Too many toys

[Dad Brad]

We have way too many toys that the kids have outgrown, and it's time to get rid of some of these. I've heard that Goodwill won't take children's toys any more. What else are people doing with old toys? These have been well loved, are missing pieces, but I still don't want to just dump them in the trash.

 

[CHenne]

I did not know that Goodwill will no longer take toys. I wonder why not? You can try to put them on freecycle - is there one in your area? You just give them away to someone that wants/needs them.

 

[Michael]

There is some kind of new law regarding toys and donating to charity resale shops. It has to do with lead paint, testing and unapproved imports from other countries. It may not affect stores in all states. I remember hearing something about it last year.

 

[Shadow]

Sometimes it is just simple as driving through some poor neighborhood and giving them to children who happen to be there. But that really depends on where you live.

 

[Christian]

Freecycle is one way to get rid of them, but you can also call local daycare centers. Particularly those that are not part of a chain. With all the budget cuts a lot of those places could use some new toys.

 

[Bobby]

We have a battered woman's shelter in our community. They were more than happy to receive our gently used toys because often these women and children flee an abusive situation with literally only the clothes on their backs.

 

[Lorenzo]

If Goodwill and other charitable institutions are not accepting toys anymore, why not try giving them to relatives who are economically-challenged? I'm sure they would appreciate it. If you don't have any, local day cares might be happy to receive it, too.

 

[Salazar]

I'm all for donating, but if you happen to need the money you could always have a garage sale in the spring. Sometimes that's very close to donating since people will be able to buy things for only a buck or two.

 

[ryan]

Is there a program similar to Toys for Tots that accepts used toys for children in military families? There are so many toys that barely get used. Technically, they aren't new, but they would be for the next child.

 

[Andersson]

I thought anytime they had a suspicious item they would send it down to corporate to have it tested. I know thats what they do with computer monitors that are donated, why not the kids toys too?

 

[Victor]

I hadn't heard that Goodwill no longer accepts toys. How odd.

Generally we hold garage sales to get rid of unwanted stuff. It's a good way to make a little extra money too.

 

[joeldgreat]

In a country like mine, you don't have to go to charities just to donate old toys. There are lots of let unfortunate children just around our neighborhood. I see to it that every other Christmas, my kids would collect all the toys that they don't already play with and simply give them to these kids.

 

[FatherofTwo]

You might also check the Salvation Army, or even a local church. I know many churches take donations around Christmas, and I imagine they would do it year round as well. Another option is to post them in the free section on Craigslist. You will likely have a few inevitable spam replies, but telling people to type a phrase in the subject line of the email will help you identify real people. Putting the toys on Craigslist would likely have them gone on the same day, and save you the gas of driving to a donation drop off.

 

[Victor Leigh]

Can't you just give them away? I am sure there must be many less fortunate children who would be glad to get some. Or at least one.