Declutter toys before Christmas and make it FUN with this super cute tradition the whole family will love. Includes free printables!
I'll let you in on an organizing secret. One of my favorite ways to get ready for Christmas is to declutter the toys in our house. It's kind of a no-brainer - you just know that Christmas is going to bring new toys, and you're going to need a place to put them.
When my boys were tiny, decluttering toys was easy. I just chose the things that they had outgrown or didn't play with and tossed them at nap time. But as they got older they developed definite opinions about what to keep and what could go. If you've ever decluttered toys with kids you know what I'm talking about. They want to keep everything.
It's important to me to include them in the process of decluttering their toys (click here to see why), but I also wanted to make it fun. We've been doing our before Christmas toy purge this way for years and this year I have a step by step guide and fun FREE printables to help your family do it too!
PS - need more motivation? See how decluttering before Christmas can make you money too.
How to Declutter Toys Before Christmas
This idea brings a little Christmas magic to your toy decluttering project, and encourages your kids to be aware of the importance of recycling and giving back at the same time. Here's how it works.
Have your kids wake up or come home from school to an official North Pole news bulletin -- Santa has announced the opening of his Toy Recycling Department and he needs their help!
In the letter, your kids will find that Santa is looking for toys that they no longer need to give to other good girls and boys. All you have to do it fill your recycling bag and leave it out for Santa's elves to pick up (leaving cookies is optional but we always do).
You can use any type of bag or bin to collect your toys (our DIY recycling bins work great). But for a special touch, you need an official North Pole Toy Recycling bag!
If you have a cutting machine, I've created a free SVG file so you can make your own bag. If not, you can find something similar on Etsy here.
To make your own Toy Recycling bag, simply upload the SVG file to your Cricut or Silhouette and follow the instructions for iron on vinyl. I put mine on this large canvas laundry bag and it's perfect!
Once you have your bag and your letter ready, it's time to declutter those toys! Here are a few things you can do to make sure it goes smoothly.
Respect your child's boundaries and allow THEM to choose which toys go. Something that looks like "junk" to you may be very special to them.
Depending on your child's age, they may need a little guidance from you. If you're stuck, start by challenging your child to find at least five toys that they want to part ways with. Then gradually go through each bin or box getting rid of toys.
Go through any duplicates and see how you can pare down to a more reasonable number.
Focus on what you are keeping, not what you are sending away. This simple shift in thinking makes it easier to let go of certain items.
Finally, help your kids to remember that their toys can be used to spread kindness to other girls and boys, and that is what Christmas is all about!
Once your decluttering is done, fill your recycling bag and leave it by the mantle or the door for Santa's elves to collect. Of course, you'll collect it overnight and drop it off at your local toy donation center so that it really can go to other children in need.
For an extra special touch, have the elves leave an official "Nice List" certificate for your kids as a thank you. You can find one pre-made along with lots of other goodies in my printable Santa set here!
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