Too much art stuff

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Too much art stuff

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devorah1231

Wed, Sep 13 2023, 11:48 pm

My kids have a ton of art supplies. Everybody seems to like giving them new markers, new crayons, new pencils. Every few months, for a birthday, chanuka, just because.

This stuff doesn't get used up that fast. Yeah some crayons break and some markers dry out, but not anywhere near the rate at which they are replaced.

Today I took food out of my microwave and big box full of art supplies fell on top of my hands and knocked the food over. The box was next to the microwave and when I opened the microwave it fell down because one of my kids had been digging around and shifted things around.

When I was cleaning up I said you know what I had enough and anything that was even the slightest bit dirty I threw out even though they were a bunch of perfectly good markers and crayons and other things there.

This had me thinking is there a better system? When I can I put away the new stuff but eventually it comes out. Should I just throw out all the old ones every time we get a new box? There's just so much clutter I can handle

To life

Thu, Sep 14 2023, 1:07 am

Give some away. Or lock them up until you need them.

greenteaorange

Thu, Sep 14 2023, 1:40 am

I feel you there’s so many coloring books and various supplies from different smalls gifts and whatever. I try to Put some of it in basement or different room for more storage and have a main set more “out”
That being said I feel I am constant y decluttering this type of stuff

effess

Thu, Sep 14 2023, 1:40 am

Donate them to a school with little funding.

DrMom

Thu, Sep 14 2023, 2:07 am

- Put it out of reach and replenish your kids' supplies frim this stash as needed.

- Donate to a school or kindergarten.

- Start an art class in your house.

salt

Thu, Sep 14 2023, 2:28 am

Keep them in some kind of plastic storage container and take out as necessary.
Unless you are totally out of space for a box like that, in which case, give them away.
You could also recycle them for gifts - do you ever need to give birthday gifts for your kids' friend, etc.

SuperWify

Thu, Sep 14 2023, 2:55 am

Don’t be afraid to throw out or give away.

zaq

Thu, Sep 14 2023, 7:31 am

DrMom wrote:

- Put it out of reach and replenish your kids' supplies frim this stash as needed.

- Donate to a school or kindergarten.

- Start an art class in your house.

-Open a gmach
-Tell your people to stop giving art supplies and suggest something else.

zaq

Thu, Sep 14 2023, 7:35 am

If you give away or otherwise dispose of new things the kids received as gifts, you really need to compensate the kids somehow. It's unfair to give away a gift they were given, even if they're not going to use it. If you get rid of something they received a while ago and either wore out or never used, that's merely decluttering and no compensation is necessary. Compensation need not be in kind; it can be an experience or privilege.

devorah1231

Thu, Sep 14 2023, 9:32 am

zaq wrote:

This is often the cae, I can't take stuff away from my kids. Sometimes I can tell them to put it away for a while but not take it away. I don't discourage art gifts because it does get used up eventually, unlike everything else.

I guess I should be more aggressive about decluttering.

Highstrung

Thu, Sep 14 2023, 9:48 am

Keep a stash of supplies in storage (garage, attic,closet that is not used often) and only keep out the supplies you need at the moment.
This way, if friends come or a project comes up , you always have more.
I love art supplies and try to keep a stock.
Use one container for crayons, one for markers , one for colored paper, one for tape and glue , one for Pom poms , Googley eyes and pipe cleaners etc.
only keep 1 or 2 coloring books on hand per child , the rest put away for future use .

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