I'm stalled on the kids old toys

[CathyA]

I started to tackle half of one big closet. It contains a lot of the kids' toys, from when they were little. They take up a lot of space.......but dang.......they are good, well-made toys (albeit plastic).
Like this "Macdonald's softserve ice cream center". For me, the biggest objection is that it has anything to do with Macdonalds......but otherwise, it's sooooo cool! And sturdy-made plastic front loader and dump truck, etc. Maybe I'm just not ready to part with them yet. It's not like my children (25 and 27) are anywhere near having children (not even married).......so I can't keep feeling like I need to keep them for grandkids. I know once they are out of the house, I will forget about them.......probably......but getting them out of the house....ah, there's the rub! :~)

I've gotten rid of sooooo much lately. I think I'm just not ready to part with these yet, and I should trust that feeling......maybe.
I just wish they didn't take up so much space.

And maybe I'm heartless.........but picturing another child enjoying these toys doesn't help........

[mira]

I think my mother went through the same thing :) There are boxes full of our old toys in the garage and we had a LOT of toys. Too many. I've got a kid now but I don't want him to have them all. Just a handful of books. I would say to keep a few of your favourite items to hold onto or pass down instead of keeping absolutely everything.

[jp1]

When my parents moved out of the house I grew up in they had a large garage sale. My mom was BITTERLY disappointed that she couldn't even give the Lego away. (We had a giant set that she had amassed over the years by buying any Lego she came across at garage sales).

On a practical level maybe keep one of each kid's former favorite toys and get rid of the rest. Display it in their former bedroom as a happy reminder. You'll appreciate them more that way than a messy closet full of them.

[rodeosweetheart]

On a practical level maybe keep one of each kid's former favorite toys and get rid of the rest. Display it in their former bedroom as a happy reminder. You'll appreciate them more that way than a messy closet full of them.

I will go with a variant on this, depending on just how many toys you have. I would keep maybe 3-5 toys per child, unless they are huge. Box them up, label them, and put them away somewhere out of the way where they will not get ruined by weather and mice. Then, bring them out when the grandchildren are at the toy stage.

I remember being thrilled to play with my uncle's toys from the 20's, when we would go visit my Savannah grandmother. He had died in WWII, so it was a way to feel connected to him and the family.

But maybe I am the wrong person to ask. . .

[pinkytoe]

I only saved those toys and books that actually meant something to dd while she was growing up, ie favorites. That eliminated everything to one box which reminds me, I need to give to her now. If I had a large house like you may, I would save things for future grandchildren - ya never know...

[ToomuchStuff]

Parents gave us all our saved toys when we bought homes. (more permanent living situation) I sold most of mine early on, with the exception of lego's. (most kids I know play with them, parents and vacuums hate them, and several engineers I know, including a relative, still play with them as a problem solving thing) I had lego's and my brother had Erector sets.
My siblings were shocked, but seeing what toys their kids played with, I am sure it was the correct decission.

[CathyA]

Thanks everyone.

Some of the ones I just can't get rid of: Playschools "Cool Tools"........it has a pretend little bench with lots of little tools, and when you press down on the workbench's top, it makes tool sounds. I have the Fisher-Price piano, and their musical instrument collection. I have a school bus filled with removable kids. I have a kid's small cash register with pretend coins, I have a view master with sesame Street, Dinosaur, Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast reels, I have the Fisher Price house and barn with people and animals. I still have a whole bunch of dinosaurs and animals. I finally got rid of the pretend kitchen with all the fake food..........my kids loved that one. And I still have the Little Tykes Mountain Peak and Railway set........with miles and miles of rails......haha........and the trains and people. These toys are plastic, but still are really well made. I got some of them all cleaned and ready to send away once..........then changed my mind. I have a few things I can stand to part with.........but the things I mentioned, I'm just not ready yet. I told DD.....maybe they'll get a lot of money for them some day. haha When she tells me she doesn't want me to get rid of something, I remind her that everything she asks me to save, will be for her to clean out some day. She's too young right now to realize what a pain in the butt that's going to be. ;)

[iris lily]

What I'm going to say is only going to support your current stall:

Those toys are probably the best of the plastic world. While sure, we can get craploads of plastic toys new today, I suspect (without having grandchildren myself to test this) that those toys from 20 years ago are really much nicer than today's crap.

It's like appliances from 20 -25 years ago--solid and sturdy, and you can't get that quality today, even if those oldies had plastic parts.

Maybe it's ok to keep these around for a while, as long as you have the room. because I loathe and despise most things Disney, I'd get rid of Beauty and the Beast & the Mermaid. But I would keep the Fisher Price pieces.

[mschrisgo2]

You might want to check on eBay and see how much they are selling for. These sound like Highly Collectible Toys to me, and this is the season to sell them, if you decide to go that route.

[CathyA]

Yeah, I've decided to keep most of these toys. I do have some space for it and they are well-made, interesting things. I'll just concentrate on getting rid of other stuff that is less important to me.
Thanks for all your input!

[Songbird]

I kept my kids' childhood toys for many years - just in case. Well, just in case did arrive and I now have grandkids in my life! :) And they love playing with their parents' old toys. So glad I kept the most special ones...
When we downsized and moved to our little cabin last year I sent most all of the toys home with them, but did keep a couple here that they really like to keep them entertained when they're visiting. There is so much for them to do outside here when they're visiting, but the weather isn't always cooperative so they enjoy playing with those toys indoors. We do lots of other things too when they're here like board games, crafts, reading books, and cooking. And speaking of books, I kept all of my kids' childhood books as well and I'm so glad that I did because the little ones are really enjoying them too! :)

[zeaxmays]

My mom was BITTERLY disappointed that she couldn't even give the Lego away. (We had a giant set that she had amassed over the years by buying any Lego she came across at garage sales).
.

thats odd, people are quite crazy about lego. they sell mixed pieces by the pound on ebay.

[Teacher Terry]

I gave all my kid's toys to foster homes. Foster kids are very hard on toys so they really appreciate it. You can call the county who licenses foster homes & tell them you would like to donate.

[jp1]

thats odd, people are quite crazy about lego. they sell mixed pieces by the pound on ebay.

Probably just not the right person came to the garage sale. Or maybe lego wasn't as popular in the early 90's? Who knows, but she mentioned it off and on for the rest of her life.

[CathyA]

I have a huge container of the kids' old lego projects. Terry........that's a good idea about the foster homes.

[Teacher Terry]

The foster parents were really grateful & it made it so much easier knowing it was going to a good cause.