In our last blog titled LESS TOYS = MORE JOYS! we referenced Joshua Becker’s article titled “Why Fewer Toys Will Benefit Your Kids.” From experience, this sentiment is easier said then done so we’ve worked out a few tested thoughts on how to ease the process. Here are seven ways to keep the sentiment without the stuff!

1. Take a photo. You know that saying “take a picture, it lasts longer?” Well, this is the best option to capture the moment without keeping the momento. Photos take up an itty bitty space in the cloud, a disc, or a hard drive… crafts, toys and cute little (usually stained) outfits take up a lot of space and only deteriorate over time.
2. Keep a limited number of your favorites. For those who are REALLY sentimental, it is important to keep a couple items/drawings or favorite toy. This can quickly get out of hand unless you limit yourself. Try to always keep special items down to one small bin per child. Prioritize what is really special.
3. Revisit and Edit. Sometimes, we just need a little more time. Kids grow too fast, so that favorite outfit that your daughter only fit into once was so hard to get rid of right away, but a few years down the road it may be easier to send it along to a new owner.
4. Keep it in the family. Sometimes it helps if you keep special items in the family. They are put to better use then in a mildewed storage bin in the attic and you don’t ever really have to part with them. How special to see your son gift his favorite truck down to his little cousin? (that is a “kodak moment”)
   
5. Purge slowly. Sometimes it helps to get rid of a few toys here, and a few toys there…slowly whittle down to the “keepers” and your child won’t notice the half-empty toy box.
6. Alone is better. Even if you convince your child to get rid of some toys, they have a better chance of remembering it and asking for it back if they had to see it go.
   
7. Stop acquiring/gifting. This may seem like a common sense way to keep “stuff” to a minimum, but those marketing companies make a living at attracting children and adults alike to feeling as if they NEED more. After all, you will become the awesome aunt if you give the best gift…and your own child will LOVE receiving that special toy that they keep seeing on commercials! But just don’t buy toys! Most likely, the child will get excited, but within minutes, throw it aside or brake it’s arm and lose it in a pile of other toys. Gifts like tickets to the zoo or a family portrait shoot encourage quality family time and “forever memories.” After all, there are only a select few toys that we grow up to remember playing with (only keep those if you’d like). With all of this wonderful knowledge, if you still want to buy “stuff,” only purchase items that promote open-ended creativity. This is items that leave play to the imagination such as dress up clothes, instruments, crafts, etc). AND just as important, ONLY GIVE these gifts… don’t punish yourself or other parents/children with a sea of useless plastic.

Live well….with less! Good luck!