out of sight.

[leigh09]

this junk does seem to breed! i like the idea of a constant donation bag. and putting things in the trash right away too.

i also have a 4 year old with an unbelievable memory. and he knows i recycle/trash things. he will tell me "mommy, don't throw this in the garbage".

[lucky_mia]

Originally Posted by Shera971

My problem is that DS (5yo) remembers everything! After I've thrown away what I think is a piece of cr@p that he has never played with, months later he'll say "mommy where is the XXX I got at so and so's b-day party". agggghhhh.

I hate to lie but I claim ignorance. I have also tried to teach my kids about quality vs. "junky" toys as they call them and now they realize the junkie ones often break quickly and so they are not as attached to tehm.

[L J]

I have a trash can that I keep in the laundry room, with one of those really good, stretchy trash bags in it. All junk that is worth donating to the thrift store goes straight in there. I use a good trash bag and keep it in a can so (1) it doesn't get too full and (2) the bag doesn't bust and cause me to procrastinate taking it to the thrift store.

Anything that is truly just junk, I throw away and feel no guilt. I hate that this stuff winds up in landfills, but I'm not worried enough about it to shuffle it around in my house, instead.

[Punchy Kaby]

I talk all the time in person, on Facebook, in emails about how I am decluttering my life and trying to live with less. I honestly tell all of our parents that 90% of what they give us I get rid if. It has slowed the influx. It disturbs me that most people find it ok to buy junk that they know will break and get thrown away. How thoughtless of our society to make so much trash.

We have slightly less stuff coming in because I have been so honest.

[leigh09]

Originally Posted by Punchy Kaby

It disturbs me that most people find it ok to buy junk that they know will break and get thrown away. How thoughtless of our society to make so much trash.

This is disturbing to me also. No one, really no one, NEEDS dollar store/cheap toys that are going to break very shortly. It's such a waste of resources.

[SubliminalDarkness]

Trash it when the kids aren't looking

[karemore]

Party goodie bags get stashed away and brought on long car rides.

Everyday coloring pages/artwork gets tossed after a day or two. I have a shelf for stuff I am not ready to toss. Every few months I go through the shelf. Often after some time passes, it losses the sentimental value and gets tossed.

Cheap toys get bagged and dropped off at church for the thrift store.

We're much more careful not to pick up this stuff ourselves when we're out at community days, festivals etc. Just because it's free or cheap doesn't mean we need to bring it into our home! But it's hard to convince others of that......

[Ruthiegirl]

I am a mean mom and trash the crap. I can't stand the junk, the kids cry when it breaks, I can't stand the crying...don't give my kids plastic crap!!!!!!


See...like I said...big mean mama

[noobmom]

I have a lingering bad memory of my mom trashing some "junk" that was important to me (a card made for me by a friend when I was about 6 years old). I don't trash anything like that without checking with DS first. I do explain to him that we need to clear out stuff now and again and we sit down together to do it. I allow him to keep some things and we revisit it at a later time. DS has an unbelievable memory and will not forget anything.

Things like balloons or empty goody bags do get sneaked into the trash eventually. If it's something replaceable--even if I have no intention of ever replacing it--I am less hesitant about tossing it. If it's something handmade or one-of-a-kind, even if it is junk, I'll keep until I can get DS to agree that it's time to let it go.

[pinksprklybarefoot]

Originally Posted by karemore

Party goodie bags get stashed away and brought on long car rides.

This is so smart! DSD gets goody bags and forgets about them almost immediately, but I feel bad tossing them. I might have to make a "road trip" box and toss things of that nature inside for future car rides.

[Charmie981]

Goody bags have gotten better as my kids get older...a pencil and some stickers usually. I try to get out of the party without them, but if not, we get rid of what we can't use (stickers!) asap.

Cheap toys get used until unusable and then tossed. MIL is the worst about this, but she's the only one and only twice a year (birthdays and Christmas) so I don't have to worry about it a lot. I think being vocal about decluttering is a good policy and declining at parties, etc, is also a good idea.