TOYS TOYS TOYS ..... My Oh My!!!

Well, with the Kitchen done I felt like this whole simplification thing is not that hard.  Hmmmm - I had a rude awakening when I started on toys.  I realized quickly that I must not have been that emotionally attached to kitchen appliances - but that the silliest toys would make me go "aaaahhh".

Here is a bit of my journey through the toy project:

First, I bought some LARGE ziplock bags.  I did not know you could get such large ones actually.  I got some large trash bags, the label maker and some large tupperware containers.  I made sure that the older two girls were at school - because I could not try and get rid of stuff with them over my shoulder.

So I started by throwing out all the obvious stuff - goodie bag toys, pieces of toys that are broken, missing pieces of games, ripped books etc.  Then I decided on some toys that I want to keep but that the girls are not playing with right now.  I put those in the large ziplock bags and put them in tupperware containers to store until Taylor will be interested in them.  Then I put any toys that had no emotional attachment and that I have other similar ones in the "give away" container.  I then re-organized all the bins and labeled them.

I did involve the girls in certain projects - dolls, stuffed animals and baby toys.  I put all the dolls in a long row and had the girls pick their 3 favorites each.  We then gave the rest away.  This was a little hard  for them - but the more they understood that these dolls will be loved by little girls who have none - they felt better.  As far as the stuffed animals - I got three containers (one for each girl) and decided that those were the only ones I could fill.  The rest gave away (2 full trash bags worth).  Baby toys - wow ... I gave so many away.  I packed everything in the car and headed to donate.  I am not going to lie - when I put that little snail down and the Fisher price door that all 3 girls LOVED playing with .... I had a moment where I wanted to run back and grab it.  I had to have a "drive Lize, drive away" talk.  So away I went - and I too hope that some little girl or boy will have a blast with these toys that gave my girls many moment of laughter and fun.

So, now I have probably 1/2 the toys I started with - they are labeled and organized .... and yet - there are still toys to clean up!!!  Hee hee.

I am so so so relieved that toys are done.  I was very much dreading that ....