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Natasha 
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Twoowls Elt 🦉 🦉@Natasha_Jay we did this last year, the team couldn’t believe it :)
MarcelNBG@Natasha_Jay
What happens to the Toys brought After Christmas?
What happens to the Toys brought After Christmas?
Noodlemaz@MarcelNBG @Natasha_Jay they're not as in demand and will sit there much longer?
schuelermine@MarcelNBG @Natasha_Jay I assume the stockpile gets slowly whittled down throughout the year.
HollieK@MarcelNBG @Natasha_Jay They will still be put out as people don't stop buying toys - there's always birthday presents, kids wanting to spend pocket money, etc - but they might not sell quite as quickly.
Bec@Natasha_Jay Also if you have a Buy Nothing group you can give to, this can help families who really can't afford to spend anything at all on gifts. It's so hard at this time of year if your children are small 😢
Ponygirl@Natasha_Jay As an Early Intervention provider who goes from home to home, it is my opinion that kids have way to many toys. It actually impacts their ability to attend to task. There's just too much toy noise.
BeeCycling has moved@Ponygirl @Natasha_Jay There's a minimalist YouTuber I watch sometimes who has two young sons. They've got a sensible number of toys, the ones they grow out of get donated as soon as they're done and while still in good condition, rather than cluttering the place up, and the boys seem perfectly happy with the toys and books and puzzles etc they have. But good gravy you should see the comments she gets that her kids are "deprived" because their rooms aren't crammed floor to ceiling with toys.
@beecycling @Natasha_Jay Good for her. Quite likely her children will be able to maintain attention to their studies, chores, even conversations better. There are so many other ways to love your children (and grandchildren, as grandparents could be the main toy purchasers, flooding homes with junk made in China), than to buy more toys.
Maria Gatta@beecycling @Ponygirl @Natasha_Jay we keep it sensible at home too, only a few toys at a time (rotate them as needed) and it works great. But sometimes it does look... empty 😅
I must confess I do buy a lot of books for my toddler, but likewise they are rotated to avoid too much stuff (this is our current selection, on a low table for her to grab as she wishes).
I am intrigued, mind sharing the YouTubers channel?
A to Zen Life
Minimalism changed my life and it can change yours! I was an emotional hoarder with nothing but the clutter from lost loved ones -- and $25,000 of debt -- to my name. Now, I have a beautiful home in Europe, a happy family, live debt-free, and - best of all - wake up to a life that I'm EXCITED to live every day. Minimalism is so much more than an empty white space - it's about creating a happier space for your family. A space that's full of the most important thing: LOVE! That's what being a minimalist mom means to me! Now my mission is to help real families just like us conquer their clutter and simplify their way to a happier and better life. I would LOVE IT if you would subscribe to my channel so I can help you, too! INSTAGRAM | @atozenlife
AnneH@Natasha_Jay If kids are old enough they can help to sort out things they don't play with any more & learn about helping others.
chris overcash@Natasha_Jay @briankrebs 💡 What if, as part of Thanksgiving, parents and kids go through their toys, pick out a few favorites, and donate the rest? This gives a month to get those donations out to new homes. Having a limited number of toys until Christmas does two things. First, it forces the kids to be more creative with what they have, really flexing their imagination. And second, they’ll learn to appreciate the new toys they get for Christmas even more.
Sassinake!this is how it should work.
Fish Id Wardrobe ⁂@Natasha_Jay I'm torn here.
This is good advice that will help poor kids.
But at the same time: who is it that chucks out old toys they gave to their kids? those don't belong to you! you gave them to your children!
Christmas would have had a *very* different meaning for me if I understood it as "you can play with these for a while, but they're not yours. we can take them any time we want."
CyberPunker@fishidwardrobe @Natasha_Jay Maybe asking the kids to clear out older toys before Christmas so other kids can get some toys for Christmas too?
You don't have to take them away of the kids without them have something to say about that. I'm sure many kids would gladly give some toys to others knowing that there will be new ones at Christmas.
(Maybe even without the Christmas part)
You don't have to take them away of the kids without them have something to say about that. I'm sure many kids would gladly give some toys to others knowing that there will be new ones at Christmas.
(Maybe even without the Christmas part)
@CyberPunker @Natasha_Jay sure, that's different.
Takiro 🎨@fishidwardrobe @Natasha_Jay
My parents did take away toys from me regularly, either as punishment or any other reason. I pretty quickly understood that I didn't own anything and nothing was really mine. I still have this mindset over 30 years later, as an adult.
My parents did take away toys from me regularly, either as punishment or any other reason. I pretty quickly understood that I didn't own anything and nothing was really mine. I still have this mindset over 30 years later, as an adult.
@Takiro @Natasha_Jay right. I was lucky in this regard, but I've observed that a *lot* of parents don't think their kids have anything they can't take away. even apparently nice parents.
If the kids are consenting and helping you pick what to give away, that's a whole other story.
But.
suzanne@fishidwardrobe @Takiro @Natasha_Jay
This certainly doesn't preclude getting the kids to help pick out toys they decide they're ready to get rid of. But also, you end up with closets full of toys kids have outgrown and never play with. The parents I know who "clear out" toys are usually getting rid of things their kids have put away years before.
I always mean to do this before the holidays. But it can be overwhelming until you've run out of shelves and have no choice. Which is usually after.
Molly in Missouri@Takiro @fishidwardrobe @Natasha_Jay i think some people experience that & gradually train themselves to accept that more powerful people will always control everything, will always be able to take everything away from you and from everyone else not innately powerful, so why bother. It's a tough call. I think gift mostly used items, let the kids initiate toy donations (they will as they get comfortable with the flow of mutual aid & community) teach kids evolution because it's all connected.
webhat@Natasha_Jay I just talked to my children about it, they suggested toys we already brought to the charity shop. They are evaluating new toys
Artemis@Natasha_Jay
Yes!
And it's not just the kids you will make happy—it's also their parents who are trying really hard to give their kids a good holiday.
My mom was just telling me about a year when she had $5/child to spend on Christmas gifts. Made me cry knowing how hard that was for her.
kzeta has moved@Natasha_Jay love this! I'm going to show this message to my kid (who's 10), because I think it may motivate a closet clean-out. 💝
Kay 
@Natasha_Jay my local community centre is running a Clothes and Toy Swap in the lead up to Christmas. No charge and people can take without giving. It's a great way to cull good or near new condition items we no longer use.