Decluttering hand made gifts

[ltlmrs]

How do you decide what to keep and what not to keep? When Ladybug was born we got a bunch of hand made things from dear friends and relatives, the sort of people we really don't want to offend. We had a rule from the beginning about no electronic toys and several people took us seriously enough to thoughtfully make blankets, stuffed animals, etc. I'm very grateful for the fact that they respected our wishes and I feel so disrespectful and uncharitable for wanting to be rid of gifts that the giver did their best with being thoughtful.

But, not everything hand made is very well made, kwim? And I don't really like dealing with all the stuffed animals, baby doll quilts, etc that always get taken out at the same time but don't get played with.

What to do?

[Juvysen]

Donate or give to someone you know. That's what I'd do...

[SuzyLee]

I have the same dilemma... My sister knitted a lovely baby blanket for DS. He could care less about it. And it isn't practical for everyday use... what to do?

Ultimately I think I will just pack them away for awhile and get rid of them in 5 years.

[Gray's Mommy]

Keep the very best made items & part with the rest. Maybe some can be passed along to a Grandmother's home or a local childcare facility??

[clutterwarrior]

I think it depends on the item.

Stuffed toys for example, if you are not planning on having more children, you could pass on to a women's refuge or children's hospital and if they ever ask where they are, you have a good place to say that they went to!

Something like a blanket knitted by a sister is a tough one, personally I would want to hold onto that, and it can be kept in camphor chest to stop moths getting to it. It would be a lovely thing for a son to one day bring out and use for his own baby boy if he has one.

[ltlmrs]

Originally Posted by clutterwarrior

Something like a blanket knitted by a sister is a tough one, personally I would want to hold onto that, and it can be kept in camphor chest to stop moths getting to it. It would be a lovely thing for a son to one day bring out and use for his own baby boy if he has one.

I have no problem keeping the nice items. For example, one of my good girlfriends knitted Ladybug a beautiful baby blanket out of very high quality yarn. Well, Ladybug plays with it daily and uses it with all her dolls. But, another girlfriend, with whom I'm even closer, sewed a quilt. Well, it's not very pretty or well made (uneven seams, etc) because it was made mostly with her little sister's "help." I actually don't mind keeping this particular quilt and using it in the doll bed - because I love my friend dearly and think it is so sweet that in the middle of preparing for her own wedding she and her baby sister made it - but I have at least a dozen items like that and no clue what to do with ALL of them.

Her one grandmother's house is used as a depository for all the loud electronic toys that Ladybug gets. This way, we can still honestly say that she plays with them, but we don't have them at home, kwim? I think anything homemade would just get thrown away at this particular grandmother's house.

I think I'm just going to keep them. Maybe I can find creative uses for them even if they don't get played with...

[Mirta]

If you or your child don't care for the item, take a picture of your child with the item (for memory sake) and then pass it on, donate it, let it bless someone else, for whom it may mean the world!

Kym

[OkiMom]

I keep the REALLY well made items (I have a velveteen rabbit quilt a friend made for DD1, the girls still love it and its holding up against all the abuse!) or the stuff thats kind of sentimental (like the blanket a friend crochet for the girls for their baby's blessings) and get rid of the rest.
As for what I do with it, some of the items aren't holding up at all (a few people used glue instead of sewing the edges, others the fabric isn't holding against repeated washes etc) those get trashed. If its nice but not something I want to keep I either find someone who would want it, give it to a shelter or donate to a thrift store.