Got an overflowing collection of plush pals? You’re not alone! Stuffed animals hold sentimental value for many, making it tough to part with them even after outgrowing their snuggly comfort.
If you need a quick solution for a stuffed animal surplus, consider donating some to charity, re-gifting gently used ones, or repurposing them as decorative accents around your home.
This comprehensive guide dives into the stuffed animal dilemma many face and provides actionable solutions for sorting, storing, selling, donating and repurposing extra plushies.
Assessing Your Stuffed Animal Collection
If your stuffed animal collection has grown too large, it’s important to thoroughly evaluate it before deciding what to do next. Here are some tips for analyzing your plushes.
Take Inventory and Categorize
First, gather all your stuffed animals together and take a full inventory. Count how many you have and document details like their condition, size, type, and which ones you’re more attached to. As you tally them up, start sorting into categories like:
- Childhood favorites
- Souvenirs from trips
- Gifts from important people
- Seasonal plushies
- Newest acquisitions
This organization process will help you evaluate more objectively later.
Evaluate Sentimental Value
Determine if certain plushes have deeper meaning or emotional significance to you. Maybe your grandma gave you a teddy bear, your parents brought you back a Mickey Mouse from Disneyland when you were little, or your partner won you a huge panda at the state fair last year.
Those likely have special sentimental value you want to retain if possible.
Identify Space Limitations
Next, honestly assess any storage space issues your collection is causing. Are they starting to squeeze you out of your bed or closet? Overrunning the toy room? If space is limited, that’s a practical reason for downsizing.
| Location | Approx. Plush Count | Space Available |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom | 154 | 2 square feet |
| Closet | 94 | 1 square foot |
| Toy room | 237 | 8 square feet |
As shown in the table above, the toy room has become very crowded, with limited open space left for playing or storing other toys. This signals a need to reduce the stuffed animal population.
Set Goals for Downsizing
Using the information gathered from inventorying, evaluating sentimentality, and measuring space, set some numeric goals for downsizing. A reasonable aim may be to cut your collection by 25-50%. For the toy room example above, reducing from 237 plushies down to 100-150 would free up a lot more usable space.
With some analysis completed, you’ll know which stuffed animals mean the most and which are prime candidates for rehoming. Now the tough work begins…actually letting some go!
Storage Solutions for Keeping Stuffed Animals
Use Bins and Baskets
Using decorative bins and baskets is a great way to neatly store stuffed animals while keeping them visible. Choose woven baskets or fabric bins in fun colors and patterns to complement your room’s decor. Some ideas are:
- Wicker baskets
- Canvas bins
- Decorative crates
- Toy chests
Store smaller plush toys in bins and baskets on shelves. Use larger baskets, trunks, or toy chests to hold bigger stuffed animals on the floor. This allows you to easily grab and play with your favorite plush pals.
Install Shelving
Dedicated shelving units offer organized stuffed animal storage. Mount shelves on the wall or use a freestanding bookcase. Place small to medium stuffed animals on the shelves, sorted by color, type of animal, or other categories.
This display style keeps them tidy and dust-free while showing off cute plushies.
For extra storage, install shelves above closet rods to hold more stuffed animals. Or get creative and use floating ledges, cube organizers, or wall-mounted ladder shelves. Having designated plushie shelves prevents clutter while enabling you to admire your collection.
Vacuum Storage Bags
Vacuum storage bags compress stuffed animals to minimize space. Simply place plush toys in the bag, attach a vacuum, and suck out the air. This shrinks stuffed animals to about half their normal size so you can efficiently pack away excess plushies.
Look for jumbo storage bags that hold multiple large stuffed animals. Vacuum compression allows fitting a lot more squishy friends in a smaller place! Store the stuffed bag in the closet or under the bed, then when you’re ready to play, cut open the bag and watch your plushies return to normal size.
Under Bed Storage
The area under beds offers useful hidden storage space for stuffed animals. Clear plastic underbed containers on wheels allow you to neatly organize plushies by type or color while keeping them accessible.
| Bin Length | Stuffed Animals Held |
| 18 gallon | About 18 regular size stuffed animals |
| 64 gallon | About 40-60 regular size stuffed animals |
For easy access, install full extension drawer slides under the bed mounted to the box. Just pull open the drawer to reveal your plushie cache! Underbed storage keeps stuffed animals out of sight but within reach when you want cuddle time.
Donating Stuffed Animals
Do you have a surplus of stuffed animals that are just collecting dust? Consider donating them to a good cause! There are many local and national organizations that accept stuffed animal donations to benefit children, animals, and international aid efforts.
Local Charities and Drives
Check if your community hosts stuffed animal drives. Many police and fire departments organize drives where they collect stuffed animals to give to children during emergencies. Schools and libraries also frequently host drives before the holidays to gather toys for less fortunate kids.
Women’s shelters, children’s hospitals, and foster care facilities also often accept plush toy donations to comfort vulnerable youth. Call your local organizations to see if they take stuffed animal contributions.
Children’s Hospitals
Donating to children’s hospitals is a thoughtful way to help sick kids feel comforted during stressful hospital stays. Many hospitals have wish lists of stuffed animals and other toys they need to help patients feel happier.
For example, Seattle Children’s Hospital accepts new stuffed animals for patients ages 0-18. When choosing animals to donate, opt for small to medium-sized plush toys without loose parts for safety.
Animal Shelters
Believe it or not, many animal shelters accept stuffed animal contributions! Shelters use plush toys to help ease anxious pets and make their enclosures more comfortable and home-like.
According to one animal welfare organization, shelters need a steady supply of stuffed toys since dogs often quickly destroy donated toys. When selecting stuffed animals for shelters, pick toys sized for dogs and cats that have minimal stuffing and squeakers.
International Charities
Several charitable organizations accept stuffed animal donations to support children in disaster areas or economically devastated nations. For instance, UNICEF, WorldVision, Samaritan’s Purse, and Compassion International distribute donated stuffed animals to brighten the lives of impoverished kids worldwide.
Carefully research any charity before donating to ensure they use ethical practices and donate gifts appropriately. When possible, opt for established, reputable organizations like the examples above.
As you can see, there are tons of great donation options for extra stuffed animals! With a little research, you can find worthy organizations that will cherish cute plush toys and bring joy to children facing daunting circumstances.
Selling Unwanted Stuffed Animals
Online Marketplaces
Selling stuffed animals through online marketplaces like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Etsy is a great way to find them new homes while making some extra cash. These sites have huge user bases and make selling incredibly easy.
Simply create listings with good descriptions and photos to attract interested buyers.
eBay and Etsy charge small listing and selling fees but offer exposure to millions of buyers. Facebook Marketplace has no fees and allows for local meetups to complete transactions. Consider bundling less desirable stuffed animals into lots to sell for a single price and move things quickly.
Consignment Shops
Kids consignment stores often have demand for popular stuffed animal brands like Squishmallows, Pokemon plushies, and Beanie Babies. The benefit of consigning versus selling online is that the stores handle photographs, pricing, listings, payments, and coordination with buyers for you in exchange for a cut of each sale price.
Stop by a few consignment shops in your area to get quotes. Make sure to ask about their split percentage, how discounts are applied over time, item condition standards, and duration items will remain listed.
It’s a passive way to gain exposure and sell stuffed animals patrons of those stores will get excited about.
Garage Sales
Garage and yard sales can be ideal for selling large lots of stuffed animals locally. This avoids having to ship heavy boxes and things like giant teddy bears. Display them with cute signs to grab attention, and offer deals like “$5 for one, $10 for three” to entice impulse purchases.
Getting the word out about your stuffed animal garage sale on Nextdoor, community Facebook pages, and with printed flyers around town can result in a constant stream of excited kids and nostalgic toy collectors dropping by.
Take advantage of those running sales in your neighborhood too by paying them to include your plushes.
Donate Profits
If you succeeded in earning some money from stuffed animal sales but don’t need the cash yourself, consider donating profits. Animal shelters, children’s hospitals, foster programs, and more have nonprofit status and always appreciate donations being made in their honor.
Sites like GoFundMe make raising and transferring funds easy. You could even buy brand new plushies or other toys with the earnings and donate those item directly to an organization supporting kids in need to spread some extra happiness.
Creative Ways to Repurpose Stuffed Animals
Decorative Accents
Stuffed animals can make charming decorative accents around your home. Place a few colorful plush toys on your couch or bed for a playful look. You can also display them on shelves, windowsills, side tables, or any flat surface. Group animals by color, style, or size for an eye-catching arrangement.
For a personalized wall decoration, attach stuffed animals to a canvas board or shadow box frame using strong adhesives. Create fun themed collages like a [jungle scene] with safari animals or under-the-sea creatures. Display your DIY plush art in a child’s room or play area.
Pet Toys
Repurpose old stuffed animals as toys for household pets like dogs and cats. Most plush toys have [safe, high-quality materials] suitable for pets. The stuffed critters will lovingly withstand endless games of fetch, chase, and snuggles.
Before giving a plush toy to your furry friend, double check that all parts are securely sewn and that there are no [detachable plastic eyes, ribbons, or strings] which could pose a choking hazard if chewed and swallowed. Supervise your pet when they play with stuffed animals.
Craft Supplies
Crafty folks can find lots of ways to incorporate old stuffed animals into handmade projects. For sewing, upcycle plush fabrics into items like pillows, bags, blankets, and clothing accents. The stuffing material also works well for [stuffing homemade plush toys or dolls].
You can also repurpose small plastic parts from plush toys. Detachable eyes, noses, and decorative elements can become embellishments for handmade cards, sculptures, wreaths, and more. With creativity and glue, the possibilities are endless!
DIY Projects
Give stuffed animals new life by transforming them into charming DIY projects. Turn a panda or teddy bear into a [cute draft stopper] for filling gaps beneath doors. Simply sew a weight into the backside before placing in front of your door.
You can also refashion plush toys into pillows, rag dolls, coin purses, pencil cases, or children’s backpacks with some sewing skills. Repaint or add fabric overlays to give old stuffed animals a modern facelift. Display your crafty stuffed animal creations around the home or gift them to friends.
Conclusion
With some time and effort, sorting through a stuffed animal surplus is very manageable. Store favorites properly, donate gently used plushies, sell some for extra cash, and repurpose others in fun, decorative ways.
Implement the handy solutions in this guide the next time your stuffed animal population exceeds reasonable limits! Both you and the plushies will breathe easier with everything tidy, organized and cherished.
