I’m starting this series because I’ve had a little extra time recently to really re-evaluate what is important in my life. I’ve decided to make some major changes and I’m starting by removing STUFF from our lives.
STUFF: def. Some Things U Forget Fast. See what I did there.
Stuff just adds more things for us to keep up with, more stuff to clean, more stuff to pick up, more stuff to irritate the snot out of us.
Who needs that?
That’s why I’m starting with the kids stuff.
Toys are the bane of my existence. I pick up the same toys everyday, sometimes twice. And the thing is, the kids don’t even like them that much.
In fact, I’m pretty sure that my boys pick up a toy with the sole purpose of slinging it at the other brother.
And then there it lies.
For me to pick up.
But Mommy has reached her breaking point and has started chucking them herself.
Right out the door.
Yea, Me.
So TIP #1
Get a box and covertly start chucking toys. Have two boxes, one for donating and one for throwing away broken ones.
Do this covertly, it will be so much easier on you. You wont have to listen to the guaranteed whine fest that will follow and you wont have to fight off little hands digging into the box to pull out their “favorite” toy.
Now, make sure you do not really throw their favorite toys away. As Mothers we notice what they really enjoy playing with and if you don’t trash these precious toys, they wont even notice the other junk you take, I promise.
TIP #2
Pare down your childs closet. This will cut down on the amount of laundry that you have to clean, and lets face it, pick up off the floor.
Having boys this may be easier for me. My youngest son, who is 3, prefers three pair of shorts and four shirts, and refuses to wear anything else.
There is no sense in children having more clothes than you do.
Keep a couple nice outfits, a couple of play outfits then sell the rest on eBay.
Money is a great incentive to get some de-cluttering done.
TIP #3
This tip has to do with the issue of leaving the toys around the house. I have started doing this and it seems to be getting quite effective.
When its clean up time and the kids are refusing to pick their toys up, give them 10 minutes, after that 10 minutes tell them your throwing whats left away.
When the 10 minutes is up, gasp, start trashing. Pick up something that they can live without and in the trash it goes.
Then watch them scramble to get everything else up.
Is it harsh? Yea a little.
But it damn sure is effective.
