How to Declutter Toys Before Christmas (With the Kids' Help)

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Every December, a new wave of toys comes into our house. With six kids, that's a lot of new stuff, and it has to go somewhere. If I don't make room first, it ends up on the floor, on the couch and under every bed.

So before Christmas, we declutter toys. I also do it any time the bins start overflowing and nobody can find anything. Here's exactly how we do it, room by room, with the kids helping instead of hiding.

What I bring

Large trash bags, a few empty boxes, and music. The music matters more than you'd think. It turns a chore into something closer to a room party, and it keeps everyone moving.

One kid, one room at a time

I go to each kid's room, and that kid helps me go through their toy bin. All of my kids help, even the little ones. It's their stuff, so they get a say. It also means nobody comes looking for a missing toy a week later, upset that I got rid of it without asking.

The four piles

Everything in the bin goes into one of four piles.

Keep. The toys they actually play with.

Donate. Toys in good shape that nobody plays with anymore. Some get passed down to a younger sibling instead, which is one of the perks of having six kids.

Store somewhere else. Toys we want to keep but don't need out right now. These go into storage and come back out later, so they feel new again.

Throw away. Broken toys, toys missing half their pieces, and anything nobody could fix.

The one rule that decides what stays

If we keep it, it needs a dedicated spot. The toy bin, a shelf, a box under the bed. Somewhere it goes back to every time, not the floor or the corner of the closet.

If we can't find a spot for it, we ask the question again: do we really need this? Most of the time, the answer changes. This one rule does more than any other to keep toys from taking over again.

The hardest part

Every time, someone finds a toy they haven't thought about in months. Suddenly it's the best toy they've ever owned, and they can't possibly let it go.

That's what the "store somewhere else" pile is for. The toy doesn't have to leave the house, but it doesn't have to go back in the bin either. When it comes back out a few months later, it really does feel new, and sometimes they've forgotten about it again by then.

Where the toys that stay live

We use toy bins and shelves in the kids' rooms, and under-bed storage bags under the beds. Our house is small with tiny closets, so under the bed is some of the best storage we have. I wrote more about that in my post on organizing small spaces.

Clear storage bins with lids are what I use for the "store somewhere else" pile. Because they're clear, the kids can see what's inside without dumping everything out.

A toy box chest is good for the bigger toys that don't fit on a shelf.

Balls and outdoor toys don't belong in a bedroom. Sports equipment storage keeps them in one place in the garage instead of rolling around the house.

A few more tips if you're starting out

Start with one bin, not the whole room. A small win keeps kids willing to do the next one.

Pick a good time. Right after a meal, not right before bed. Tired, hungry kids keep everything.

Donate before Christmas. Many charities are collecting toys in November and December, so what you clear out can end up under someone else's tree.

Get the donate bags out of the house the same day. A bag sitting by the door is a bag that gets unpacked.

If you're still deciding what's going under the tree this year, here's what my kids actually play with in my post on Christmas gifts for kids by age.

A toy declutter doesn't have to be a fight. Put on music, bring the bags, and let them help decide. The house feels lighter, and there's finally room for what's coming.