Getting Rid of Your Kid’s Unused Stuff

As our kids grow up we need to shed the remnants of their past lives. Our ten year olds no longer play with play dough, Barbie, and toy soldiers and they outgrow their clothing every few months. Similarly, they are long past high chairs and small chairs, starter bicycles and tricycles, and last fall’s pajamas.

We have a straightforward system for getting rid of our kids’ stuff. The stuff they will not miss and we cannot keep (such as those mentioned chairs or any outgrown decent clothing in good repair) we either share with friends and family who are expectant moms or we drop them off at either a favorite local charity or our neighborhood consignment store.

For old toys and certain favorite articles of clothing, though, we have a family meeting wherein my wife will showcase the latest boxes of goodies that have enjoyed a dormant existence over the past six months and we discuss the relative merits of keeping or getting rid of each. The rule is that they may dedicate one good-sized and easily-closed drawer of their dresser to storing their favorite keepsakes (all categories included), but no more.

The secret parental rule is that we keep a couple of items from each major stage of their lives in a small storage area in our basement so that they can reacquaint themselves with their past when it eventually becomes more relevant to them in later life. We have kept their first booties and bibs, that all-important security blanket, and that indispensable pocket toy that went wherever our super heroes went for many a moon.

So the time comes when the third old teddy or the umpteenth model spacecraft can only be kept by sacrificing a current drawer tenant. These are tough times, and the decision-making is not easy. At times we need to table the issue until calmer heads may prevail. But usually, as we sit around the items and take turns discussing and reminiscing about them, we almost always part ways with dignity and understanding.

Daughter: Well, Yellow teddy complements Brown teddy but it clashes with Blue teddy and Red teddy. So if I have to keep only three then we’ll have to find a new home for Yellow.

Mom: Sure, honey, and Yellow is so easy-going and well behaved, and she’s is in such good shape that if you put a pink bow around her neck she would make a great present for Aunt Danielle’s new baby, Gracie, who is due any time now.

Daughter: Really! Cool! Then when we go visit Gracie we can bring Blue, Red, and Brown and they can visit Yellow too.

Son: But I don’t want to get rid of my Star Wars Tie Fighter model and Gracie won’t want to play with it either.

Me: You’re probably right, but you have a full-sized Tie Fighter pencil sharpener on your desk so maybe you can choose one or the other model to keep. [Fingers crossed on the choice.]

Son: Oh, yeah, I forgot. Ok, I can use your pencil sharpener at home and the one on the teacher’s desk at school, so I’ll keep this model.

Me: But that doesn’t solve your space issue, you don’t have room for the toy in your drawer. [Should've known.]

Son: But you said I could keep one and I want this one.

Me: Ok, ok, I guess I thought you would pick the sharpener. So, maybe you can keep the model on your desk instead. [Ooops! Wait for it… ]

Daughter: That’s not fair! If he gets to keep his then I can keep Yellow on my desk.