It’s week 9 of my 52 Things in 52 Weeks Declutter Challenge. If you haven’t signed up yet, join me today as I help you remove all those things in your home you no longer need or use.
How is your declutter process going? I hope you’re enjoying these challenges and taking time to declutter each week. I’m really enjoying seeing the progress that is being shared on Instagram. If you need some inspiration, check out the hashtag #declutter52.
The ‘Declutter 52 things in 52 Weeks’ Challenge is completely FREE!!! Sign up to my daily emails so you don’t miss when the next task goes live. Alternatively, visit the blog each Wednesday to see the latest task. I will publish a new task on the blog every Wednesday.
Please share a photo of your space each week on Instagram using hashtag #declutter52 and tag @theorganisedhousewife
Decluttering Task #9
Soft and Plush Toys
Ahh those cute little teddy bears, dolls, Easter bunnies, even Christmas elves and Santas around the home. They are so tempting to buy for your kids at the time, but what about now when your kid’s bedrooms and even the house is overflowing with all these plush toys? Do your kids have a few too many? At one point, my kids had about 50 between them! I know they were sweet but they didn’t need them all, so as the kids got older, I began decluttering all those cute, little, soft plush toys and my children gained back a lot of space in their bedrooms, which also made it easier to clean. Of course, there will be some that your kids just love and you simply can’t get rid of, but I’m sure there are some that can be thrown out or be donated to a charity or to friends with younger children who will get more out of them.
TODAY’S TASK: DECLUTTER YOUR KID’S SOFT AND PLUSH TOYS AND PURGE ALL THE ONES THAT YOU NO LONGER WANT OR NEED.
Note: My definition of purge – sell, donate, repurpose or throw away items as you see fit!!
- Go through all the plush toys in the house, and work out which ones absolutely have to stay
- Keep your children’s favourite ones, ones they cannot part with
- Get your little kids to help give some away by encouraging them for the good they are doing for others
- Donate the ones you no longer want or need to other friends with smaller children or donate to charity
- Purge any that are beyond saving
- Wash all plush toys that you are keeping (look below for how to wash them)
- Encourage your children to keep their plush toy collection put away with their own storage system like a toy box
- When the children play with them, encourage them to always put them away after
CLEAN AND FIX UP THE SOFT PLUSH TOYS THAT YOU KEEP
Depending on how loved the plush toys are that you’ve decided to keep for your kids, give them a good wash and clean so that they are fresh again and aren’t collecting dust mites. It’s actually really interesting (and gross) to know how badly plush toys can bring on allergies in your children because of all the dust mites that they capture over the years, so it’s a good idea to give the plush toys a clean to avoid irritating dust.
READ MORE: 10 Non-toxic Dust Mite Remedies for Your Home
The best way to know what toys you should purge or keep is to get organised with a good storage system, then you will know what needs to be cleaned to avoid the germs and allergies and what should be thrown out. Follow some of my care tips for your children’s toys, to keep your kids healthy and their bedroom’s a decluttered hygienic area for them to sleep and play in.
READ MORE: Organised Storage, Cleaning & Care Tips for Kids Toys
KIDS TOY STORAGE IDEAS
If you don’t want the teddy overload in your children’s bedroom and want them neatly stored away and disguised in some way, there are some very clever ways to store them and have them hidden well enough that you can still match your children’s decor in their bedroom without the clutter, like these great storage ideas.
READ MORE: Kid’s Storage Shelving Ideas
GET HERE: Magic Garden Toy Organiser
And for some simple, yet wonderful and elegant ideas for your child’s room where to store some of their beloved plush toys, click the link below and see what inspires you for your kid’s bedrooms. Either way, plush toy overload will be a thing of the past in your home once you finally get into this challenge and declutter your children’s collection!
FIND STORAGE IDEAS HERE: Baskets, Boxes & Bins
What was your child’s favourite plush toy that they still have?
I’ve still got one very special teddy from my childhood. It takes pride of place on a shelf in one of our lounge rooms.
