This combo with end-of-year birthdays are absolutely rough. We had to get really strict with family about gifting and it's still so hard.

5 in under 1200 sq ft. We are drowning, but we do ask for alternatives, but rarely get them. But storage containers help a lot. I also ask the kids to donate one toy straight away unopened from Christmas for the foster kids next year in town. No tears and they all obliged willingly this year.

I feel like the walls are closing in on me there’s so much new junk in my living room

Mom of 3 here. Our rule is nothing new in unless the old comes out first. My kids know they have to clean out the old stuff before anything new goes in. 3 boxes and 2 bags were promptly removed tonight to make room for the new gifts. We’ll take the old stuff to donate tomorrow.

Our daughter turns four next month and we have always provided a link for donations to different organizations in lieu of gifts for every birthday. She still gets some from us and immediately family, a few friends but it drastically helps. We also only get 4 things from us at Christmas: something she wants, needs, reads and wears plus one thing from Santa. Again immediately family but I direct what that is. I would have purged a lot but now have a baby so kept most of that stuff.

Purges, toy rotations, donations, and then we ask for a mix of books, clothes, and toys for birthdays/christmas so it’s not soooo much.

As a nanny I implemented a "toy store" rotation bc the family had the storage space. Basically asked the 4yo to go through his toys and he had to choose what went down to storage. Then he had to trade a toy from his main collection if he wanted to use any toy in storage so we would go "shopping" and then before xmas and birthdays he would go through the storage closet and could pick out toys he no longer played with to donate for other kids (or toss)

The rotation of toys and clothes is a part-time job. But I find my local Buy Nothing group on facebook to be really helpful. People are generally very interested and pick up promptly. Plus I don’t have to take it to the donation or deal with flaky people trying to sell for a couple bucks, AND it prevents a lot from going to the landfill. It never ceases to amaze me how many things come into our house without us even trying.

Something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read, something for fun And consumables. Post it's, tape, art supplies, craft kits, etc.

Kids need minimal toys. We donate/give away things often and buy less each year. Prefer experiences as gifts when possible