Drowning in toys? Here’s how to handle kid clutter
3/26/202623 min
Having kids comes with a lot of clutter - some of it even shows up before your baby does. From toys that overflow from the toy chest, to unwanted hand-me-downs, and piles of art your kids make, you can't keep it all. Psychotherapist Denaye Barahona offers advice for parents on the whys and hows of decluttering.
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsIra Glass0:00
This is Ira Glass of This American Life. Do you know our show? Okay, well, either way I'm gonna tell you about it. We make stories that hopefully pull you in at the beginning with funny moments, and feelings, and people in surprising situations, and then you just wanna find out what is gonna happen and cannot stop listening. That's right, I'm talking about stories that make you miss appointments. This American Life, wherever you get your podcasts.
Marielle Segarra· Host0:23
You're listening to Life Kit from NPR. Hey, it's Mariel. I think many of us have had this experience where we attempted to declutter, to Marie Kondo our homes, and we hit an emotional roadblock. There in our hands was some item that we had no use for anymore, and yet we were emotionally attached, not ready to throw it away or even donate it. This seems infinitely more likely when the object in question reminds you of your kid and the time when they were so little.
Denaye Barahona· Guest0:59
I often think about, like, you know, my kids have, like, nice winter jackets from when they were younger, and they're very sweet, and I remember them all, like, puffed up in these beautiful little jackets. And I think to myself, like, "Oh, I have a h- such a hard time letting this go."
Marielle Segarra· Host1:13
Dene Barahona is a psychotherapist who works with children and families in New York City, and the way she gets out of this trap is she reframes the situation.
Denaye Barahona· Guest1:22
But then I think, "Should this jacket spend the next 30 years in this box, or should it be on the body of