UGH! We have SO MUCH STUFF! (snarky)

[maisiedotes]

We started off with nothing at all for this baby. We had a bag full of boy clothes and that is all. We now are so overwhelmed with stuff. 4 bedding sets for the crib. 3 for the basinette. 3 pack-and-plays, 3 bouncy seats, 2 moses baskets, more receiving blankets than I can count, about 2 dozen handmade blankies.... not to mention a gigantic bag of socks, onesies, bibs, etc. I don't even know where to start. I sorted things out as we got them (80% are hand-me-downs) but I have to go through them all again because EGAD- we just got another dozen receiving blankets. And 4 more snowsuits. :

I now have storage bins, all nicely labelled, which is a HUGE feat for me because I am incredibly disorganized. We have:
3-6 month
6-9 month
9-12 month
other, larger sizes
crib sheets, basinette sheets, pack-and-play sheets, etc
slings, baby bjorns, diaper bags
bedding sets
receiving blankets
things we will never use but I am afraid to get rid of because they are handmade
Then there is all the stuff in the bureau and the changing table...:
aargh! I appreciate everything we have gotten but man oh man. I am innundated!

[chrysalis]

dittos.

[Isaac'sMa]

Better to be over prepared than underprepared. Just pass it along when you figure out what you need and what you don't!

[renaissanceed]

ah yes, I remember inheriting 10 large totes full of baby clothes from DH's boss who had twins. When I sorted thru it to organize it, DH had to take a picture cause he said it looked like a sweat shop.

We also got loaned a ton of other stuff like blankets, bouncy seat, bassinette, crib, exersaucer, jolly jumper, high chair, cups and forks and plates and bowls and spoons, etc etc and then had to return it just before this baby arrived because the couple we borrowed it from got pregnant again! It was then that I discovered that I had no blankets of my own (well, maybe 2). Fortunately we don't need the crib or bassinette, although something to lie down baby besides the couch would be nice eventually.

At least you've gotten it organized before baby arrives - that's half the battle. The other half is remembering to use the stuff you have.

[LittleLlama]

FWIW, you can NEVER have too many recieving blankets.

With DS, our stuff supply was meager at best but even then there were things that he just never wore.

[Ackray]

Sell the extra stuff! You'll feel better if you can declutter a little bit.

[GinaRae]

A friend of mine got SO many boxes of clothes but she's not even really going thru them. She grabs 4 outfits from the box when he gets bigger and cycles thru those over and over. I am too anal retentive for that! I would be sorting and washing and that baby would be wearing EVERY STINKING THING.

I had tgons of clothes for all my kids and because we're starting over with this one and don't know the gender, I have the bare minimum. But still have more and expect to use more than something like 4 outfits. I lurrrve baby clothes!

All those sets and equipment though. OMG, where are you keeping it all?! I have a cradle and one papasan chair (like the bouncy seats). Period. I feel deprived. LOL! I hope you don't have to give it all back?? If you do, put some masking tape on the back with their name on it so you don't have to try to remember!

[De-lovely]

I am sure any of the families in need on the holiday helper thread would love to use any of it........the link is in my siggy.

[joannalovesyou]

charity?

tis the season.

[maisiedotes]

Originally Posted by De-lovely

I am sure any of the families in need on the holiday helper thread would love to use any of it........the link is in my siggy.

I will definitely look into that! Thanks for suggesting it!

GinaRae, luckily I don't have to give anything back. Woohoo! For now, my mom is taking one basinette and a bouncy seat to her house, my MIL has one pack-and-play at her house, we have some clothes upstairs and some downstairs... one moses basket has stuffed animals in it and one is for baby. I have bags and boxes of stuff in storage for now because I want to double check on the 68 thousand handmade afghans that were crochetted in 1978... I don't want to give away any heirlooms even if they are purple, orange, and brown.

We have a tiny 2-bedroom house, but since we heat with wood as much as possible we are going to be staying down on the main floor with the baby so some of the stuff will be in our bedroom. We will have the infant crib down here and the other basinette upstairs and only the essential "use daily" stuff will be down here, along with the changing table.

It will be good once she arrives and we can see what is not going to work for us. :

[sorteep]

is anything new that you can return for store credit, or do you know anyone local who you can give some of the (non handmade) surpluss to? (that's what i did..) I am glad you are stocked up tho!

[maisiedotes]

Originally Posted by sorteep

is anything new that you can return for store credit, or do you know anyone local who you can give some of the (non handmade) surpluss to? (that's what i did..) I am glad you are stocked up tho!

Well, lucky for me my cousin is due in Feb so I will be shipping stuff to her! Her sister's youngest is 10 so that stuff is long gone. Also my MIL's neighbor works for social services and alot of her cases have pregnant mothers with not alot of stuff so I am giving them some too.

[GinaRae]

Originally Posted by maisiedotes

Also my MIL's neighbor works for social services and alot of her cases have pregnant mothers with not alot of stuff so I am giving them some too.

Great idea - they may have a women's shelter nearby too. And of course, MDC mamas in need. I wish so badly that I could do that! I used to give everything away on Freecycle and I would have shipped it to MDC mamas if I had been here. Now it's all about what I can sell for a few bucks. Grrr....

[maisiedotes]

Originally Posted by GinaRae

Great idea - they may have a women's shelter nearby too. And of course, MDC mamas in need. I wish so badly that I could do that! I used to give everything away on Freecycle and I would have shipped it to MDC mamas if I had been here. Now it's all about what I can sell for a few bucks. Grrr....

I wish I had the money to ship everything to MDC mamas. But SOMEBODY doesn't have paid maternity leave (that would be me) so we are pinching every penny right now. I am going to see who needs what and ship the small stuff that is not too expensive to mail, and everything else will have to be given to someone local (there are some maine mamas on the families list) or given to MIL's neighbor. Why can't I just hit the lottery?????