Just for Fun, Toy Disposal

Updated on September 24, 2015
T.D. asks from New York, NY
19 answers

just wondering if anyone has actually thrown toys away, the perfectly useable ones (broken ones should be tossed)
why did you throw them away?
did you consider keeping them for sentimental value or for grandkids use?

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

Featured Answers

S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

i don't understand throwing away good toys if they're in a state where they could be donated. i only throw away stuff that's actually garbage.
khairete
S.

6 moms found this helpful

M.D.

answers from Dallas on

no I don't throw them away, donate or give away, but never throw. Even at yard sales, I have a small toy section that I just give away, like the McDonald toys and such.

4 moms found this helpful

More Answers

S.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

I never throw anything away that is usable. My kids toys either get sold or donated. If I can't sell them I donate them to charity run thrift stores or daycares, or just freecycle them. If they are broken, but still safe and usable I try to find someone who will appreciate them. I have even brought toys (sand toys and trucks) to the playground and left them in the sandbox for kids to play with. I have kept a select few of my kids toys for sentimental reasons. They are hidden away in a corner of the attic. I also have a couple of my favourite childhood toys hidden up there too.

6 moms found this helpful

J.S.

answers from St. Louis on

Rosebud, Helixen.

Only tossed legos and only when they attacked.

4 moms found this helpful

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

I never throw anything that is usable away. Someone somewhere might use and appreciate it.

Most of my donations go to the women's shelter in our area as well as the outreach center for people who need help.

I do have a couple of favorite toys from my childhood which were saved for me and I have saved a few classic things of my daughter's.

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.B.

answers from San Francisco on

What was the name of that troll who always wrote about breaking toys? Weirdest, creepiest troll ever.

ETA: Oh yeah, Hexlein.

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.M.

answers from Boston on

Nope They've either gone to on to one of the 2 preschool my son went to or to the family shelter around the corner. Kept some for sentimental reasons...like his Thomas the Tank engine stuff

4 moms found this helpful

O.H.

answers from Phoenix on

I've never thrown out "perfectly usable" toys. I always donate them or give them to friends who have younger kids and can use them.

My kids are almost 16 and 13. I have their favorite blankets from when they were toddlers (they still sleep with them actually...shhhhh) and the stuffed animal my mom bought each on the day they were born. I also have the entire set of Thomas the Train that was my sons favorite and about 80 or more Transformers that were my daughters and probably 300 Hot Wheels that they both played with and some were mine from when I was little. (I clearly have a tom boy and I was an only child). Lol.

Maybe a few other things here and there that I've forgotten about that I've kept but that is all I'm keeping for "sentimental value and/or for grandkids".

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.G.

answers from Portland on

I've never thrown any toy away unless it was broken.

My mom kept our childhood favorites for her grandkids. My kids have loved playing with them and I loved that I didn't have to pack toys when visiting family.

I am doing same. Just our favorites.

The others I have given to family when they had little ones, or I have donated to those in need.

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

I donate them. If my child doesn't use them but they are in good shape, there are plenty of alternatives to the landfill.

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

E.B.

answers from Beaumont on

I kept the legos and a few sentimental ones for future grandkids. All of it together in one gallon container. Not a big deal. The rest went to a women's shelter for their kids.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.N.

answers from Baton Rouge on

I let the kid keep the ones she was super attached to and donated the rest or put them in a garage sale.

2 moms found this helpful

A.J.

answers from Williamsport on

I've only thrown away broken toys IF none of the parts are recyclable. Luckily we have a great recycler in town who takes lots of things many places won't.

Otherwise we donate to thrift stores and friends.

I can't comprehend throwing away new toys.

We have kept one or two small, super sentimental toys, but not many.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.B.

answers from Minneapolis on

I just did this this last weekend! I cleaned out my youngest two's room and tossed quite a few "useable" toys. The reason we didn't donate those was because although not broken, they really had almost no value (like older - not collectible - Hot Wheels. Not broken, but well played with if you know what I mean. Also, there were a number of toys that if I would have spent an entire extra day, I could have put all the correct pieces together - if I couldn't find all the parts in 5 minutes, the entire thing got tossed.

We did donate all the Spy Gear stuff - it was in really good condition and that stuff is pretty expensive. I also held back a couple of small item but expensive items to re-gift to my granddaughter over the next couple of years.

I do have a few toys that I have put away for sentimental value, but they are very small and only like 1 or 2 for each kid. With six kids, I could easily fill my house with items to save, leaving me no room to live :)

As far the throwing "good" toys away, I weigh the value of the item, versus the time to donate (one hour each way for us), versus the possibility of a garage sale in the next 12 months and that is what really determines if I am just going to throw it or not.

Good luck!

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.W.

answers from Amarillo on

I gave away the toys to kids that could use and play with them. I never threw out good toys only broken ones.

Soon I will take my son's toy box to him (42) and give him his toys. There are a few that might still be missing like the metal Tonka trucks but the rest will be given to him. He has a few Star Wars toys that are the originals that I won't give him yet but soon.

There is a Cabbage Patch doll in my sewing room closet that needs to be resewn as the stitching has come undone. The doll is 30 years old. But I still wouldn't just toss it as it is.

A neighbor got our wooden rocking horse as the grandson never used it and it was taking up space in the closet.

the other S.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.B.

answers from San Francisco on

Usually the ONLY time I throw good usable toys away, is when I've told the kids to pick them up or I'll throw them away - then I do. Other than that, when they've just outgrown them, I usually donate them.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

N.P.

answers from Chicago on

most useable toys I sold or gave away, not very often did I really throw them out... usually it's because the toy didn't get used enough, wasn't as interactive as I wanted, wasn't as useful as I had hoped or something like that. OR there are those few that were just plain ole' annoying and I wasn't going to deal with them anymore.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.N.

answers from Chicago on

Yes, I feel a little bad about it but: the other day my 7 and almost 4 yr old took the trouble game down from the cabinet. Since they have been really bad about picking stuff up, I told them they could not play with it. And they have not been listening at all lately. I had gone to the store, came home and found my son grabbing it on the kitchen table. I threw the whole thing in the garbage can.

Normally, no I do not like to throw away things that can be used by some one else.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.G.

answers from Chicago on

I donate everything, even toys missing parts.

1 mom found this helpful
For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions