5 Kid Things You Need to Declutter Before Christmas

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We really do live in a privileged time where we have to declutter before Christmas.

If you’re anything like me, I’m forever getting rid of the stuff that seems to just build up in our home.

Things aren’t as difficult to come by now. Toys are cheaper and we live in a time where we measure our success and happiness based off of how much we materially own.

That might not apply to you, but it does apply to society in general and it’s something that I’m working hard not to pass onto my children.

I want them to understand that almost all the time, less is more.

There’s no need for a million toys and even if you can afford that for your kids, I would highly suggest not giving into that.

Children thrive when there is room for them to explore and let their imaginations lead them. Toys and stuff simply get in the way of that more often than not.

So, with all that said…if you’re still reading, keep scrolling so you can find out the best kid stuff to declutter this Christmas season.

The Most Important Kid Things to Declutter Before Christmas

While it may seem wasteful to some to get rid of things simply so you can replace it with more stuff, there are ways to make it not so. Or at least…not so much.

Donate, sell, or gift it to someone else.

And then, evaluate exactly what will be replacing those things (if anything at all).

In our home, we try to stick to the rule of:

Something they want

Something they need

Something to wear

And something to read.

It makes Christmas and birthdays a lot more simple and the presents become all the more meaningful.

Before Christmas comes along, these are the areas that I set out to declutter:

#1 Clothing

I like to declutter clothing seasonally but sometimes I get a little behind around the holiday season simply because of all the activities and busyness.

However, clothing is one of the areas that I like to declutter.

I’m blessed to have two daughters so I often can just pass down clothing or store it in vacuum seal bags and then plastic tubs until they fit the next child.

I usually donate my son’s clothing or gift it to a relative.

If clothing is not fit to be donated then I either use it for rags or bin it.

We’re very minimalistic with clothes because we have limited closet space and quite honestly, its just not an area that I personally can justify spending much on.

Besides that, my children are all young and therefore don’t take an awful lot of care when it comes to the clothing they’re in.

We do laundry daily and keep clothing piles minimal. It is less stressful and is great on the budget!

#2 Toys

This is probably the kid stuff that I declutter the most frequently. Before every birthday and also Christmas, we go through the toys and decide what can be donated and what needs to be biffed.

Now, this can sometimes be tricky because you’ll find yourself happily decluttering and then along comes a child that recognises a long lost toy that they simply couldn’t bear to part with even though they haven’t played with it for months.

My suggestion is to do most of the decluttering when your children are occupied and leave a small amount to do with them.

I like for my children to understand the responsibility of ownership and how important it is to really value things.

It’s also wonderful for them to happily gift things to others and practice getting rid of things that they no longer use.

#3 Craft Supplies

I’m a sucker for a pretty jar full of markers and crayons but if your home is anything like mine, craft supplies get messy quickly.

I love to gift craft supplies to my children because they spark imagination and are perfect for rainy days.

However, papers get disorganised, colouring books get filled up, crayons break, and markers go dry.

Before Christmas arrives, take a moment to go through your kids craft supplies and declutter.

Get rid of broken and used up supplies and then tidy it all up as you go.

This will not only make room for more things but also make it easier to put new presents away when they arrive.

#4 Shoes & Accessories

I’m terrible at leaving shoes that are too small for my kids in our shoe storage drawer.

We often stock up on the next size up for Christmas and birthdays and so really, it is ideal to go through what your kids have and either pass them down or donate.

Accessories is another area you might consider purging. I think of my girls hair bows and often they’ve broken or have just fulfilled their lifetime use.

Because I like to use accessories as stocking stuffers I always try to make sure to go through what we currently have before going out and buying more.

#5 Books

Okay, okay, book lovers don’t shoot me down too quickly, okay?

I love a good bookshelf filled with children’s books but the reality is that sometimes you do have to get rid of some of them.

For us, it is usually because they’ve gotten damaged and are just too broken to be used anymore (I’m talking to you, toddler of mine).

Books are always part of birthday and Christmas presents in our home, so I like to keep on top of our library and make sure that I’m not buying what I already have and that we don’t have a bunch of ripped board books sitting on the shelf.

There also comes a time when your children will outgrow certain books and it is wise to donate those or gift them to family or friends that will use them.

For sure, there will be another child out there who will get use out of them after your children have had their fill.

Conclusion

We are not minimalists, but I do really like to be intentional about what we allow in our home. After all, there are five of us living in about a 1000sqft home.

I also don’t want my children to be so overwhelmed by stuff that they can’t even enjoy it.

Decluttering before Christmas and other big events means that our home is easier to keep clean, less overwhelming, and my kids get the most out of the things that they own.