There’s a drawer in our house that contains (*checks list*) half a pair of baby sunglasses, three rogue puzzle pieces, and what might be a raisin (or a rock?). We’re not proud.
But this week, we’re giving ourselves a low-lift clean slate out of the Toy Thunderdome. Not a full-blown KonMari 😳, just a some judicious but ruthless tossing to make our homes feel less like an episode of Hoarders and more like slightly functional adults live here too.
Here’s how we’re ditching some of the chaos (and maybe making $8 in the process).
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🧘♀️ The “20 Things” Power Purge
👉Sometimes the problem isn’t too little storage. It’s too much… everything. Here’s your fast-pass list of 20 kid things to toss, donate, or sell this week. (Or next. No judgement.)
✅ Start here:
Socks without matches (yep, they're really gone)
Markers without caps (or vice versa)
Half-used sticker sheets (controversial, but you know we're right)
Random leftover birthday party decor (3 Elmo plates, 1 balloon weight, and maybe a tiny bit of guilt)
Broken crayons in Ziplocs you swore you’d melt into a craft
Clothes that “still fit” but never get worn
Bath toys with black spots you pretend are just shadows
Books you’ve read 800 times and hate just a little
Baby toys you swore you'd rotate back in (you won’t)
The “extra” lunchbox your kid refuses to use
Outgrown dress-up costumes
Anything that plays music but hasn’t had batteries in 12 months
Water bottles with no lids
Water bottle lids with no bottles
Plastic bits you’re scared to toss in case they “go to something”
Character Band-Aids your kid no longer deems acceptable
Craft kits still shrink-wrapped from last Christmas
Shoes with “just a little” hole (unless they are THE pair. You know the ones.)
Party favors you brought home out of politeness
Happy Meal toys that have lost their charm (and limbs)
👉 Pro tip: Do 5 a day for 4 days. Don't sort. Don’t organize. Just toss. Or toss it in a donate box. That totally counts.
⚡ Snap-Sell Folder Trick
👉 The resale hack that makes you money while you scroll.
You know what’s worse than clutter? Clutter you meant to sell.
This week, make a folder in your phone’s Photos app titled “Kid Resale.” Every time you pick something up and think “We could sell this,” take a photo and dump it in the folder - no captions, no lighting, no price research.
Then, once a month (or whenever you're doom scrolling on social), batch-list them all at once: on Facebook Marketplace, Mercari, your local Buy Nothing group, wherever.
Works great for:
Outgrown rain boots
Toys that still work but no one plays with
Bundled toddler mealtime stuff (those suction bowls, snack cups, and bite-sized forks)
The preschool backpack your kid has outgrown physically and spiritually
Bonus: You can now say “I’m selling it” instead of “I just didn’t get to it yet.” Even if it sits in that folder for 6 weeks. Progress.
Did you know? 🧃 JuiceBox is built by a tiny team of working parents just like you. We curate and write this stuff so you don’t have to but we’d LOVE for you to get in on the action.
💬 Got a time-saving tip or a chaos-fighting hack of your own? Hit reply and share it—we all need a village, and we’d love to hear from you.
👯♀️ Know a fellow parent who needs this? Forward away or hit this button:
🧩 The Declutter Game (No, Really)
👉 Because bribery + novelty = magic. How it works:
Hand your kid a basket and say: “Your mission: find 10 toys to make space for cooler stuff.”
Tell them it’s a trade-up. Wrap the pitch in mystery. You can even give them extra "points" for choosing a wide variety of things.
Not everything will make it to the donate pile (suddenly the broken whistle is deeply cherished), but even 3 toys gone is 3 fewer things you're shoveling off the floor every evening.
K that’s all. You’re the best and we love you.
-CK “Clutter Master” Fuller (Editor) & the JB Crew 🫡
P.S. Next week we’ll share the actual, non-precious systems working parents need for back-to-school — like, the real-life version that doesn’t involve linen labels or matching bins.