Toys, Toys, Toys

My kids have a lot of toys. I mean they really have A LOT. Someone once walked into my basement and asked if I ran a day care. I mean that is a little embarrassing.

I'm to blame about the overabundance of toys because I love toys. I love to see my kids play with toys. I just think toys are fun and since they don't watch TV I feel like they should have toys to play with. Alright alright, I'll come clean...I can't resist toys on sale. Okay, okay I also love to buy everything that belongs to the set. Once I bought a Sweet Street house for $1 at a garage sale. It turned into me buying most all of the Sweet Street line (all at amazing prices!).

Well, I have learned something in the last few months. All kids really need are their imaginations and a few basic toys. Take for instance this picture.This is how Emily and Sam (and tag-a-long Ben) spend many afternoons (side note: notice the toy in Ben's mouth-that is typical Ben). They use their imaginations and create boats, picnics, forts, whatever with whatever is around (mainly my furniture). They spend hours doing this and most of the toys stay in my basement untouched.

So I packed up the majority of their toys in order to declutter my house and they haven't missed any of it. I left out what I feel are the basics:

• A play kitchen with food, basic tea set, shopping cart
• A few dress up items for girls and boys
• Cars and trucks, driving mat
• Train set
• Misc. dolls, ponies, stuffed animals, dinosaurs
• Blocks of various shapes and sizes for building houses for above dolls
• A few play sets i.e. barn, castle, etc.
• Puzzles and games

My life is so much simpler now. There is less to clean up. I have learned a valuable lesson. They don't need much to entertain themselves. I need less stuff to clean up. Put it together and life is better.

I wonder what I'll do with all that STUFF when we unpack...