Even if you only have one child, you accumulate lots of stuff. There are all the clothes. And let’s not forget those toys and games that no one’s playing with anymore. And gobs of books too. Soon, they encroach on every little spec of your space until one day, you realize you have too much stuff that no one is using. If you’ve got too much junk, here’s what you can do to de-clutter and de-stress.
Have a giveaway Friends that are just starting a family might be thrilled to adopt the things you don’t need. So are local places of worship. Most of those places have nurseries open during services so children can play while their parents enjoy the service. They are always in need of toys to keep the children busy. Places of worship also happily accept old clothes so they can give them to a family in need.
Give it to charity Non-profit agencies happily accept donations. They’ll sell it in their second-hand stores for incredibly low prices, some for less than $1! Shelters for abused women and children are always in need of these things too. When you make donations in this way, you can also declare it on your taxes. Giving back can also be a great lesson for your children so that they learn about helping others in need. You can also enlist their help in rounding up the things that they no longer play with and have them help you take it over to donate. When your children see that people in need look like everyone else, it’s a valuable lesson about keeping others in our minds and hearts.
Set up a garage sale Nice as it is to give things away, sometimes we need to make some money from our things. A garage sale is a great way to cut down on the clutter and make some money back for your family. Keep things organized and labeled with prices. Baby clothes should go on one table while toddler toys go on another. You can also put similar types of items in big boxes and label the boxes with “Everything item in this box just $3 each.” Older children can practice their math skills by helping give change while smaller children can help put things in bags. You can use the money you earn from the garage sale to treat the family to a special outing, even if it’s just to the ice cream shop.
Repurpose and reuse For craftier folks, you can turn some of your old items into something new and useful. Old baby clothes that are too well-worn can make a very memorable quilt. Or you can fashion some things into a new stuffed toy. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination!
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