I recently got rid of a large amount of baby clothes and items—it's something I should have done a long time ago since my kids have not been babies for a very long time! I held on to their things for so long because they were cute and tiny and maybe someday (I thought) I may want to dig them up and go through them to reminisce. But then one day while walking by those bags of "stuff" that were sitting there taking up space, something changed. I was ready to get rid of them. It was time. The sentimentality was gone, I was ready to let it all go. (well, maybe not all...I did keep a few special things!)
Simply putting it out on the curb was definitely not an option, so I took the time to separate everything based on what I was going to do with them. Here are some ideas for how you can get rid of your baby stuff (when you too are ready to let go!)
For things that have been gently used and still have some mileage left in them, if there is even a chance of having another baby, keep your stuff to use as hand-me-downs for your future children! The amount of money you will save will be significant. If you are definitely out of baby-making mode, then hand them down to nieces, nephews, babies of friends, or neighbours. Anyone who will take and use them.
Organize a swap date with friends who have children of different ages. By trading items and clothes, you and your friends will walk away with things that will be able to be used now or in the near future.
Consignment stores take in your gently used baby and children's clothing and when the items are sold, they share the profit with you! You can also buy items from the store at a fraction of the cost of buying brand new.
Freecycling is a way to get rid of unneeded things by giving them away to someone in your city who is looking for what you no longer need. You simply post your item to a board on your local freecycle website with the details and if someone is interested in what you have, then you arrange pickup or delivery.
Enter your city in the search box on freecycle.org and you will find a board that you can submit things to and also find things up for grabs.
Donating is usually my go-to. There are so many organizations who are in need of baby items and clothing. Think of women's shelters, your local birthright organization, thrift stores, or even charities who take clothing.
So what about those baby items that are just not worthy of being used again like old soothers, toys, ripped clothing, stained bibs, cups, bottles etc. Many of these things cannot simply be thrown into your blue bin, so you will be happy to know that you are not stuck throwing them in the trash, you can have them recycled by TerraCycle.
I've written before about all the unique things TerraCycle is doing to help us upcycle and recycle trash (things like used Tassimo pods, chocolate bar wrappers, coffee bags and other things you probably never though could be re-purposed!).
Their latest solution (which is currently being tested out to see how people respond to them) is called the Baby Care Zero Waste Box and here is how it works:
1. You purchase the box from a Staples store.
2. Gather all of the baby items in your home that cannot be given away and fill the box up.
3. The cost of shipping and recycling is included in the purchase price of the box. When it's filled, UPS will pick it up from your home and ship it off to TerraCycle who will then take the items and recycle them. Simple as that!
Getting rid of your baby items isn't always easy, especially for those who are sentimental like me, *sniff*. but knowing that you are helping others in the process or recycling them and not filling a landfill is a great way to feel better about it.
Looking for more ways to get rid of unwanted items? Read how you can have your old car tires upcycled for free and here's how you can have your coffee pods, juice pouches, coffee bags and more upcycled.
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