So I have joined the book club at the Waldorf School. I have wisely told one of my other book clubs I am dropping out for awhile. 4 book clubs is just too much! I am trying to simplify my life too.

We are reading Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids. Each week we discuss a section and then have a challenge we work on for the week.

This week the challenge was to cut down on the toys and books

Knowing their was a challenge was a good inspiration, but I also read ahead to the section of the book which inspired me more. Here were the guidelines of the type of toys to get rid of:

1. Broken Toys
2. Developmentally Inappropriate Toys
3. Toys based on Characters from movies or TV (the reasoning behind this is often kids act out the shows with these toys, so whose imagination are they using – theirs or Hollywoods?)
4. Toys that do too much or break too easily
5. Very high Stimulation Toys
6. Annoying Toys
7. Toys that are meant to help your kids develop and grow faster
8. Toys that your kids really bug you to buy
9. Violent Toys

Some of these were easier then others.

The simplification process took me 2 days with probably about 6 hours of work total. The only sad thing is I didnt’ get a before picture! I did re-read this section of the book 2 times to help me stay strong in purging.