Out with the old...in the with new.

So, what DO you guys do when your house is about to or already has been over-run with all the new items, toys, clothes and who knows what all else you receive for Christmas?

I'm STILL working on the rest of the house (Not such a great idea to NOT have it finished BEFORE Christmas. Oh well, maybe next year.) but the week before Christmas I went through the kids room THREE times and eliminated excess toys.

Why THREE times? The first time I go through I get rid of surface things that I see that they NEVER touch. The second time through I do a little deeper cleaning and get things that they only give attention to RARELY. And last but not least the third time I score through each little nook and cranny and toy bin in their room carefully inspecting every toy with the thought, "Do they need it? Do they really play with that enough for it to stay? Will they miss it when it's gone?"

If there are toys that they do play with sometimes and seem to really enjoy when they do, I suggest bagging those up and taking them to a grandparents or great-grandparents house and switching out the toys so they'll have fresh things for their next visit.

We have a granddad and great-granddad out here that didn't have any toys for them, so every once in a while I'll bag up the toys that they play with from time to time and take them up to their house. However, so as not to PILE up a bunch at the grandparents, you'll have to take the old toys and get rid of them via yard-sale, charity, or the like.

Happy Holiday Cleaning!