I could be a minimalist... If I had less stuff.

Well, I'm not quite sure I can handle all the toys in this house anymore. How many toys do children need, anyway? In comparison to what they actually have, especially American children, I'm more than certain they don't need nearly as many. Our son, Corbin, has lots of toys. He's got a ton of generous aunts and uncles, two sets of grandparents, and a bunch of friends who love him very much and love to give him things. But how many things does a child really need? To what extent is a child able to appreciate things if said child never knows what it is like to not have something? If there never was a void in Corbin's life for toys, yet it has been filled anyway, then what what does that look like? I'll tell you: it looks like a huge pile of toys. Certainly, these toys are used. He plays with them. His friends play with them. But, I can't help but think that if there were fewer of them, they would play just as contentedly with those.

The reason I don't really believe that there should be so many toys in our home isn't specifically pointed toward the fact that I don't want there to be toys strewn about incessantly. However, if there are toys that are all around the house that the child doesn't pick up (by the way, I totally believe that if a child is old enough to get a toy out, that child is old enough to put it back) they only cause a headache for me, the mom, tripping over them, giving me constant visual clutter that in turn clutters my mental focus. The main reason is that I don't want to teach our children either to be materialistic or that it is an acceptable behavior. Things should simply not envelop our lives, be we adults or children.

As a kid, I remember the best things with which to play... very large cardboard boxes. Refrigerator boxes, stove boxes, wheelchair boxes... I'm pretty sure the reason for that last one is that we had an uncle who sold wheelchairs. My memory is foggy. But I do remember the joy that came from turning that big box into a house, or a fort, or a store, and pretending in it all afternoon long... or generally until it rained. Why must toys now need batteries... or be made of cheap plastic that breaks. Why must these be given to children at every turn? Want some lunch? Well, here's a cheeseburger and a toy! Sure, McDonald's, I know that sugar and salt aren't addictive enough on their own, toys were necessary to completely reel in the kiddos.

I'm not trying to say that I hate toys. I like toys. Just not hundreds at once. I like toys that encourage imagination. I think every home should have a dress up box filled with hats, scarves, capes, and some excessively puffy prom dresses from the 80's. I love blocks and Lincoln Logs. Play-Doh is great - I make it myself. Puppets are cool. I'm fine with cars (in limited quantities) and dinosaurs and animals (also in limited quantities). But I say no, thank you, to some toys. Loud toys. Toys with batteries. Extremely specific toys that you can only use in one way or must simply push a button and that one function is all they have, like action figures. Toys with small parts. Very cheap toys that are just going to break if they haven't already. And, in our case, toys that overflow from the toy box.

Back to my original pondering... how many toys should a child have? I've come to an arbitrarily decided number of 25. Some may say that is excessively small, some may say it is excessively large, but I think it may be just right. Quality over quantity has many virtues. So, starting this evening after Corbin wakes up from his nap, we'll be sifting through his stash of toys to decide which special 25 will be staying with us. It might be painful, but sometimes that's necessary, because I care about our family's well being more.

I also realize that this isn't something that applies only to Corbin and toys. It's a lifestyle that we're trying to adopt. Let's call it... de-accumulating. I have far too many things. I might even say I have vastly far too many things. How many belts does a girl need? Not nearly as many as I have. We'll be going through my things next. But, first, to the toys!