Toy Thursday: Out with the Old and In with the New

You have heard the saying "out with the old and in with the new." I thought of this when I saw a mom's post on face book about cleaning out the toy room just this week to make room for new Christmas toys.

I guess adding a new collection of toys to the already overstuffed toy room can be a challenge (And a pathetic one in our society at that if you ask me). That is why it is a good time to clean and sort the toys as you make room for new ones. Here are some tips to do so.

• Allow age appropriate toys to remain while removing toys that are outgrown.
• Remove broken toys and their pieces from the room.
• Bag up some toys not played with for charities such as churches, clinics waiting rooms, and organizations that take gently used toys.
• Rotate toys around the house between rooms as some kids play with toys in different settings.
• Rotate toys from storage and get out when the kids are bored with what is currently out.
  
• Dust, wipe down, and wash toys and toy areas from germs and dirt to make a safe and clean play environment. Remember that some toys like bath toys can be washed in the dishwasher.
• Organize toys for easy access and efficient clean-up.