Board games are fun and you can normally find some on Freecycle. Monopoly, Sorry!, Chutes and Ladders, Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit — whatever is appropriate for the youngest person in your family. Playing games and spending time around family members helps children as well. They learn the importance of rules and following them, sequence, how to be a good sport and a host of other things. At my house, Wednesday nights are Wii nights. My son just loves the Wii, so that night is set aside for us to play Wii with him, to spend time with him. That doesn’t mean we don’t play the Wii with him any other nights, but it is the night we drop everything and spend time with him.

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For more decluttering inspiration, check out “The 100 Thing Challenge,” by Dave Bruno. The book chronicles his journey to reduce the sum of all his possessions to no more than 100 items. And, if you want help purging, join the local chapter of Freecycle.org. Freecycle is a forum where you can advertise things you’re willing to give away for free, and its members will often happily make a house call to pick up your reusable items.

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In fact, the only thing I really have to remember is to take my rechargeable batteries out of toys that are being put on Freecycle or thrown out.

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