Homes for unloved toys

I hate clutter. I hate junk hanging around that hasn't been used in ages. So all the paraphernalia associated with kids is sometimes hard on the neat freak inside, especially this time of year because I know more is on the horizon. G's birthday is in September, and N's birthday is in February, so that is a lot of new stuff coming into our home in a 6-month period.

If things haven't been played with much or at all in the last year, they are being placed for sale on craigslist and cheapcycle. I recently sold a Little Flier Bouncy Horse that we bought N for her 1st birthday (that her butt touched all of 5 times) for $45. I think I bought it new for either $49 or $59. So I didn't think that was bad.

I also sold some of her costumes. N is like me when it comes to clothes...she likes to be comfortable above all else, so the lace and frou-frou on costumes drives her nuts. She might put them on but after a few minutes she complains about them itching her, and they wind up on my floor.

It feels really good to get rid of some things, but a part of me feels a little guilty for selling stuff. I guess because some of the toys are relatively new (like less than a year old) or barely used. I try to tell myself that not every gift N gets is going to be something she likes or will play with, and so it is better to sell them to another child who might actually get some enjoyment out of them, rather than the toys just taking up space in my house.

I like to try to sell them online before I put them in one of the local Spring/Fall consignment sales. I get 100% if I sell them myself, and just 70% or less if I go the consignment route.

And I don't just get rid of the kids' stuff. I recently sold D's big honking speakers on craigslist. I've got an old record-player/cassette player in D's closet that I want to put online too. Maybe while I've got my camera out and computer on, I better try to find a new home for that. I kept hanging onto it in case I ever want to listen to my Jeff Buckley EP, but if I haven't listened to it in 12 years, chances are I won't anytime soon, right?