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Overwhelmed with stuff

April 19th, 2011 at 01:01 pm

I am sitting here in my living room SO overwhelmed with stuff, books, toys, papers, craft supplies, more toys and books blankets boxes of clothes just so much stuff. I don't even know where to start. I watch children out of my home and need to keep a variety of toys for the different ages but I'm beginning to lose the battle and my home. Where do I start!! It's so stressful to sit here and look at everything, I did one corner this morning packed up a bag of books to send away, and a bag of papers to get rid of. But now what. What do I do with toys I spent good money on but dd just isnt interested in playing with them. She actually doesn't play with at least half of her toys because there in piles in the "playroom" that we don't play in because its to full Of stuff! Do I just get rid of it all? Even though I spent money on it? I could sell it but that seems like a lot of work. What about boxes? How long is to long to keep them? I've had a huge 42" tv box along side my stairs for 2 years! I keep thinking what if I move and need to move it? Someone please offer some advice in where to start to regain control of my home!!

3 Responses to “Overwhelmed with stuff”

  1. LittleMsMom Says:
    1303219735

    Since you watch children out of your home, you should keep a reasonable amount of toys. I would suggest going through the toy room and throwing out anything broken.

    Maybe find a way to organize the toys though. What about totes. Like a tote for legos, a tote for barbies, a tote for stuffed animals and then a couple totes for misc grouped by age of user. If all the totes are the same you can stack them in a closet or against a wall and only open up the stuff the kids are playing with.

    I would get rid of enough toys so that the toy room can be played in and then the rest of the house can be a toy free zone. Do you have a childrens resale shop? I like to take my stuff in the "once upon a child" they will buy toys and so you might get some money for some stuff and reduce your clutter level.

    As for the TV box, I would probubly just throw it away once it is no longer out of warrenty (I usually keep big purchase items for a year). If you do move you can always just wrap it up in blankets.

    Good Luck, I myself am also battling the clutter battle.

  2. momcents Says:
    1303220023


    My thoughts
    (1) Too many options make it difficult to choose. Stick to a few favorite items
    (2) Do you have a place to store things? Use clear bins and rotate the stock.
    (3) Limit what can be out - two activities. They must be put away before somethign else can come out
    (4) Invest money in the basics - my five kids played with the same wooden blocks and train set from IKEA (tho my son's did get hooked on Thomas later)
    (5) Have art supplies near the kitchen table and a cheap plastic tablecloth with it
    (6) Throw out the boxes. I was a box saver. A failed sump pump forced me to get rid of all of them.
    (7) Have a basket for each of your children. Things that you find out of place that belongs to that child goes into the box. Have your children then put the items away.
    (8) You can always donate your toy items to the local special needs preschool program. You could try Once Upon a Child or local consignment for fast cash. You could try a yard sale. I've done all of those and each one yielded minimum cash, though others might have different experiences.

    Good luck! You've inspired me to tame more of the clutter here at my house. It is always an ongoing problem!

  3. jewels3 Says:
    1303226502

    As I am in the moving process right now, they do recommend that you move your electronics (TVs, computers, etc) in their original boxes. Are you planning on moving anytime soon? If not, I think I would just ditch the box if it's really bothering you

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