Having had to move three times in 4.5 months, has really made us attempt to learn how to re-evaluate what exactly we have in our home. Now that is completely easier said than done. Yes, we moved crap. Yes, we had that screaming 4 year old telling the movers..."WHERE ARE MY ROBOTS? (a.k.a. Transformers) They are on the truck right? You didn't leave them, right?". Though some of them were broken and missing pieces, this mini-human was not present at the packing of such beloved items, so before complete and utter melt down occurred, we needed him to be apart of the removal process. So, I have come up with 9 ways to help guide our mini-human to purge some of his things.
Every month or two, I look through all of their toys, and then I decide...
1 Does this thing work?
2 Would I replace it if it were broken or lost?
3 Does it seem potentially useful—but never actually gets used?
4 Was I saving it?
5 Does it serve its purpose well?
6 Has it been replaced by a better model?
7 Is it nicely put away in an out-of-the-way place?
8 Does this memento actually prompt any memories?
9 Have they ever used this thing?
If this criteria can not be met, into a playroom OUTBOX it goes. After a couple of days, I let the mini-humans in and we go through the box together. I do not tell them we are getting rid of it. I tell them that we are going to take it to the place where "SANTA's elves come and pick it up". I know crazy method, but hey, no one is taking the fall for the "Land of Misfit Toys". I have tried the "Since you don't play with this anymore, we need to give it to someone who doesn't have toys to play with" and well, in my ever-so smart, ever so remembering...Everything 4 year old way...I have gotten the witty retort, "But that toy is not perfect, and that is not fair to give someone a gift, that doesn't work." But my ultimate, take the toy away retort, was "Mommy, please don't sell my..." so better to have them involved in the process than have the toys just disappear.
So what exactly is an OUTBOX?
An OUTBOX, can be anything used for storing crap. It can be a grocery bag, a box, whatever can hold stuff. Even if you don't have children, this can be applied to everyday life. Implementing it is another story. The first step is to put something in. This "drop zone" doesn't have to be left where you can see it constantly, because the primary focus is to get it in there. Then after sometime, if you haven't pulled it out to do anything useful with it (I give it a week or two) then on your next errand out of the house, the outbox goes to and then POOF! Life is a tad bit simplified and you get a little tax write off. I first had tried dumping the OUTBOX immediately, but then after discovering that I still "had" that, I found something useful to do with it, but had gotten rid of it. Thus negating my anti-consumerist way because I needed to go out and buy it again.
Now, what is currently in my OUTBOX?
- Some Misfit toys (of course will make it to the trash, before going to be donated. I agree with my kid, who wants a broken toy!)
- Some Kitchen stuff (Since moving into our new house, our kitchen is ummm...a wee VERY large bit smaller than what I/we/us are used to...Plus, when you have learned that you can live without 2 graters, 5 colanders, and quite a few more pots and pans since you can't fit them in your miniature cupboards...)
- Baby crap that we have never used, like a door knob cover made for a certain type of handle that we have, but found out in the fine print that it is not to be used on exterior doors.
- Some Christmas decor that we haven't put up in 2 years, that doesn't meet the above criteria
Every month or two, I look through all of their toys, and then I decide...
1 Does this thing work?
2 Would I replace it if it were broken or lost?
3 Does it seem potentially useful—but never actually gets used?
4 Was I saving it?
5 Does it serve its purpose well?
6 Has it been replaced by a better model?
7 Is it nicely put away in an out-of-the-way place?
8 Does this memento actually prompt any memories?
9 Have they ever used this thing?
If this criteria can not be met, into a playroom OUTBOX it goes. After a couple of days, I let the mini-humans in and we go through the box together. I do not tell them we are getting rid of it. I tell them that we are going to take it to the place where "SANTA's elves come and pick it up". I know crazy method, but hey, no one is taking the fall for the "Land of Misfit Toys". I have tried the "Since you don't play with this anymore, we need to give it to someone who doesn't have toys to play with" and well, in my ever-so smart, ever so remembering...Everything 4 year old way...I have gotten the witty retort, "But that toy is not perfect, and that is not fair to give someone a gift, that doesn't work." But my ultimate, take the toy away retort, was "Mommy, please don't sell my..." so better to have them involved in the process than have the toys just disappear.
So what exactly is an OUTBOX?
An OUTBOX, can be anything used for storing crap. It can be a grocery bag, a box, whatever can hold stuff. Even if you don't have children, this can be applied to everyday life. Implementing it is another story. The first step is to put something in. This "drop zone" doesn't have to be left where you can see it constantly, because the primary focus is to get it in there. Then after sometime, if you haven't pulled it out to do anything useful with it (I give it a week or two) then on your next errand out of the house, the outbox goes to and then POOF! Life is a tad bit simplified and you get a little tax write off. I first had tried dumping the OUTBOX immediately, but then after discovering that I still "had" that, I found something useful to do with it, but had gotten rid of it. Thus negating my anti-consumerist way because I needed to go out and buy it again.
Now, what is currently in my OUTBOX?
- Some Misfit toys (of course will make it to the trash, before going to be donated. I agree with my kid, who wants a broken toy!)
- Some Kitchen stuff (Since moving into our new house, our kitchen is ummm...a wee VERY large bit smaller than what I/we/us are used to...Plus, when you have learned that you can live without 2 graters, 5 colanders, and quite a few more pots and pans since you can't fit them in your miniature cupboards...)
- Baby crap that we have never used, like a door knob cover made for a certain type of handle that we have, but found out in the fine print that it is not to be used on exterior doors.
- Some Christmas decor that we haven't put up in 2 years, that doesn't meet the above criteria
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