My kids watched this with me and said "I wish she would come to our house!" (And we've already simplified a ton over the last few years watching your channel). Guess it's time to go do some more😆😊
I'm a professional early childhood educator and warmly affirm what Dawn says, both from my personal experience and the research she refers to. We curate a selection of open-ended materials appropriate for each age, cycle them out as needed, offer lots of outdoor time, and nurture good social skills through games. The less 'stuff' and the more space, the better.
Another early childhood specialist here and I agree wholeheartedly! Well said and thanks, Dawn, for continually bringing up research. So very important for the work we do with young children.
@KathleenGarness We do LOTS of outside time as we live on 2.5 acres. We still have minimal outside too as we want natural play and creative play. We have mostly Legos, Duplos, magnatiles, a car bin, a "people" bin, some puzzles for each age range (about 6 in all), and we have knex. Theres still other odds and ends but those kind of "belong" to each kid or age. Like the kitchen and foods are for toddlers, we have dinosaurs for 1 boy, we have a racetrack for another boy, we have play phones and wallets for 2 other kids, we have babies and doll stuff for the toddlers, and books for all of them. With all that its a lot because each kid has their "stuff" they want and adore so it makes it harder to downsize those. BUT im going to quarantine a LOT this weekend and go from there. They have all mostly had birthdays and I think we have a lot of old favorites now that need to just go. Thanks for the in put. Ive been in the classroom too and got lucky to work with 2 different types of teachers 1 was a horder and 1 was neat and had just what we needed and I feel the neater teacher got better success out of the kids. (Pre-K)
Do you have any solid classic book or toy reccomendations for all ages like a swing set or trampoline or sports equipment ive found tends to be timeless for all ages. But is there any for example must haves for certain age groups like lego for example? Or any resources you use or would suggest for looking more into child development etc to learn about all this stuff so we can implement it naturally?
Early years lady here too. We occasionally would have a cardboard box day. No toys out but asked parents to bring in cardboard boxes and one had access to really big ones. With a bit of help with scissors and tape they would turn those into playhouses/rockets/buses etc. Then slather them in paint. I think one of the hard things is that the more creative play does need a bit of adult help. But of course that is partly why kids love it.
We had a large cardboard box sitting in the corner of our spare room for about 8 months because our daughter loved playing in there, she cut out "Windows" and stuck up "art" inside the box, she would move pillows and blankets in and just play. She also loved the fact that our cats would sleep in there as well 😁🐱
My 8 year old who gets overwhelmed very easily when we ask him to clean, watched this with me and immediately went to his room and said he was going to declutter it! Thanks for the help with motivating him😉!
Really hit me when you said “if it stresses us out when we see it, it’s probably also stressing our kids out” - wow - so true and I never thought of that!
My boys favourite Christmas gift was a box of "good junk" from my mum-she had been saving any interesting (clean) packaging/boxes / foil / empty cotton reals etc all year. He was thrilled, he calls it his inventing kit and plays with it every day!
Amazing how the little guy reacted. We are doing kids such a disservice over burdening them with stuff. My daughter had been adamant that she does not want this for her kids, makes gift giving challenging for grandma, but it makes me feel wonderful adding to the imagination of my grands instead of their junk pile when I give!
It's really something that I felt less anxiety after the toys were thinned out, and that's just through watching the video. Imagine the unconscious stress the family must have been feeling in the flesh.
This summer when each of my four grandkids visited I had them declutter the toys and books. I was surprised when the youngest 9yo girl was willing to get rid of the most items! I decluttered the end table next to the toy container and have put toys in there as my quarantine bin. I brought two huge boxes to the thrift store. We swam at the lake; played card and board games; had lunch at a restaurant with Papa (my hubby); read books; completed chores; pet the dogs; cuddled on the couch; massaged feet and shoulders; and had lengthy, insightful conversations. It was the most productive, relaxed, and meaningful visits we've ever had. Thanks for being the first person to show me the benefits of decluttering my home. I've gotten rid of over 26,000 items so far this year, mostly office and scrapbooking paper clutter.
I constantly declutter. I love it. But my daughter’s room is so hard for me because some of her toys are sentimental to ME! Lol!! This helped me so much with thinking about “what does she actually play with?”… I also love the idea of buying their toys from them. Thank you!
I started giving my granddaughter a yearly pass to the zoo instead of toys. I also give her a Kiwi crate subscription for Christmas. And, of course, lots of books.
As a Mom of young ones, I love love this idea. Experiences and books! May not be “fun” to watch the kids open, but its a gift that keeps on giving and provided memories! Love this-
I did this with my 4 year old’s toys this past weekend. My son came in and saw how neat and accessible his toys are and he was so excited! He’s told me many times, “Thank you for my room mommy!” It just about made me cry… he loves it!! ❤
My daughter has played every single day with her Barbie Dream House. The first day she got it, she played with it from morning till night and refused to eat lunch. Still her favorite and it's been almost 2 years.
I had too laugh when the husband said to the wife " what truck do you play with". I'm from England. I used to play with my son's big red bus Al the time LOL
When our kids were young we rotated bins of toys each month or so. It was always like they were brand new. The ones that didn't get played with when they came out of rotation got passed along or donated.
My mon did that twice a year when we were growing up. I remember how funny it was to get "new" toys. And my father built My Pony house with me. I loved that! 😃
Thats what I use to do as well. I did daycare so i use to really watch what was being used and of coarse if any parts were missing or broke they got tossed
When my son was young if he didn't pick up after himself (toys). They went into quarantine for a long time . This really worked .I suggested this to someone who told me her daughter just wouldn't care .Then I would have just got rid of that toy
The way you phrased that made a lot of sense to me. I've only recently started rotating, but it kind of felt like I was actually just decluttering without committing. 😅 I don't know how to truly keep track of which toy cars he uses, but I'm sure I'll figure it out someday.
I'm only 1:30 into this video and I can already tell you that seeing the shot with the kids playing with very few toys, to the shot of all the toys accumulated ....... oh my goodness, I wasn't prepared for the overwhelm feeling that hit me! So as a kid, I can certainly see how this would be more aggravating, than enjoyable.
I wish I had watched a video like this when my daughter was young. I love these home visits. They really give a realistic view of how life can be when you are starting at the beginning. Thank you 😌
Thank you Jackie and Jessie! You did a great job! I absolutely love that your son hasn't said anything about the toys yet but is playing with them for longer periods of time. That's fantastic! Great job once again too, Dawn and Tom!
My kids came in while I was watching this and asked about the video. I said “it’s telling me how to get rid of all your toys!” Then of course I laughed and said I was just joking. But they sat and watched for 5 mins. Afterwards I heard them running about downstairs and I actually heard my 9 yo say to my 5 yo “we only need our imaginations, let’s go!”. I nearly choked on my cup of tea. But from the mouths of babes as they say….
We took a trip to see family recently and it was very freeing that we were able to go with only packing a couple of hot wheels, some crayons, and some books for our son. And those things were only used in the car. His imagination is blooming at just 2 years old and it is so fun!
Rest assured, kids will literally play with anything. My 7 year old daughter pretends her coloured pencils are people. She draws houses on paper for the coloured pencil families and it will entertain her for hours. She will find sticks and rocks in the yard and also pretend they are people. (She does have actual toys, she just likes to play with anything she can find.)
Totally agree! We’ve been living in a tiny RV while we build our house and my 2 girls each have a tiny bin that holds their toys. They got to pick what came with them but they typically end up playing with tin foil and sticks (making clothes for their stick dolls). I love the creativity and honestly want to get rid of everything that is in our storage unit. We paired down a TON but this time has really shown me how much better kids do with less
I just came to the realization that in America we focus so much on keeping our kids entertained and occupied with junk and screens nonstop. You’re 100% right and we should be teaching our kids to use their imaginations.
I have for 4 children of my own and also have run a home daycare for 12 years.I have Lots of toys that they don't play with you spend more time picking them up then the kids actually play with. Kids in my generation played by themselves. Some Kids today want most their parents attention at all times so there is no toy that is going keep them busy.I've notice they play with Art activities a lot longer. Even though I knew the toys weren't getting played with I thought having a playroom full of toys looked like a happy place to play. I felt like I was giving them what I didn't have. Dawn really change my life. Even with the daycare toys I reduced them and it was easier for the kids to play . Thanks Dawn.
So happy to see this! I sent it to my sister, who is raising her granddaughter (5yr old now) and have offered to be Dawn. :) I’ve been trying to gently encourage her to simplify.
I have encouraged it to a couple of different people. One did a half-hearted attempt. She works full time and has 3 daughters and SO MANY TOYS, but she instead she works herself to the bone to try to keep it neat and tidy. So sad.
Try giving her words of praise: she is an amazing woman, those 3 kids are so lucky to have your example, I tell my friends what a wonderful mom you are - these kind of comments can change the mom-guilt mindset of the mom who is trying to compensate for working full-time. After you do that for a few weeks or months, you could try suggesting that the awesome mom doesn’t need to have the extra job of cleaning lady - less toys won’t deprive the kids - it will give them more time with mom.
Absolutely Jeda Maybe you could give her a free afternoon by taking the granddaughter out for 2 hours so she can try Dana’s method or catch up with other house chores first? Personally, It was hard to go through the emotions of letting go of toys , until After a few months of consistent weekends of free babysitting - I was finally receptive to try out Dawn’s videos and test her ideas. It really took getting out of the sinking feeling of housework overload - to free from guilt and address the toys and their attached feelings. My mom and sisters tried to help me de clutter many times, but I wasn’t successful (and felt suffocated) until after I was able to ask and receive the free babysitting for a few weekends.
I love the idea of buying your kids toy from them. Sometimes I trade- the first person to fill their box gets to choose the movie for today… or gets a treat from the store… or whatever motivates your child.
Yes! We have a toy rotation system, i quarantine/store away 90% of the kid's toys, and every couple weeks i rotate them. The kids are thrilled to see what gets set out, it feels like Christmas again. And yes, each time i rotate the toys we fill a "donate" box. I'm so proud of this system, my anxiety has lifted, my kids play better, and i got my living room back! I swear by this method.
You have mastered simplifying toys so you are the perfect person to help this family. I like the fact that you put all the toys in one room so they understood just has massive the amount of toys their son has was.
My oldest son has Legos and books. That's it. When his sister commented how quick he cleans up I explained he only has toys he loves and plays with so it's quicker to clean, a few weeks later she donated 70% of her toys. I want to also thank you for your clothing videos. My husband who holds onto every t shirt for 20+ years decided to declutter his wardrobe. I told him he could quarantine them until we move and make a decision then he agreed but by the time we finished he willingly decided just to donate everything. He needs 2 items to complete his wardrobe. We landed up donating 60% of our clothes. I feel so much happier in clothes I love and fit. 😁
Dawn you're in my brain again! 😅 You always seem to put out a video that's exactly what I need to hear/see in that moment! 😃 Was planning to declutter my kids toys today so thank you again for the motivation to do it! 🥰
I was like you Dawn while growing up. We didn't have a lot of money so therefore not a lot of toys. We cherished what we had and learned to take care of them. I only had 2 barbie dolls when I was young and bought one with my own money (which was rare-to have money). I honestly think it's best for kids to not have so much. Thanks for sharing with us Jackie and Jessie!
This is just so uplifting. I feel like my wife and I struggle with this and though we have made great strides with our second child having learned from some mistakes with our first, I still feel confident we could go further. I think the issue stems from living through a childhood with intense scarcity and not wanting our children to experience that, and with her background in daycare work, we end up with at least one option in every toy "category." seeing how you are directly and physically assisting another family and how well they were able to do even on a first pass is uplifting to me. The couple seemed so in tune with each other and very agreeable in what they would keep or donate. Having different opinions on the value of the item can complicate things.
Wow! What a testament to this process and the psychology concerning clutter and chaos! Thank you for taking us along this journey and sharing your family and life with us! I'm finding that freedom comes from decluttering and it reveals my misconception of wants vs. needs. Again...so freeing! 🍂
I was deeply touched by the reaction of Nolan that you shared at the end. He was happy and played straight more than an hour ! Good job ! You inspired me to go further.
My almost five year old listened to this with and named a truck ramp combo that he doesn't play with any more that we can let go of :-) He also specified he wants to keep his monster trucks. My decluttering journey is teaching him, too!
The sweet woman’s face was so anxious at the beginning, but by the end she was absolutely radiantly beaming!! Yay!! What a gift you were to them, Dawn. Thank you.
So, in my decluttering, I had a bunch of dollar tree washi tape... I could have tossed it or donated it, but instead I mailed it to my friend's kid. He LOVED it. Lol. I have a box of stuff I find for her kids, because I love the pictures I get showing the joy on their face.
So happy I discovered minimalism before giving birth. What I struggle with are failures. Like I thought my two year old (then) would love a parking house because he played with one at his daycare all the time. And I loved it to when I was a kid. We told the grandparents to get it for Christmas. It was cool for a short amount of time. Now it is in quarantine for almost a month. He does not ask for it. I am not sure if he will… But in general we have very few toys, too. We never buy anything ourselves but wait for holidays and get mostly NOT toys. For birthday my son got a walking bike (do not know the English term), books and a music box (it is a German brand called toniebox where you have little figures to put on the box and then music or stories play, we borrow the figures from our library). My daughter got one Duplo truck, a dress and a stuffed animal. My daycare giver is really enthusiastic about my kids because they are playing for hours with one thing and can occupy themselves for a really long time.
I really wish I would have discovered it before I had kids. I seriously would buy my first child a toy almost every time we went out. Even aside from the toys, I’ve collected so much, just stuff, for all my kids. I was able to manage it until we hit our third child, and I lost control of the stuff My house looks like a borderline hoarder house. I just discovered minimalism about a year ago, and it’s my life saver. I’m slowly working through stuff, but at least I can walk through the house now. Lol
I am a senior citizen! I watch all your videos. My children are all older than you! This video has brought to my mind that much of MY declutter has been “toys for seniors”! Think about it.
I feel grandparents, aunts and uncles who ever think before the buy the children toys. Let the parents decide what they feel is needed so the family doesn’t get overwhelmed.
When my first child could start to play his first toys were a wooden spoon and a pot and anything else he could get out of the lower cupboards. He now has a 15 month son that has every toy imaginable. But when he comes to grandmas there are books (not so much fun) and building blocks with a little tractor. This little tractor travels throughout the house delivering blocks. I loved today’s video! Especially when you said let the child use their imagination! If only you could come and declutter my sons basement full of toys😳
Thank you dawn for your content... i'm so motivated by you and happy that i found your youtube-channel ❤ best regards from across the big sea, from switzerland 🇨🇭
Going to declutter toys today! I fully agree with the research that supports toy rotation, having less out. Keeps them engaged longer. They are able to clean up pick up put away with little guidance.
Awesome :) I think it is so great that he didn’t say anything just like your kids. That speaks volumes. And that he played for so much longer, being able to entertain himself for so long. Terrific. Kudo’s to all of you.
So, true story. When I was 8, my family moved to a different state, and we ended up staying with my grandparents temporarily. My mom packed up all but 2 item each of our toys. My sister and I got a clothed doll and a blanket to play with, (we could pick any 2 items) and my brother got 2 trucks. It all fit in a little cardboard box, and we LOVED IT! I can’t explain the weight that lifted off my shoulders knowing our room could never be a mess.
Love the idea of going to people's houses with the follow up. You have changed my life. I have been decluttering since I first saw your video a few months ago. Thank you.
Recently did this with our son. Same out come with the child. but it was harder on me to let go of the mass amount of toys! It was the cost of the toy for me! But now I think before I buy a toy.
I refuse to buy my nephew toys for this exact reason, I would never want a gift to be a burden on his parents! I know his parents know him best and would tell me if there was something he really wanted. Until he is old enough to ask for something from his auntie himself, he will get donations to his college fund from me :)
I got my nephew a basketball & hoop, thinking he could occupy himself & get some needed exercise. Instead he just spent all his time nagging everyone to play with him. There’s not any kids where they live & his dad has always been disabled, but once his dad was confined to a wheelchair he was able to join him on the court. Can’t easily shoot hoops while using a cane.
Thank you Dawn for another amazing video! You really hit on a key point for me which is buying toys we would have liked and thinking our kids will enjoy them. I am so guilty of this but am trying to be better at observing my kids and being ruthless with the things I like but they don’t.
When I was little one of my favourite things was to turn the living room chairs upside down and play forts with my brother. It was almost magical to me.
Love this! ❤️ I am a kindergarten teacher and right now I am struggling with the clutter in the classroom that was left from previous retired teachers and staff so this video has really given me some hope to get rid of the clutter! It’s truly amazing how kids with a few simple toys can entertain themselves for hours - one of the most popular things in our class right now is the sandbox and it’s because all they need is a shovel, a bucket and their imagination 😍
Hey Jessica! I am no teacher but here in Switzerland there were kindergarden places where they tested the toy-free kindergarden. The concept was to move out all the toys, just left the furniture, some blankets and pillows. They just let the kids play with their imagination and it worked really good. May be worth some research.
My grandparents had two small suitcases (the old kind without zippers or pockets) filled with various toys. Nothing much, but we so enjoyed dragging them out and playing with them! Oh, also a couple of coloring books and an old coffee can of crayons. 😃🖍
Great timing with this video for me… I have a 4 year old and 1.5 year old and their toys have been driving me crazy! I started this process yesterday, but now I’m inspired to do more. I definitely have to use a purgatory bin, because my 4 year old remembers EVERYTHING. 😅🤦🏻♀️
There is a big TH-cam family called Knorpp and South that have raised amazing imaginative children. Last year parents and 8 (ages 6? To 18) children went to Peru where they had long car rides and train rides. I was amazed and wonderfied by how well they came up with imagined games and entertainment. And they are that way at home too.
That's exactly my problem area at home. I am afraid that the kids will be angry at me if I declutter something and they don't want to let go of their things 😥😪 but I am inspired right now and I will find something to get rid off or to put in quarantine, thanks for this video Dawn! Just what I needed
Imagination is amazing, we are renovating our apartment so we moved out for the last 2 months. My daughter packed a small suitcase with stuffed toys, she has not opened it. She has not asked for any of the toys she has. She has been playing with camping plates and cups and setting up restaurants and stores, she goes "shopping" and takes real items out of the cupboards, she also has 4 imaginary siblings. She has used paper, pencils and other stationery to keep busy, but has not missed the toys. I'm hoping to convince her to get rid of most of them when we move back in about 6 weeks.
I love that this couple is doing this now and learning early before he gets older. It would be so much easier to do this with one 3 year old. I have 6! There is so much they are attached to.
Don't worry too much! You might be surprised if you start this journey with your kids at how much they like and appreciate it! I know I held on to a lot of stuff as a kid that I really wished I could get rid of because I thought my parents wanted me to have it- but I didn't use the stuff and it stressed me out! I believe decluttering is a life skill and I wish my parents would have encouraged me in it before I left home! ❤️
This is so true Dawn, play based on their imagination. My daughter can play dolls with two sticks at a restaurant if we don’t bring any toys with us. The BEST!!!
I get so excited over the toy decluttering, thank you so much Jackie and Jessie. I have had a slower process with the final few things to declutter because they fit in the drawers, the containers have been the boundary, but now I see they just don't get pulled out at all so it's time to fill a donate box again. My sons favourite go to toys could fit in a lunch box!
Christmas was time our kids got toys family gifts. When they forgot about them & put them away on rainy days later in winter , I would bring out one each the loved it ( they had so few toy by comparison to this generation. Must say I was guilty of buying my grandkids expensive gifts. Parents had chat with us We respected their request to have smaller cheaper toys & not as frequently. That ladies house reminded me of this You & Tom are the A Team. 💐🇮🇪
I have just gone through my kid's rooms and decluttered so many toys they don't play with because the main thing that both of them do play with is the cardboard boxes we get deliveries in and the Makedo kit to cut and build with them
Hooray for magic! You were so nice about it. It's so true that too many toys make kids bored lol I try to go through mine every couple weeks to keep my living room from being a toy room. 😂❤️❤️
When my daughter was young she had such an imagination. Anywhere we went she found things to be "people." Silverware, salt and pepper shakers, straws, toothpicks, shoes, etc.
We do a toy rotation, but I find myself thinning the heard of toys every single time. My oldest is 3 and she's really into coloring and her preschool activities. I keep a bin of my favorites in the guest bedroom and those are my toys. It has sentimental stuffed animals and toys that remind me of my childhood. It's my container and the kids have no say in what's kept, but they can play with it any time. Hubs has army men and Jenga blocks in his office. Separating out the toys that are ours helped us keep some of our emotions out of it.
In my area, we have children’s consignment sales that do big consignment events several times a year. When I prepare and tag my items to sell, I can select “donate” for anything that doesn’t sell and the sale takes care of donating it. This is the best way I’ve found for me to get rid of a large amount of toys all at once and make money in the process. I also use Facebook marketplace to sell toys locally when I don’t want to wait for a consignment sale.
Loving all the encouragement from the background! I’m also loving how Dawn is already moving something towards the donate pile while they’re still making the decision. Whenever I help people declutter, that’s what I do 😂😂
I love this! My only suggestion is maybe some lapel mics for when you aren't looking directly at the camera (those moments were a kittle more difficult to hear because you were having genuine conversations).
I raised a grandson with Acute ADHD and Acute ODD. I curated his toys in 3 under bed bins. Looking back, he really only played with his fire trucks. When he went to pre school and first grade, he could not function with the array of things, he would join in, and in minutes be throwing them. Your theory is right on. As a single working mom, I raised 3 daughters before him. I always wanted things straightened up, so minimal living was a given.. I continually follow your channel, and can find something in every episode to identify with. Thank you for your wisdom.
Something I have found helpful with kids stuff it Clear bins. it helps my daughter be able to see her toys. I think she rotates through her more because of it.
My kids watched this with me and said "I wish she would come to our house!" (And we've already simplified a ton over the last few years watching your channel). Guess it's time to go do some more😆😊
Cute..
Love this. Isn’t it a treat to learn from our littles⁉️
My little boys watched with me and now they just want the Paw Patrol lookout towers😂😭
@@stephaniekelly2489 same here lol
My son is so great at donating his toys when he no longer uses them! I love it
I'm a professional early childhood educator and warmly affirm what Dawn says, both from my personal experience and the research she refers to. We curate a selection of open-ended materials appropriate for each age, cycle them out as needed, offer lots of outdoor time, and nurture good social skills through games. The less 'stuff' and the more space, the better.
Another early childhood specialist here and I agree wholeheartedly! Well said and thanks, Dawn, for continually bringing up research. So very important for the work we do with young children.
@KathleenGarness We do LOTS of outside time as we live on 2.5 acres. We still have minimal outside too as we want natural play and creative play. We have mostly Legos, Duplos, magnatiles, a car bin, a "people" bin, some puzzles for each age range (about 6 in all), and we have knex. Theres still other odds and ends but those kind of "belong" to each kid or age. Like the kitchen and foods are for toddlers, we have dinosaurs for 1 boy, we have a racetrack for another boy, we have play phones and wallets for 2 other kids, we have babies and doll stuff for the toddlers, and books for all of them. With all that its a lot because each kid has their "stuff" they want and adore so it makes it harder to downsize those. BUT im going to quarantine a LOT this weekend and go from there. They have all mostly had birthdays and I think we have a lot of old favorites now that need to just go. Thanks for the in put. Ive been in the classroom too and got lucky to work with 2 different types of teachers 1 was a horder and 1 was neat and had just what we needed and I feel the neater teacher got better success out of the kids. (Pre-K)
Do you have any solid classic book or toy reccomendations for all ages like a swing set or trampoline or sports equipment ive found tends to be timeless for all ages. But is there any for example must haves for certain age groups like lego for example? Or any resources you use or would suggest for looking more into child development etc to learn about all this stuff so we can implement it naturally?
Early years lady here too. We occasionally would have a cardboard box day. No toys out but asked parents to bring in cardboard boxes and one had access to really big ones. With a bit of help with scissors and tape they would turn those into playhouses/rockets/buses etc. Then slather them in paint. I think one of the hard things is that the more creative play does need a bit of adult help. But of course that is partly why kids love it.
We had a large cardboard box sitting in the corner of our spare room for about 8 months because our daughter loved playing in there, she cut out "Windows" and stuck up "art" inside the box, she would move pillows and blankets in and just play. She also loved the fact that our cats would sleep in there as well 😁🐱
Nobody can declutter in such a friendly and, lovely way as you do 💖
That’s so kind, thank you 🥰
Kids favorite toy is SPACE. Getting stuff out of the way give more room to play.
My 8 year old who gets overwhelmed very easily when we ask him to clean, watched this with me and immediately went to his room and said he was going to declutter it! Thanks for the help with motivating him😉!
Really hit me when you said “if it stresses us out when we see it, it’s probably also stressing our kids out” - wow - so true and I never thought of that!
My boys favourite Christmas gift was a box of "good junk" from my mum-she had been saving any interesting (clean) packaging/boxes / foil / empty cotton reals etc all year. He was thrilled, he calls it his inventing kit and plays with it every day!
Oh my goodness, that’s brilliant!
I love this
Amazing how the little guy reacted. We are doing kids such a disservice over burdening them with stuff. My daughter had been adamant that she does not want this for her kids, makes gift giving challenging for grandma, but it makes me feel wonderful adding to the imagination of my grands instead of their junk pile when I give!
It's really something that I felt less anxiety after the toys were thinned out, and that's just through watching the video. Imagine the unconscious stress the family must have been feeling in the flesh.
This summer when each of my four grandkids visited I had them declutter the toys and books. I was surprised when the youngest 9yo girl was willing to get rid of the most items! I decluttered the end table next to the toy container and have put toys in there as my quarantine bin. I brought two huge boxes to the thrift store. We swam at the lake; played card and board games; had lunch at a restaurant with Papa (my hubby); read books; completed chores; pet the dogs; cuddled on the couch; massaged feet and shoulders; and had lengthy, insightful conversations. It was the most productive, relaxed, and meaningful visits we've ever had. Thanks for being the first person to show me the benefits of decluttering my home. I've gotten rid of over 26,000 items so far this year, mostly office and scrapbooking paper clutter.
I constantly declutter. I love it. But my daughter’s room is so hard for me because some of her toys are sentimental to ME! Lol!! This helped me so much with thinking about “what does she actually play with?”… I also love the idea of buying their toys from them. Thank you!
I started giving my granddaughter a yearly pass to the zoo instead of toys. I also give her a Kiwi crate subscription for Christmas. And, of course, lots of books.
I like this idea. But my grandkids aren’t allowed out in public because of covid. So no zoo, museums, parks. So very very sad.
@@phyllissweetpea4926 Oh good grief. Raising children in fear is not a good thing. It is very sad.
As a Mom of young ones, I love love this idea. Experiences and books! May not be “fun” to watch the kids open, but its a gift that keeps on giving and provided memories! Love this-
Thats amazing!!
I'm from Germany and don't know: What is a Kiwi crate subscription? 😄
I did this with my 4 year old’s toys this past weekend. My son came in and saw how neat and accessible his toys are and he was so excited! He’s told me many times, “Thank you for my room mommy!” It just about made me cry… he loves it!! ❤
My daughter has played every single day with her Barbie Dream House. The first day she got it, she played with it from morning till night and refused to eat lunch. Still her favorite and it's been almost 2 years.
I had too laugh when the husband said to the wife " what truck do you play with". I'm from England. I used to play with my son's big red bus Al the time LOL
Thank you Jackie and Jessie for letting us share the joy of seeing Nolan's toys pared down to just his very favorites!
This video is so true! We had 4 children and we learned that the fewer toys they had, the better and longer they played. Great video, Dawn!
I love this series of you helping other families! This gives me so much motivation!
When our kids were young we rotated bins of toys each month or so. It was always like they were brand new. The ones that didn't get played with when they came out of rotation got passed along or donated.
My mon did that twice a year when we were growing up. I remember how funny it was to get "new" toys. And my father built My Pony house with me. I loved that! 😃
Thats what I use to do as well. I did daycare so i use to really watch what was being used and of coarse if any parts were missing or broke they got tossed
Great
When my son was young if he didn't pick up after himself (toys). They went into quarantine for a long time . This really worked .I suggested this to someone who told me her daughter just wouldn't care .Then I would have just got rid of that toy
The way you phrased that made a lot of sense to me. I've only recently started rotating, but it kind of felt like I was actually just decluttering without committing. 😅 I don't know how to truly keep track of which toy cars he uses, but I'm sure I'll figure it out someday.
It is always nice when the kids stop playing with the toys that make a lot of noise. 😂 I don't feel guilty about getting rid of them then!! Lol
I'm only 1:30 into this video and I can already tell you that seeing the shot with the kids playing with very few toys, to the shot of all the toys accumulated ....... oh my goodness, I wasn't prepared for the overwhelm feeling that hit me! So as a kid, I can certainly see how this would be more aggravating, than enjoyable.
I wish I had watched a video like this when my daughter was young. I love these home visits. They really give a realistic view of how life can be when you are starting at the beginning. Thank you 😌
Thank you Jackie and Jessie! You did a great job! I absolutely love that your son hasn't said anything about the toys yet but is playing with them for longer periods of time. That's fantastic! Great job once again too, Dawn and Tom!
My kids came in while I was watching this and asked about the video. I said “it’s telling me how to get rid of all your toys!” Then of course I laughed and said I was just joking. But they sat and watched for 5 mins. Afterwards I heard them running about downstairs and I actually heard my 9 yo say to my 5 yo “we only need our imaginations, let’s go!”. I nearly choked on my cup of tea. But from the mouths of babes as they say….
wonderful! :)
That is too precious!
We took a trip to see family recently and it was very freeing that we were able to go with only packing a couple of hot wheels, some crayons, and some books for our son. And those things were only used in the car. His imagination is blooming at just 2 years old and it is so fun!
Rest assured, kids will literally play with anything. My 7 year old daughter pretends her coloured pencils are people. She draws houses on paper for the coloured pencil families and it will entertain her for hours. She will find sticks and rocks in the yard and also pretend they are people.
(She does have actual toys, she just likes to play with anything she can find.)
That's quite Waldorf!! 😃
That's a very helpful reminder, thank you!
@@FrogeniusW.G. what's Waldorf? Please
My 7 year old is the same. He loves raiding the recycle bin and coming up with new creations.
Totally agree! We’ve been living in a tiny RV while we build our house and my 2 girls each have a tiny bin that holds their toys. They got to pick what came with them but they typically end up playing with tin foil and sticks (making clothes for their stick dolls). I love the creativity and honestly want to get rid of everything that is in our storage unit. We paired down a TON but this time has really shown me how much better kids do with less
I just came to the realization that in America we focus so much on keeping our kids entertained and occupied with junk and screens nonstop. You’re 100% right and we should be teaching our kids to use their imaginations.
I have for 4 children of my own and also have run a home daycare for 12 years.I have Lots of toys that they don't play with you spend more time picking them up then the kids actually play with. Kids in my generation played by themselves. Some Kids today want most their parents attention at all times so there is no toy that is going keep them busy.I've notice they play with Art activities a lot longer. Even though I knew the toys weren't getting played with I thought having a playroom full of toys looked like a happy place to play. I felt like I was giving them what I didn't have. Dawn really change my life. Even with the daycare toys I reduced them and it was easier for the kids to play . Thanks Dawn.
Hah! I predicted Nolan would glom into the trucks! Because the trucks are so visible, and they’re his faves, that is what got his attention!
Way to go Jackie and Jessie! Toys can be so hard, but it’s so good to know that the response was so positive! Great job!
So happy to see this! I sent it to my sister, who is raising her granddaughter (5yr old now) and have offered to be Dawn. :) I’ve been trying to gently encourage her to simplify.
I have encouraged it to a couple of different people. One did a half-hearted attempt. She works full time and has 3 daughters and SO MANY TOYS, but she instead she works herself to the bone to try to keep it neat and tidy. So sad.
Try giving her words of praise: she is an amazing woman, those 3 kids are so lucky to have your example, I tell my friends what a wonderful mom you are - these kind of comments can change the mom-guilt mindset of the mom who is trying to compensate for working full-time. After you do that for a few weeks or months, you could try suggesting that the awesome mom doesn’t need to have the extra job of cleaning lady - less toys won’t deprive the kids - it will give them more time with mom.
Absolutely Jeda
Maybe you could give her a free afternoon by taking the granddaughter out for 2 hours so she can try Dana’s method or catch up with other house chores first? Personally, It was hard to go through the emotions of letting go of toys , until After a few months of consistent weekends of free babysitting - I was finally receptive to try out Dawn’s videos and test her ideas. It really took getting out of the sinking feeling of housework overload - to free from guilt and address the toys and their attached feelings. My mom and sisters tried to help me de clutter many times, but I wasn’t successful (and felt suffocated) until after I was able to ask and receive the free babysitting for a few weekends.
@@ms.annthropic4888: I can smell your self righteous judgment from here: “So sad”.
@@nanwilder2853 oh, come now! You don’t know that’s how she feels. Let’s exercise grace with one another.
When we were at school My mother would declutter and give our things away for my whole life! I really appreciate the quarantine box❤️
I love the idea of buying your kids toy from them. Sometimes I trade- the first person to fill their box gets to choose the movie for today… or gets a treat from the store… or whatever motivates your child.
Yes! We have a toy rotation system, i quarantine/store away 90% of the kid's toys, and every couple weeks i rotate them. The kids are thrilled to see what gets set out, it feels like Christmas again. And yes, each time i rotate the toys we fill a "donate" box. I'm so proud of this system, my anxiety has lifted, my kids play better, and i got my living room back! I swear by this method.
You have mastered simplifying toys so you are the perfect person to help this family.
I like the fact that you put all the toys in one room so they understood just has massive the amount of toys their son has was.
My oldest son has Legos and books. That's it. When his sister commented how quick he cleans up I explained he only has toys he loves and plays with so it's quicker to clean, a few weeks later she donated 70% of her toys.
I want to also thank you for your clothing videos. My husband who holds onto every t shirt for 20+ years decided to declutter his wardrobe. I told him he could quarantine them until we move and make a decision then he agreed but by the time we finished he willingly decided just to donate everything. He needs 2 items to complete his wardrobe. We landed up donating 60% of our clothes. I feel so much happier in clothes I love and fit. 😁
Dawn you're in my brain again! 😅 You always seem to put out a video that's exactly what I need to hear/see in that moment! 😃 Was planning to declutter my kids toys today so thank you again for the motivation to do it! 🥰
Oh that space looks so much more peaceful!
I was like you Dawn while growing up. We didn't have a lot of money so therefore not a lot of toys. We cherished what we had and learned to take care of them. I only had 2 barbie dolls when I was young and bought one with my own money (which was rare-to have money). I honestly think it's best for kids to not have so much. Thanks for sharing with us Jackie and Jessie!
This is just so uplifting. I feel like my wife and I struggle with this and though we have made great strides with our second child having learned from some mistakes with our first, I still feel confident we could go further. I think the issue stems from living through a childhood with intense scarcity and not wanting our children to experience that, and with her background in daycare work, we end up with at least one option in every toy "category." seeing how you are directly and physically assisting another family and how well they were able to do even on a first pass is uplifting to me. The couple seemed so in tune with each other and very agreeable in what they would keep or donate. Having different opinions on the value of the item can complicate things.
Wow! What a testament to this process and the psychology concerning clutter and chaos! Thank you for taking us along this journey and sharing your family and life with us! I'm finding that freedom comes from decluttering and it reveals my misconception of wants vs. needs. Again...so freeing! 🍂
I was deeply touched by the reaction of Nolan that you shared at the end. He was happy and played straight more than an hour ! Good job ! You inspired me to go further.
My almost five year old listened to this with and named a truck ramp combo that he doesn't play with any more that we can let go of :-) He also specified he wants to keep his monster trucks. My decluttering journey is teaching him, too!
When my kids were young, creative toys - Legos, blocks, Lincoln logs. It's interesting that one of our boys is a custom woodworker!
The sweet woman’s face was so anxious at the beginning, but by the end she was absolutely radiantly beaming!! Yay!! What a gift you were to them, Dawn. Thank you.
So, in my decluttering, I had a bunch of dollar tree washi tape... I could have tossed it or donated it, but instead I mailed it to my friend's kid. He LOVED it. Lol. I have a box of stuff I find for her kids, because I love the pictures I get showing the joy on their face.
Great idea!! We love things that get used up at our house :)
So happy I discovered minimalism before giving birth. What I struggle with are failures. Like I thought my two year old (then) would love a parking house because he played with one at his daycare all the time. And I loved it to when I was a kid. We told the grandparents to get it for Christmas. It was cool for a short amount of time. Now it is in quarantine for almost a month. He does not ask for it. I am not sure if he will…
But in general we have very few toys, too. We never buy anything ourselves but wait for holidays and get mostly NOT toys. For birthday my son got a walking bike (do not know the English term), books and a music box (it is a German brand called toniebox where you have little figures to put on the box and then music or stories play, we borrow the figures from our library). My daughter got one Duplo truck, a dress and a stuffed animal. My daycare giver is really enthusiastic about my kids because they are playing for hours with one thing and can occupy themselves for a really long time.
I really wish I would have discovered it before I had kids. I seriously would buy my first child a toy almost every time we went out. Even aside from the toys, I’ve collected so much, just stuff, for all my kids. I was able to manage it until we hit our third child, and I lost control of the stuff My house looks like a borderline hoarder house. I just discovered minimalism about a year ago, and it’s my life saver. I’m slowly working through stuff, but at least I can walk through the house now. Lol
I am a senior citizen! I watch all your videos. My children are all older than you! This video has brought to my mind that much of MY declutter has been “toys for seniors”! Think about it.
Aw, Dawn, you look so cute in this video in your little black outfit...You & Tom are awesome!!! Thank for being here!!!
I feel grandparents, aunts and uncles who ever think before the buy the children toys. Let the parents decide what they feel is needed so the family doesn’t get overwhelmed.
When my first child could start to play his first toys were a wooden spoon and a pot and anything else he could get out of the lower cupboards. He now has a 15 month son that has every toy imaginable. But when he comes to grandmas there are books (not so much fun) and building blocks with a little tractor. This little tractor travels throughout the house delivering blocks.
I loved today’s video! Especially when you said let the child use their imagination! If only you could come and declutter my sons basement full of toys😳
Thank you dawn for your content... i'm so motivated by you and happy that i found your youtube-channel ❤ best regards from across the big sea, from switzerland 🇨🇭
Going to declutter toys today! I fully agree with the research that supports toy rotation, having less out. Keeps them engaged longer. They are able to clean up pick up put away with little guidance.
Awesome :) I think it is so great that he didn’t say anything just like your kids. That speaks volumes. And that he played for so much longer, being able to entertain himself for so long. Terrific. Kudo’s to all of you.
So, true story. When I was 8, my family moved to a different state, and we ended up staying with my grandparents temporarily. My mom packed up all but 2 item each of our toys. My sister and I got a clothed doll and a blanket to play with, (we could pick any 2 items) and my brother got 2 trucks. It all fit in a little cardboard box, and we LOVED IT! I can’t explain the weight that lifted off my shoulders knowing our room could never be a mess.
Love the idea of going to people's houses with the follow up. You have changed my life. I have been decluttering since I first saw your video a few months ago. Thank you.
Recently did this with our son. Same out come with the child. but it was harder on me to let go of the mass amount of toys! It was the cost of the toy for me! But now I think before I buy a toy.
Amen! Ditch the big plastic toys! Plastic play kitchen? No, let's go in our real kitchen and bake 😊
He loves helping us cook and bake in the kitchen! Most of his play food is wooden - the kind he can “cut” and then make soup and dinner. 😊
well done - great to hear the child's reaction
I refuse to buy my nephew toys for this exact reason, I would never want a gift to be a burden on his parents! I know his parents know him best and would tell me if there was something he really wanted. Until he is old enough to ask for something from his auntie himself, he will get donations to his college fund from me :)
I got my nephew a basketball & hoop, thinking he could occupy himself & get some needed exercise. Instead he just spent all his time nagging everyone to play with him.
There’s not any kids where they live & his dad has always been disabled, but once his dad was confined to a wheelchair he was able to join him on the court. Can’t easily shoot hoops while using a cane.
Thank you Dawn for another amazing video! You really hit on a key point for me which is buying toys we would have liked and thinking our kids will enjoy them. I am so guilty of this but am trying to be better at observing my kids and being ruthless with the things I like but they don’t.
Fantastic! I wish i had this information 25 years ago:) It really is true that kids need only imagination .... not so many toys! Great job.
Such a wonderful service you do to help others. ‘Surprise ending’ went in a different direction than I thought. Darn those empire waist tops.
Very nice! Thanks to Jesse & Jackie for letting us watch the transition….so glad Nolan was unfazed…..
Love how you worded the shift to imagination over toys!
I seriously thought the surprise ending was going to be you announcing that you were expecting a new baby! 😄
You Tube titles are fun to read. Never take them seriously. Gotcha.
Oh yeah what was the surprise... I watched the whole vid and I still don't know 🤣
@@katiev6456 That the kid never noticed toys missing
When I was little one of my favourite things was to turn the living room chairs upside down and play forts with my brother. It was almost magical to me.
Thanks Jackie & Jessie, great job everyone.
Love this! ❤️ I am a kindergarten teacher and right now I am struggling with the clutter in the classroom that was left from previous retired teachers and staff so this video has really given me some hope to get rid of the clutter! It’s truly amazing how kids with a few simple toys can entertain themselves for hours - one of the most popular things in our class right now is the sandbox and it’s because all they need is a shovel, a bucket and their imagination 😍
Hey Jessica! I am no teacher but here in Switzerland there were kindergarden places where they tested the toy-free kindergarden. The concept was to move out all the toys, just left the furniture, some blankets and pillows. They just let the kids play with their imagination and it worked really good. May be worth some research.
@@corinnestauffiger5693 thank you for sharing! Yes I definitely am looking more into! 🥰
My grandparents had two small suitcases (the old kind without zippers or pockets) filled with various toys. Nothing much, but we so enjoyed dragging them out and playing with them! Oh, also a couple of coloring books and an old coffee can of crayons. 😃🖍
Thanks for sharing your story!
Great timing with this video for me… I have a 4 year old and 1.5 year old and their toys have been driving me crazy! I started this process yesterday, but now I’m inspired to do more. I definitely have to use a purgatory bin, because my 4 year old remembers EVERYTHING. 😅🤦🏻♀️
I don't have kids, but I am seriously inspired to go and declutter my toys ie Craft Supplies!!! 😂😘 Mx
Fantastic results! You saved that child's future.
There is a big TH-cam family called Knorpp and South that have raised amazing imaginative children. Last year parents and 8 (ages 6? To 18) children went to Peru where they had long car rides and train rides. I was amazed and wonderfied by how well they came up with imagined games and entertainment. And they are that way at home too.
That's exactly my problem area at home. I am afraid that the kids will be angry at me if I declutter something and they don't want to let go of their things 😥😪 but I am inspired right now and I will find something to get rid off or to put in quarantine, thanks for this video Dawn! Just what I needed
Imagination is amazing, we are renovating our apartment so we moved out for the last 2 months. My daughter packed a small suitcase with stuffed toys, she has not opened it. She has not asked for any of the toys she has. She has been playing with camping plates and cups and setting up restaurants and stores, she goes "shopping" and takes real items out of the cupboards, she also has 4 imaginary siblings. She has used paper, pencils and other stationery to keep busy, but has not missed the toys. I'm hoping to convince her to get rid of most of them when we move back in about 6 weeks.
I love that this couple is doing this now and learning early before he gets older. It would be so much easier to do this with one 3 year old. I have 6! There is so much they are attached to.
Don't worry too much! You might be surprised if you start this journey with your kids at how much they like and appreciate it! I know I held on to a lot of stuff as a kid that I really wished I could get rid of because I thought my parents wanted me to have it- but I didn't use the stuff and it stressed me out! I believe decluttering is a life skill and I wish my parents would have encouraged me in it before I left home! ❤️
This is so true Dawn, play based on their imagination. My daughter can play dolls with two sticks at a restaurant if we don’t bring any toys with us. The BEST!!!
Great Idea and tips. So nice of them to share their home!
I get so excited over the toy decluttering, thank you so much Jackie and Jessie. I have had a slower process with the final few things to declutter because they fit in the drawers, the containers have been the boundary, but now I see they just don't get pulled out at all so it's time to fill a donate box again. My sons favourite go to toys could fit in a lunch box!
Christmas was time our kids got toys family gifts. When they forgot about them & put them away on rainy days later in winter , I would bring out one each the loved it ( they had so few toy by comparison to this generation. Must say I was guilty of buying my grandkids expensive gifts. Parents had chat with us We respected their request to have smaller cheaper toys & not as frequently. That ladies house reminded me of this
You & Tom are the A Team. 💐🇮🇪
I have just gone through my kid's rooms and decluttered so many toys they don't play with because the main thing that both of them do play with is the cardboard boxes we get deliveries in and the Makedo kit to cut and build with them
Hooray for magic! You were so nice about it. It's so true that too many toys make kids bored lol I try to go through mine every couple weeks to keep my living room from being a toy room. 😂❤️❤️
You are SO encouraging and inspiring. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
When my daughter was young she had such an imagination. Anywhere we went she found things to be "people." Silverware, salt and pepper shakers, straws, toothpicks, shoes, etc.
Dawn that's amazing love his response to his new area
I needed this today! Especially with some bdays coming up in our house! You have helped me SO much!!!!
My grandkids and visiting kids love the barbie house. It’s a keeper at my house.
Excellent!!! When my daughter was small she had 4 Barbie houses. No, she didn't like them, I wanted one when I was a kid!
We do a toy rotation, but I find myself thinning the heard of toys every single time. My oldest is 3 and she's really into coloring and her preschool activities. I keep a bin of my favorites in the guest bedroom and those are my toys. It has sentimental stuffed animals and toys that remind me of my childhood. It's my container and the kids have no say in what's kept, but they can play with it any time. Hubs has army men and Jenga blocks in his office. Separating out the toys that are ours helped us keep some of our emotions out of it.
In my area, we have children’s consignment sales that do big consignment events several times a year. When I prepare and tag my items to sell, I can select “donate” for anything that doesn’t sell and the sale takes care of donating it. This is the best way I’ve found for me to get rid of a large amount of toys all at once and make money in the process. I also use Facebook marketplace to sell toys locally when I don’t want to wait for a consignment sale.
Loving all the encouragement from the background! I’m also loving how Dawn is already moving something towards the donate pile while they’re still making the decision. Whenever I help people declutter, that’s what I do 😂😂
That's an amazing result! Really planning to get rid of a lot of toys in my home soon!
That is wonderful! I love his reaction.
I love this! My only suggestion is maybe some lapel mics for when you aren't looking directly at the camera (those moments were a kittle more difficult to hear because you were having genuine conversations).
Such a great ending! These videos are going to be favorites. 💕
I love that you shared his reaction! We have a very simplified toy system for our 2 year old and my daughter thrives. 😄
I raised a grandson with Acute ADHD and Acute ODD. I curated his toys in 3 under bed bins. Looking back, he really only played with his fire trucks. When he went to pre school and first grade, he could not function with the array of things, he would join in, and in minutes be throwing them.
Your theory is right on. As a single working mom, I raised 3 daughters before him. I always wanted things straightened up, so minimal living was a given..
I continually follow your channel, and can find something in every episode to identify with. Thank you for your wisdom.
Same. I don’t have any kids, but I can certainly identify.
Wow, this is just SO cool! I am glad Nolan has room to play and breathe. We all just get so swamped with toys when our kids are little!!!
Something I have found helpful with kids stuff it Clear bins. it helps my daughter be able to see her toys. I think she rotates through her more because of it.