Getting rid of toys and "stuff".

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-13-2006
Getting rid of toys and "stuff".
7
Wed, 10-25-2006 - 2:45pm

I'm trying to get rid of some of our clutter.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-19-2005
Wed, 10-25-2006 - 4:58pm

Evelyn, I love the way your write. I could just envision everything and I feel your pain.

My DH is not in on the act, though he never throws out books either. DS is much younger, but he also creates projects and scenarios like your guys. With him it is usually artwork type things, and you can never throw them out. Ever. In fact, he wants them on disply on the walls. All over the house. All of them. I finally confined them to one wall of the kitchen and I do let him pretty much do what he wants in his own room.

But I know what you mean, in our case, we have older cousins who give hand-me-down toys. When Eric was younger, I could do triage whenever we got in a new batch of toys. When he was asleep, I'd clean out those he didn't play with. He didn't seem to notice, but then, that was before he could really talk.

Not anymore. He remembers every single toy he has ever owned. If it goes missing it is a tragedy. This is a new occurrance and I'm not sure how to exactly deal with it. He has a whole drawer of little "treasures" that are cheapie toys from birthday parties, school parties etc. Heaven forbid I ever throw one away. They are all beloved in their own way!

Like I said one other time. I have a fantasy that the "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" folks come to my house and make it over, a "Queer Eye for the ASD Guy" episode. Things like how to decorate around those important scenarios your guys made. Or the 500 spiral galaxy paintings on my wall. Or how to incorporate the mini-tramp into the decor of your living room in an attractive way.

Anyway, I'm with you sister. Surrounded by mounds of stuff. Maybe one day when they are famous for their creativity, this "stuff" will become valuable and we'll all become rich! I wonder what Andy Warhol's mom or Einstein's mom's houses looked like when they were little! LOL!

I don't have any advice, just sympathy. Hang in there!

Katherine

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-24-2004
Wed, 10-25-2006 - 8:14pm

Evelyn,

We have tons of toys here too. Both of the boys want to keep their stuff forever!! I don't know what I'm going to do when we move. It will be a much smaller place, so hopefully they will have some storage or something. God forbid, I may have to rent out a storage unit! LOL

michelle

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-01-2003
Wed, 10-25-2006 - 9:29pm

ROFL! We *did* rent a storage building. In it are about 20 boxes of toys I promised we would just be storing 'for awhile' so that I could get him to let them leave the house. DH is the same way... when I moved 'his' computer room for him once I wasn't allowed to throw out anything. I sorted and packed *everything* I found including 12 boxes labeled "Trash?". Those boxes made two more moves with us before he went through them and made his own official determination. I definately feel for you... I have a storage building on the property that is due a going through so we can condense a bit and get rid of the rented one. I've already gotten in trouble for tossing 'valuable' items from there.

Kristy

Avatar for betz67
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 10-26-2006 - 9:24am

oh, I could write this same post! I am so tired of stuff hanging and sitting and being around my house. DH wants the house clean, picked up and tidy and YET he can't let anything go... it might be useful someday (rolling eyes!). AND he bred 5 children just like him! They can't function unless everything is put away and in it's right place; however when I suggest we don't need something or that I could clean things up easier if we got rid of something, they go balistic! AND they can't possibly put away or tidy anything-- they whine, moan and become unable to move when asked to do their part in cleaning up junk.

sigh,
Betsy

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2003
Thu, 10-26-2006 - 11:02am
I've recently gotten DS involved in getting rid of old toys. It's a difficult process.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Thu, 10-26-2006 - 11:39am

Evelyn


I sympathize. Every person in this house,-and most of the quadrupeds, are packrats. We hate to throw stuff out. Period. However, we continue to buy stuff and bring stuff into the house,

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-07-2003
Thu, 10-26-2006 - 3:29pm

I periodically purge stuff. Onbe time I got so frustrated over my kids stuff. Games and toys with missing pieces not put in boxes etc. I just said to heck with all of the junk and just through everything away. i took the bags where DH would collect pieces of toys so he could sort through it at a later time and put it back with the game and never did eyc. My Dh was shocked and so were the kids but i told them that is what happpens when you leave messes etc. The stuff went out the next garbage day and i never heard another word.

I do clean out my closet at least 2x a year, when i switch my seasonal clothes. I do the same for the kids. Out grown, torn astained clothing. goes. Outgrown goes to my neighbor if it is in god condition.

i have been so tempted to one day just empty my DH closet to see what he would do because the man has enough clothes to dress one large Island of men. And yet will where the same clothes over and over gain because he probably dioesn't know what he has in there.

I buy books at garage sales then put them back into circulation after i read them. Or I try the library. I will occasionally buy books when I am board or traveling so I don't loose a library book,

With all that I can say my house is still cluttered sometimes I have enough pet hair on my carpert for another cat and dog. And I don't dust every wekk etc.

I wonder why.

Rina