Does your baby aged not-yet-born to 10 years+ have grandparents? Aunts or Uncles? People who love them? People who've never met them but heard you have kids? Did you realize you have spare change in your purse while walking past the entryway gumball/toy capsule machines?
You know about the toy problem.
We have an entire 12x20 storage room downstairs full of totes and boxes with toys the kids have no room for (plus all the baby gear and clothing they no longer fit but will fit Izzy eventually). Sister B commented that I could hold an entire mom to mom sale. And the boys' room is still full of toys! I swear the Rescue Heroes are breeding. The dinosaur toys DEFINITELY are.
I tried downsizing as much as possible before Christmas. I got it down to where it would all fit on one 3-shelf unit in their closet. Only the toys I regularly saw them play with/tripped over in the living room stayed. And then the Fire Nation attacked-- I mean, and then Santa came.
Our boys are really very lucky in that they are surrounded by people who love them. Frequently, these people show their love by generously showering them with gifts. Also, Eric no longer trusts me to go to the store alone or with the kids, because I will almost always get them something no matter how on-budget I gotta be ("A box of cereal or a Minecraft blind box? Well, the cereal will be gone in a couple days-- why not get something that'll last!").
So how do we deal with the Toy Problem?
Right now the boys have one shelving unit in their closet with 3 levels. Top row has the treasure chests of Minecraft toys and Mini Thomas Trains; second row has the big tub of Rescue Heroes and the smaller tub of action figures; and bottom row (where Izzy can easily reach) has the big tub of vehicles, basket of wooden blocks, and the smaller tub of Everything Else. Next to the shelving unit is a giant Rescue Heroes Aquatic Rescue Center (thank you, OfferUp!). In the corner of the room is a simple old-school Fisher Price car garage on the roadway play rug.
It works pretty well. At least once per day I try to put the mattress pads, sheets, blankets, pillows, and soft toys back on their beds. Attempt to put the toys in the tubs I got from Target on sale, though not always organized. Sometimes I have time to deal with it, some days I don't. I like that I can tell the boys to put their toys away and there is a reasonably low amount so they actually do it. It helps that we don't have a separate toy area for Izzy, because he loves to play with whatever big brothers are playing with and they love to play with his softer toys. Yay community toys.
Lots of moms rotate out toys. As we clean out the storage room in preparation of moving this spring, I'm putting the boxes of toys I know they'll love in the big hallway closet. Duplo, dinosaur toys, foam blocks, three different full train sets... things I know they'll love but need the space to play with. In a couple weeks I'll pack up the vehicles or wooden blocks and bring out something 'totally new omg!' Hopefully this means that the boys will be able to properly appreciate the toys they were generously given and focus and expand their imaginations to new horizons or something.
If nothing else, it'll give me variety on what I trip on in the middle of the night.