Purge

Do you have any of those things on your list that just never seem to get checked off? Mine is the organization of the toys. I love how it feels to have the toys organized, but after three kids in six years and too many holidays that added too many toys, it all of a sudden become an overwhelming task.

I have had several strategies for keeping our toys in check. Most were really just a shuffling game between shelves in order to keep the kids interested. Then we started putting things in the basement and rotating them up every so often. Then, when that became too much, I just bagged the ones that were not getting picked up when “clean-up” time ended and they went into a white trash bag and found a new home in the basement. Needless to say, none of these approaches really ever seemed to work in the long run.

And then last week, my friend Jen came over. My dear, sweet, anally retentive, very organized friend Jen came over and kicked some serious toy ass. She has a way about her that let’s her easily sift through the crap and end up with only the things your kids really need. Or should I say, only the things that can easily be put in a bin and categorized. If it didn’t have a category and if it couldn’t fit in a bin, it was GONE.

Three and a half hours, two 90 gallon garbage bins, and a car full of toys to donate later, it was done. Now EVERYTHING has a home and a bin with its own name on it. No, it doesn’t matter that the kids can’t read yet, they’ll get the idea soon enough.

Oh and by the way…if any of you people tell my kids I just threw out half their toys and then gave another quarter of them to my husband’s Administrative Assistant, I will hunt you down and KILL you.

You see, they think ALL their toys are still in the basement, somewhere.

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