Riding Marie Kondo’s coattails, Jamie has a thorough, multi-step strategy to help you whittle down all of your kid’s toys, books and clothes to something more manageable. Don’t feel selfish for wanting to declutter; a cluttered environment with two many options—even fun ones!—can overwhelm your little ones and lead to meltdowns and general dissatisfaction. The only thing worse than having to clean up a big mess is knowing your child didn’t even have fun making it.

 

In this episode, Jamie outlines her own process for decluttering the home, explains why fewer toy options encourages more engaging play, and offers up a few tips for giving or throwing away stuff you no longer need.

The Finer Details of This Episode:

 

Jamie’s own experience with decluttering when she moved to San Francisco.

How having too many choices can be as frustrating as having no choice at all.

Fostering more satisfying “deep play” through fewer options.

Redefining what toys are and what they can be to encourage open-ended, imaginative play.

Why branded like Paw Patrol can work against healthy play.

Taking a smarter approach to throwing and giving the unnecessary stuff away.

Getting over that fear of empty space and taking advantage of the room that’s been freed up.

Making sure that everything your kid owns has a home to make cleanup easier.

Handy tips for paring down toys, clothes and books.

Quotes:

 

“I almost want your kid so focused that they’re not listening to you.”

 

“I love handing off Pascal’s old stuff that I treasure knowing that another friend is going to treasure it just as much.”

Links:

 

Jamie’s homepage - http://www.jamieglowacki.com/

Oh Crap! Potty Training - https://www.amazon.com/Crap-Potty-Training-Everything-Parenting-ebook/dp/B00V3L8YSU

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