How to Declutter with Kids: The Yes, No, Maybe Method
The Yes, No, Maybe method gives kids three simple questions for every item: keep it, pass it on to someone who’ll use it, or let it go. This post was written by Andrea, one of our older children, in 2017, and their part comes first. After that, we’ve added a step-by-step for parents, with a printable checklist and scripts for what to say.
Yes, No, Maybe? That’s the question that we always ask when purging with The Little Minimalists.
It is a very simple and easy way to get rid of a lot of stuff with kids.
We use Yes, No, Maybe for everything that we go through when minimalizing. It is an easy concept for younger kids to grasp, so that they can go through the minimalist process too.
How to Declutter with a 2-Year-Old
My youngest brother is two, and he likes to try to be a part of EVERYTHING. (He is two, by the way. I have to remind myself of that now and then.) So he likes to “help” get rid of the things that we don’t need anymore, like carrying things to the dustbin, or putting a few good toys that we are not getting rid of away in its bin. But he has gotten bored of that now. (He is very smart, by the way. And I’m not just saying that because he’s my brother. He really is very smart.) He wants to do what “the big people” are doing.
So we adopted the Yes, No, Maybe style, and it is fantastic!
How to Declutter My Own Stuff
I find that it helps me as well when going through my own things. Before, I asked myself if an item was rubbish or not, and I kept things that I didn’t really need or want. I was keeping them just so that they didn’t get thrown out. But now that we have adopted the Yes, No, Maybe way of doing things, I look at the same items in a new light.
I now ask myself these questions:
Yes: Does this item add value to my life? If so, then I can keep it. But if not, then:
Maybe: This item may not bring value to my life, but it may for someone else.
And
No: This item doesn’t add value to anyone’s life in my house. At this point, if it is still a good item, we can give it away or maybe sell it.
How to use Yes, No, Maybe with your kids (a step-by-step for parents)
From here on, it’s us, the parents. Yes, No, Maybe works because kids only have to answer one question at a time, and nothing feels thrown away. The Maybe pile isn’t a cop-out. In our family it means “not for me, but maybe for someone else,” which takes the sting out of letting go.
It fits into our bigger guide to minimalism with kids.
Step by step
- Pick one category and a time limit. Toys, books, or stuffed animals, not “your whole room.” About 15–20 minutes for kids under 6, 30–45 minutes for older kids.
- Set up three baskets. Label them Yes, Maybe and No. For kids who can’t read yet, use a smiley face, a question mark and a heart-with-a-wave (bye!), or three colors.
- Do a quick pre-sort yourself. Take out broken toys, dried-up markers and trash first, so your child spends their decision energy on real choices.
- Hand little kids one item at a time. Older kids can work through a pile on their own while you sort something nearby.
- Ask the three questions in kid words. “Do you love it or use it?” (Yes). “Could someone else in our family like it better?” (Maybe). “Is it time for it to go to a new kid?” (No).
- Respect their answers, with a few limits. You can keep the essentials (the winter coat stays) and safety items. Otherwise, let their choices stand, or they’ll stop trusting the process.
- Sort the Maybe pile the same day. See below.
- Get the No pile out of the house. Let kids help drop it at the donation center or hand it to a friend. Seeing where things go makes it easier next time.
- Put the Yes items back in a home. Everything kept gets a bin or shelf spot. If it doesn’t fit, do one more round.
Watch it in action
Here’s Andrea sorting a box of old frames and knick-knacks with Yes, No, Maybe. One line from this video is worth remembering: just because something goes in the No pile doesn’t mean it gets thrown out. Our No pile from that box was headed off to be sold.
What to say: scripts by age
Ages 2–4: Keep it to choices. “Which one stays on the shelf, the truck or the bus?” “Can you carry this to the donate basket?” Little ones love a job. That’s exactly how our little one started.
Ages 5–8: “We’re making room so you can find your favorites. You decide what’s a Yes.” If they hesitate: “Put it in Maybe. We’ll see if a brother or sister wants it.”
Ages 9–12: Hand over more control. “Here’s your shelf. Whatever fits is yours to keep. What’s worth the space?” Ask, “When did you last play with this?” rather than “You never play with this.”
When they want to keep everything: “That’s OK. Pick your top 10 first, then we’ll look at the rest together.” Starting with favorites feels like winning, not losing.
What to do with the Maybe pile
The Maybe pile is where decluttering with kids usually stalls. Give it a clear path:
- Offer it to the family first. Siblings, cousins, a friend’s younger child. If someone claims it, it moves to their space right away.
- Box up whatever’s left. Tape it shut and write the date on it, one month from today.
- Store it out of sight. Garage, closet shelf or under a bed.
- Check the date, not the contents. If nobody asked for anything in the box within the month, donate it without reopening. If your child asked for something, give it back. That item was a Yes all along.
- Keep special items separate. Truly sentimental things (a first stuffed animal, a gift from a grandparent) can go in a small memory box instead.
Toys that were a Yes but aren’t needed every day can go into rotation. Our toy rotation guide explains how.
Printable Yes, No, Maybe checklist
- ☐ Choose one category and set a timer
- ☐ Set up three labeled baskets: Yes, Maybe, No
- ☐ Pre-sort trash and broken items yourself
- ☐ Sort each item with the three questions
- ☐ Offer the Maybe pile to siblings and family
- ☐ Box and date the rest of the Maybe pile (one month)
- ☐ Take the No pile to the donation center, sell it, or pass it on
- ☐ Recycle or trash what’s broken
- ☐ Give every Yes item a home
- ☐ Celebrate: build a fort, go to the park, enjoy the space
For a full walk-through of sorting toys (what to keep, before and after Christmas, and where toys can go), see how to declutter toys.
Want to see where minimalism took our family? Read about our Big Adventure, when we moved out of our house and into an RV. And if you’d like to see more of The Little Minimalists’ YouTube videos, subscribe here.
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