What Made My "Collector" Child Eager to Clean Out Her Room

Earlier today I suggested to my first-grade daughter that she should go through her toys to see if there was anything she didn't want anymore.

Nope.

Buoyed by the promise of an imminent snowday, I try again several hours later. But this time, I change my tactic. While Marley is in the kitchen having dessert, I go up to her room and take all of her stuffed animals. Not to worry--I'm not evil. I line them all up in the hall and callher upstairs with this invitation: "There's a yard sale going on up here. Come get your wallet."

"Really?" She runs up the stairs and finds me in her room.

I am ready with instructions. I tell her, "Go shopping in the hall. Buy whatever you want. Bring me your items when you are ready and I'll ring you up."

She dashes downstairs to get a shopping bag, and on her way back up she tells her big sister that we're having a yard sale in the hall.

I wish I'd taken a picture of that part of the sale as Marley shopped through a hall filled with her own stuffed animals. I wish I'd taken a picture of Morgan following behind her, browsing the items Marley had chosen not to buy.

I did take pictures of the next phase of the sale...the same process but with all of her other items--everything but the plush ones!

By the time the sale was over, Marley had repurchased many of her belongings, but we'd also filled two bags with unwanted items and moved a few things to Morgan's room. It was a fun way to get her to go through her things and give her room a much-needed dusting!