TikTok Told Me I’m Raising a “Trinket Daughter,” and I’ve Never Felt So Seen

I didn’t discover the term “trinket daughter” on TikTok; I discovered it on my floors, in my couch, and in my kids’ bedrooms. So when I came across social videos featuring the phrase “trinket daughter,” I immediately felt seen. The trending term refers to a young girl who collects lots of little things: hair accessories, erasers, jewelry, fidget toys, plastic ducks, gemstones, figurines, and other tiny objects with big meaning.

Of course, sons can be trinket collectors, too, but as a mom of boy/girl twins, I can see why “trinket daughter” is the trending term. There simply seem to be more of these pocket-sized collectibles made for and marketed toward girls. And if my own 7-year-olds and their classmates are any indication, trinket trading is a huge hit among young girls.

I won’t lie: Trinkets can be a source of frustration in my home. They spill out of drawers and take up space on my daughter’s nightstand, and they’re nearly impossible to organize, especially since the collection is ever-evolving. Accepting (and even embracing) the trinkets can be a process. 

In one “trinket daughter” video on TikTok, a parent asks, “Who else is raising a trinket daughter?” while showing her own child’s collection of tiny items. One commenter shares, “I’ve been so overwhelmed with all her little trinkets & critters. So much that I’ve been wanting to toss them out & declutter. But this made me see this from another perspective. How lucky am I to be able to provide for her, and how privileged am I to be able to witness this stage of hers. The clutter means nothing anymore; her happiness & childhood mean everything to me. May she be into little trinkets forever.” Cue the tears! The trinket phase is fleeting. And while I still sigh every time my kids bring home goodie bags full of small objects after a birthday party, I’m learning to live with them.

My motto? “If you can’t categorize it, contain it.” And so I’ve created a few “organization-light” systems in my home, like labeling the bins on this storage piece so my kids know where their things belong. Our kitchen, though generally tidy, definitely has a junk drawer — and about 90% of the objects are our daughter’s trinkets. As long as they’re out of sight, I’m okay with the collection being imperfectly organized. 

Most importantly, I try to view the trinkets as a tool to teach my children to take responsibility for their things: To show them how to put systems in place and stick to them, and to take care of the things they deem important. Because to the rest of the world, trinkets may look like random junk, but to trinket children, they’re treasures.