Over the last few years, we have spent a lot of time in our flat and we have accumulated so much stuff as a family. I don’t know where it all comes from but just as I think I’ve got everything organised and in the right places, a huge influx of birthday and Christmas presents come along and the toy boxes start to overflow! This year I’ve decided to be more minimalist, in many more ways than one.
This has meant that I’ve been thinking more about decluttering and less about what I want to buy next. Of course, there are still things I want to buy (I love shopping) but I’ve been selling things and getting rid of the things we don’t need in order to buy the things that we do need. I’ve also been trying to save some money and I’ve been shopping second hand where possible. I bought my daughter a second-hand barbie remote control car for her birthday, someone was selling one on marketplace brand new in the box as they had received duplicate gifts at Christmas. It cost me half the price that it would of if I’d have bought it from the shop. But by doing this I have saved myself some money, helped someone else to declutter and got my daughter a birthday present that she has asked for.
A win situation all round!
I can’t always justify spending lots of money on toys as children grow out of things so quickly or the toys get broken. They get so many new toys for their birthdays and for Christmas from other family members that I’m often left feeling quite overwhelmed. At the end of the day, it's me that will have to pick up all the toys off their bedroom floor and it's me that will have to sort through them all multiple times throughout the year so I try not to go too crazy like I have in the past or it becomes a huge task - it's definitely a lesson I have learnt. For birthdays we now try and get them things that they need e.g., clothes or shoes, a toy or a few small things that they have asked for and a day out.
I am trying to be more organised and so I’ve been planning ahead.
This year my eldest has asked to go bowling for her birthday and my youngest wants to go and see Peppa Pig so I’m saving up for the days out and taking advantage of the sales, buying things second hand and buying clothes in the next sizes up when I can. I’ve already started thinking about what to do at Christmas (I know, it seems crazy to be thinking of Christmas again already!) but I’d love to be able to get them annual passes for days out so that we can make lots of memories throughout the whole year. Maybe family and friends could contribute to passes and come along with us.
Don’t get me wrong, they will still have their fair share of toys (don’t worry) but I work on the theory that I don’t remember what I got for my birthday as a child, I do however remember the places that I went and how much fun we had so that's why I’d rather spend my money on making memories as a family as opposed to physical things like toys. After all, memories last a life time and they mean so much more.
*This post is also proudly featured on Families Online.
