how long do you store baby stuff?

[happyhats]

I'm hoping to ttc sometime in the next year, but really it's still up in the air. My dd is a year and a half right now, so she's outgrown most of the "baby stuff". We are storing a walker, jumper, boppy, bouncer, and bouncer/rocking chair currently-plus a couple totes of clothes and misc. Her swing broke, and her crib isn't worth re using. Even though we didn't spend very much if I were to get pregnant right now it would be very hard to replace it all. Plus since I want to get a crib new, and hopefully pay for midwifery care, I won't have as much discrectionary "baby income". However, at the same time I feel like a hoarder. I really try not to store things I'm not sure I'll use again, and we did only buy things at yardsales, or get them as gifts. I've considered loaning things out to a co worker of the hubby's but I'm not for certain since they are just barely pregnant. If I we were to have an oopsie in the next few months they would still be using what we needed when we needed it. If we wait until closer to birth of their child, they may already have everything (and I wouldn't want them to wait to get things "just in case' from us either-that wouldn't be fair). So, long story short-how long did you decide to store things for your next little one? How much time do you think is ideal?

[Logan]

If you are planning more kids, personally I would keep it- especially if it would be hard to replace it again. If you lend it out it may all come back too worn, stained, and unusable. Im just starting to only keep the nicer stuff, I hate giving away perfectly usable clothes. But we have way too much.

[simonsmama]

Hubby and I aren't sure if we'll have anymore kids so we established a time limit on the baby stuff - 5 years. When the kid is 5 years old and we don't have a baby to pass the stuff onto, it goes onto someone else or to a second hand store.

If you definitely want more kids, I would impose a time limit. Like say, if you don't have a baby for 5 years, THEN get rid of the stuff. In the mean time, try to pare down to the things that you are keeping - do you really need 5 kinds of teething rings, or that toy they never even touched? Once you have the minimum things you are keeping, get a plastic tub, and put them in there, and hide them away until the next baby is born (or until it's time to get rid of them).

[chely7425]

We are keeping all our baby stuff till we are done... not sure when that will be but we are currently pregnant with #3. My logic is that we got EVERYTHING as gifts when we were pregnant the first time... our families were amazing and we didn't have to buy a thing until he outgrew 12 month clothes so to me giving it away or donating it would be insane because then we would have to replace it all. I like the PP idea of a time limit, that seems like an awesome plan.

[LaughingHyena]

I like the idea of a time limit. Sounds like it would work well for those (like me) who are not sure if we are having more little ones.

I've also imposed (upon myself) a space limit. I have one large box of clothes, bedding etc which I know I would miss/find hard to replace. I've also saved the larger equipment (pram, moses basket etc) which I really liked and used. Anything we didn't use has been given away.

After my first I saved everything, then the second was a boy so it a lot of what we had was not reused. They were also born at different times of year and very different sizes so again even gender neutral stuff didn't get as much use as I would have liked.

As for lending stuff out, I have lent things to my sister and will be doing the same with my other sister. I will not lend anything sentimental or that I will not be able to replace if I need to and I labelled everything I lent with my initials on the tags. It worked well for those things which are really only used for a few weeks (tiny clothes, nappies, Moses basket). Once they were wearing things for longer I think the extra wear would be noticeable, though our kids were caught up in sizes by a year so we don't tend to lend any more.

[judybean]

Keep only things you used and loved -- not just things you "might want next time around"... And, only keep things if they are in a condition you don't think you'd find again (since you mention you got things used... if that's the case, you *could* probably find all those items again next time around!).

If you lend stuff, make sure it's something you wouldn't be heartbroken to not get back... even with the best of intentions, sometimes things will happen and the item will break or be unusable again.

For us, I do save clothes.. but I do have four girls now, so it's worked out well. I only keep one plastic bin of each size. If it doesn't fit, we get rid of enough items until they fit.

I think the time limit is an excellent idea too!

[noobmom]

I'd keep the stuff if I definitely knew I wanted another kid in the next couple of years. We're never going to try for another one, so I'm starting to get rid of stuff even though #2 is only 2 months old. It's just too much stuff to store otherwise.

[crunchy_mommy]

If you have storage space (attic or basement), I'd keep everything until you decide either way if you're having more kids. Well... let me rephrase that. Keep everything that you'll realistically use with the next kid. There are some things (stained clothes, extra booster seat you never used, etc.) that you may want to just donate/selll/etc. I'm guilty of that actually -- keeping things we never even used with DS 'in case we need it for the next kid' & I've been meaning to go through & get rid of those things!

We are definitely having more kids and can't afford to replace things (although they were yard sale finds, freecyles, etc. but it was a lot of effot to get everything!) so we're keeping all that stuff.

For your pregnant friend, you could pass on those things you don't think you'd use again, or offer to keep an eye out for thrift shop finds etc. if you think they need the help!