Over the last few months, we accumulated a large pile of toys and clothes to donate to charity. There was one pile in the upstairs hallway and another pile downstairs near the door to the garage, and nothing happened to either one because I never crossed “itemize donation items” off my to-do list.

The pile is gone now, but I never did get around to itemizing all of those toys and clothes. Instead, one day, I just decided that the tax deduction wasn’t worth the stress and clutter that all of the items created. With all of the recent recalls, I’d heard that many charities weren’t taking kid-related items. So I called Goodwill and was told they’d accept the toys, but not the stroller that I also wanted to get rid of. I called the Salvation Army and was delighted when the manager said they’d take everything.

That Saturday morning, we loaded up the car. And I mean, loaded. The trunk was packed so full, it just barely closed. And I had to stuff a box and two bags in the back seat, beneath my sons’ feet.

I expected a bigger sense of relief from having all of those things gone, but I guess the sight of toys strewn all over the living room floor canceled it out. And yet, I still think it was worth foregoing the tax deduction – because, as a working mother of two young boys, I find myself with more demands on my time than ever.

How do you balance the demands on your time?

Find more articles like this at Chief Family Officer, where Cathy writes about family finances, cooking, and parenting.