What Comes In Must Go Out

In our house, when our kids get a toy, they have to donate a toy of the same size or several toys with the same volume as the new one. We have a very small house and very limited storage space. We also have a virtually unusable attic and basement (our house was built in 1850). So, we have "just enough" space for the toys at hand, and new ones just don't fit unless something is taken away.

My boys are old enough to understand this concept and we use it to teach them how to stay organized and keep their space neat. While my husband has many, many traits I want my boys to emulate, his lack of organizational skills is not one of them! I'm always praying for my kids future spouses, and I know that a tidy husband will bless a wife. (Don't read this wrong; my husband blesses me in many other ways besides tidiness)

The Season Of Excess Spending is upon us. It is imperative to our family during this time of year to make sure our kids understand that while getting new toys is fun, giving is more fun. And, to make sure they remember that the ultimate Gift is Jesus and His holy sacrifice to save us.

Toys! Toys! Toys!

It's Christmas time!!! Those of us with kids are bound to think they have so many toys...where are we going to put all the new ones???? Well, here is food for thought: Where do we put all the old ones? I spent the last two days reorganizing my kids' toys. I put them all in bins according to their kind. Then I decided which ones we will keep in their closets. The rest will be stored in the crawl space for a couple of months. Every couple of months after that we will rotate their toys! Not only do we have more space for their new toys to come, but the kids will learn to enjoy their old toys all over again after not seeing them for a couple of months! An extra bonus: Not having so many toys all at once promotes structured play for the kiddos!!!