The weekend I gave away my kid's toys....

So this weekend I gave away my kids toys.. sounds a little drastic I know, but it's true and probably not as drastic as it sounds. It all started about a month ago. I have been on a major downsize kick... we had a garage sale and then I have been getting rid of ALOT of my clothes...actually over half of them. So last month Mister was being super stubborn about cleaning his room. As in whine and complain about it and spend the ENTIRE evening picking it up. It boggled my mind because he really only had a few toys that he played with..how could his whole room be covered in things? So one night in a desperate state I set the timer and told him whatever was not cleaned up in 10 minutes would be put in a garbage bag and he could earn it back. 10 minutes went by, nothing had been touched and I filled a garbage bag full of stuff... a couple weeks went by and guess what? He didn't once ask for any of those toys. He didn't even miss them! That's when I decided I was going to get rid of it all. 

I watched my kiddos for a couple of weeks to see what they really played with and then yesterday afternoon I went in with two bags. One for trash and one for give away. And that was that.  My girls now have one castle, their kitchen, one small basket of baby toys/stuffed animals and their shopping cart. Mister now has his race cars, his tracks up high in his closet, his little tool set, a football and train table/castle. That's it. I know that as soon as Sis is a little older I will be able to get rid of that basket of baby toys and they will each get to keep a doll and a stuffed animal. 

Maybe this sounds mean, but I really don't think it was. I was tired of spending so much time in a mess or cleaning up. My kids have been BLESSED beyond measure and that is exactly how I want them to feel... blessed not entitled. We explained to them where their other toys were going and there were a few complaints, not going to lie but they did end up understanding. Their toys went to a family in need and now I think they are able to enjoy the toys they do have even more. 

So that's that. Yay for clean rooms, happy kids and happy mama's!