It’s that time of year again when the urge to clean up and declutter strikes! The holiday season has brought new treasures into your home, and now it’s time to make room for them. However, your enthusiasm for simplifying and organizing might not always be shared by your children. Don’t worry! There are plenty of creative and engaging ways to involve your kids in the process of letting go of their belongings. Who says donating can’t be both purposeful and fun?
1. Donate Books to a School
Many local schools face budget constraints, limiting teachers’ ability to purchase essential resources, such as books for their classrooms. As your younger children progress in their reading abilities, consider donating their gently used, lower-level reading books to their school or a teacher you know. Encourage your child to keep their absolute favorites or those with sentimental value, and donate the rest to benefit other students.
2. Donate Books to Your Local Little Free Library
Little Free Library is a fantastic book-sharing program found in many communities. If you spot a small, charming book stand in someone’s yard – similar to the picture above – you’ve found one! The concept is simple: donate a book and borrow a book. This offers a fun and tangible experience for children. It’s also exciting to revisit the library periodically to see which books have been taken and what new treasures have appeared.
3. Host a Book Swap Party
Invite your child’s friends over for a book swap extravaganza! Ask each child to bring a book or two to trade and a few books to donate. Incorporate fun games and activities, using the books as exciting prizes. Each child will leave with a new book to enjoy, and you can donate the remaining books to a worthy cause. Hip 2 Save offers excellent tips and detailed instructions on how to host various types of book swaps for kids.
4. Donate Clothing and Shoes to a School
Many schools, especially those in urban areas, serve families and children facing significant financial challenges. Teachers and staff often witness the needs of their students throughout the school year, receiving requests for items like coats, socks, shoes, and clothing. Imagine the impact of having resources readily available to help a child in need! Engage your children by helping them understand that their outgrown clothes can directly benefit another child just like them. Some schools even have social workers on staff who can provide insights into the specific needs of their students and guide you on how to donate items effectively.
5. Donate Stuffed Animals/Toys to a Police Station
This cause is particularly close to our family’s heart. Several years ago, we adopted our son from the foster care system. Like many foster children, he was removed from his biological home at a young age. Having a police officer arrive at your home and take you away is a frightening experience for a child. When this happened to our four-year-old son, the police officer offered him a stuffed animal to provide comfort and a sense of security. While it may seem like a small gesture in light of the circumstances, it provided him with a moment of reassurance. My son is now passionate about donating stuffed animals to police stations. I simply call the station in advance, and they are always incredibly grateful.
6. Donate Stuffed Animals/Toys to an EMS Station
Many EMTs and paramedics keep a small collection of stuffed animals in their ambulances to help comfort children who need to be transported to the hospital. To donate, call your local EMS station in advance or simply stop by and knock on the door. There’s always someone there to assist you.
7. Pass Down Clothes to a Friend or Family Member
Children outgrow their clothing so quickly that most friends and family members will gladly welcome those gently used items your child has outgrown. Identify a parent whose child is a size or two smaller than yours, and (politely) inquire if they are in need of clothing. Passing down clothes to someone you know can make it easier for a child to part with their favorite (yet too-small) t-shirt.
8. Donate Worn-Down Stuffed Animals and Blankets to Animal Shelters
Animal shelters are a great place for all those stuffed animals, blankets, and towels that are too worn for human use but can provide comfort to animals in need. Before throwing them away, contact your local animal shelter and ask if they accept these types of donations.
9. Take Broken Toys to a Recycling Center
Every child accumulates broken toys, puzzles with missing pieces, and empty boxes for items that are no longer in use. Gather these items and take them to your local recycling center. Call ahead to inquire about tours or the possibility of observing the recycling process. Many recycling centers have informative signs that explain how different materials are recycled. There are also impressive machines to watch in action. My local recycling center uses a massive conveyor belt to crush aluminum cans into large, brick-like squares. My son dreams of building a fort in our backyard with them, although they’re not available for purchase.
10. Give Your Child Money for the Things They Sell
Whether you’re hosting a garage sale or selling your child’s belongings on a local online marketplace, promise to give your child the money (or a percentage of the proceeds) from the sale of their toys. Once they experience the satisfaction of earning money for an item, they’ll be motivated to find more things to sell.
11. Clear Out Artwork by Creating an Art Book
If your child is like mine, they cherish every piece of artwork they create, treating each one like a masterpiece. Our home can quickly become filled with these precious treasures. While it’s hard to admit, not all of them need to be kept. Here’s how to get your child excited about creating their own art book:
Designate a special file or folder for the most treasured pieces and curate them regularly. Talk to your child about why a particular piece is special (or not). Once you’ve accumulated enough artwork, create a beautiful art book before clearing out the originals. Check out how This Fine Day used Shutterfly to create her daughter’s art book.
12. Clear Out Treasures (A.K.A. Junk) by Creating a Treasures Jar
Is your house overflowing with “treasures”? By “treasures,” I mean rocks collected from the park, sticks, rubber band bracelets received from friends, and hundreds of seashells from your beach vacation. Purchase a decorative jar and have your child select their favorite “treasures” to place inside. Encourage them to leave room for newly found items. The only rule is that when the jar is full, they must empty it and select their favorites again.
13. Read Books About Giving
If your child is struggling to let go of their belongings, consider visiting the library and borrowing some books about giving and generosity. Children’s books offer a gentle and whimsical way to address topics they might find challenging. Here are a few of my favorite books:
- The Berenstain Bears: Think of Those in Need by Stan & Jan Berenstain
- Too Many Toys by David Shannon
- How Full is Your Bucket by Mary Reckmeyer
14. Box Up Toys for an Allotted Amount of Time
If your child has difficulty letting go of items, make a deal to box up the toys they rarely or never play with for a specified period. After that time has passed, re-evaluate the value of the toys. Allow your child to play with the toys before boxing them up to help them gain closure. This exercise can help them realize that they don’t miss those toys as much as they thought they would. It will also reveal whether they truly value the items or not.
15. Donate Old Tennis Shoes
It’s common to view old tennis shoes as trash, but several organizations, like Soles4Souls and NikeGrind, repurpose old shoes to help people in need and reduce waste. All shoe sizes are valuable, so if you’re not passing down those tennis shoes, consider donating them. Most organizations make the donation process easy!
Find the right approach for your family and transform decluttering into a fun, yearly tradition. Did I miss anything? Please share your ideas!