How long do you wait?

[cristeen]

So the LO is outgrowing some of his dipes already... and we're taking the wait and see (what life has in store for us) approach as to whether we'll be having more. So how long do we keep these dipes before we either have another kid or sell them off?

[SeekingJoy]

I kind of depends. Helpful, huh?

Dipes without elastic (flats, contours, prefolds) will keep well under almost any conditions for a loooonnngg time. I used some my grandmother used in the early 60s and my mom used in the early 80s. These store compactly, and even though they are relatively inexpensive to replace I found it worth it keep mine between kids.

Anything with elastic (pockets, AIO, fitteds, etc) will keep in a temperture controlled environment for at least a few years, but any longer and I find they will lose their stretch.

[octobermom]

I kpet almost all my DD diapers as she outgrew them unless they were on there last leg anyways and some covers I sold off but then it was another 3 years before I successfully concieved again and we moved soo more got sold off removed, then we had a pregancy lost and more disppeared then loss number 2 and 3 and now with a 7 year gap and another move I was left with some newborn prefolds (used as doublers on my toddler) some large and XL covers and a few tiny tush one size soo I'm pretty much starting over again.

Deanna

[HeatherB]

I just packed up some diapers I've been saving that were my now 2-yo's. They're the NB and smalls, so it's been awhile! We're not pg yet and not planning to be in the immediate future, so they'll be waiting for a good bit. They are all in good shape now, not used for too long or handled to roughly, etc. But, the dipes I saved from my 2nd son to pass down to the third, for the most part, weren't in good shape. Of course, that's not true across the board and the 2yo is now using some dipes that were the 5yos, and they are just fine! It really depends on the dipe and what it went through *before* storage, I think.

So... I don't know what will happen with mine, but I'm hoping they'll still be okay in a year or two when we have another. I agree, though, that non-elastic dipes definitely hold up quite well!

[diana_of_the_dunes]

I didn't wait. My LO just "graduated" from x-small to small covers, and I put the x-smalls on ebay already. My rationale is that we won't be having another LO for at least 2 years (if at all), and by then there will probably be something better/different that we want to try. Plus, since we had to buy the next size up, the little bit of extra cash won't hurt! I do plan on keeping the prefolds, though.

[Ruthie's momma]

I didn't wait, either. I sold or donated all of DD's diapers and diapering supplies (just as I did/do with her clothing), as she outgrew them and became potty learned. I don't like the idea of having such necessities in storage when another family could use them. Plus, I may want to diaper my next LO with a different set up.