Too Much Stuff - Part 2

Now that the toy supply is manageable, how do I determine what to let into the house from now on?

I am a work in progress and admit to not having complete control over this aspect of our household for many reasons. I would sometimes like to say "No more gifts, please." But, that's not really practical. Accepting gifts can be an act of humility; accepting the charitable actions of others is a good lesson for kids, too. In our house, receiving a gift means a Thank You note must be written - also a good lesson in manners and social graces. So, while these ideas aren't necessarily solutions, they are ideas that can help.

1. Our first defense is to give gift suggestions that are consumable or needed (clothes, art supplies, educational gifts, etc.) Thankfully, our relatives ask for gift suggestions most of the time and I can guide them toward fulfilling needs instead of wants.

2. A factor I consider, now that we've moved, is what will happen to the item if I no longer need it or if it breaks. I don't have easy access to recycling and our garbage is not picked up at the curb! Plastic, metal and glass don't easily burn or break down and must be taken to a pile on the edge of a field. Not very eco-conscious, in my opinion. It's at least something to think about, even if you can discard items easily by putting them on the curb.

3. Birthday parties. Friend birthday parties in particular are usually the source of small and mostly useless gadgets that add to the clutter in our homes. This is one of the main reasons I haven't done friend parties. Not the best reason, but it has been my way. In the past couple years, a really neat phenomenon has caught on within our homeschool group. The moms have continued to host parties, but ask that the guests bring as a gift a monetary donation that can then be donated. I absolutely love this idea! Some past recipients have been Saint Gianna's Maternity Home and a local family whose daughter was recently diagnosed with Leukemia. I am planning to change my stance on friend birthday's in April for Dash's 12th birthday.

4. Gifts that you 'Do'. By this I mean, ask for a gift of time. Grandparents are precious; so are aunts and uncles. Their time is even more valuable. Some of the best gifts my kids have received have been time with aunts, uncles and grandparents. The time spent together may have been at Chuckie Cheese or Space Aliens or just baking cookies, but it always created a beautiful memory. Instead of material gifts, ask relatives to give time . . . and then actually plan it! Yes, it may take more work to coordinate schedules, but it is worth that time and more.

5. For gift giving and suggestions, I tend to stick to the toys groups already in the house (Part 1 lists toys that are used most often in our home). That doesn't mean we don't purchase 'hot' toys every now and then, but Thomas the Train and Duplo Legos are stand-bys and they fit with what we already own and enjoy.