I know, I know, it’s only October. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t be proactive and start preparing your home for “most wonderful time of the year.” Besides for early gift shopping, which I highly recommend (try and stay on the lookout throughout the year so you can get better deals and get exactly what you’re looking for) a task that you can do to get ready for the holiday season is to de-clutter and purge your children’s toys!

For many families, especially those with a few children, Christmas means a truckload of new toys and games from friends, family, and the big man in red himself. To prepare for this overload, find time to gather the toys and games you already have throughout your home, and pick out the ones that your children don’t use anymore, are not working properly, or your children have outgrown.

Now, this might be something that you want to undertake by yourself, or with your kids’ input. Either way, once all the toys have been sorted, you can donate the remaining gently used toys that are in good shape and work properly to a local children’s charity that will accept used toys (Try checking out Boys and Girls Club, Drop-In Centre, Inn From the Cold, Salvation Army, YWCA and YMCA. Great Idea to call first to see what they are accepting.

With the remaining toys, set up a storage solution that has room not only for the toys that you currently have, and for the anticipated stash you anticipate receiving in a couple months’ time. Every family will have a different solution that works for them, but remember that it must work with your family’s routine, and be easily accessible for children to take out and put away.

Now is the time for Pre-Christmas purge of old toys and games that can be donated for another child’s enjoyment.