I hate junk. Especially the stupid nicknacks that come with toys. I am by no means a minimalist, but I like to keep my space tidy. Having children is like living in a constant state of chaos. Nothing is ever static. Movement abounds. I love it but you have to be vigilant if you want a clean house.
What happened to simple toys? Everything my kids get now comes with 50 extra little pieces that never get used. My kids love the core toy and then scatter everything else around my house. It’s not uncommon to find small wrenches in the corner of my kitchen—or small plastic blocks in my backpack. I think there are about 27 Lego tires strewn about my house on a given day.
Photo: Tania Melnyczuk
And this is after I’ve cleaned and organized their toys. This junk seems to be multiplying like a virus while I sleep.
My wife and I do what we can to keep the junk to a minimum. We go through all of the toys at least once a month to sort out what’s being used, what hasn’t been played with, and what is broken. From there, we put our kids’ toys in their proper locations and enjoy 15 minutes of serenity.
Within a day, most of our work has been undone. When we went through the sorting and organizing process last weekend, I realized there’s an excellent metaphor for life here.
If you don’t remove the broken and unnecessary junk in your life, you’ll be forced to carry it around with you. This creates an unwanted burden and load in your life. It takes away from progressing and experiencing new things. I believe journaling is the best method to clear your head.
Some may find organizing and sorting children’s toys—or anything—tedious and burdensome. I find it refreshing and productive. What’s more, if I don’t go through and remove the junk, both physical and mental, it will pile up around and cause me more stress.
Stress that I don’t need because it makes me less effective at being a good father.
If you have children and are feeling the burden of their things in your life then it’s time to go through their things and sort out what’s being used, what hasn’t been played with, and what is broken.
I guarantee that you’ll feel better and your kids won’t notice anything has changed. And when you’re satisfied with the state of your physical space, start taking inventory of the mental junk you’re carrying around. I work on this every day, and will for the rest of my life. But the journey is the goal.