Your friends and family probably made sure you would have everything you need when they threw your baby shower. Babies grow quickly, however, even to doubling their weight by the end of four months. That means you will have to buy new clothes and find new homes for the older items. Here’s a brief guide as to what to keep and what to give away, donate, or throw away as your baby moves from infancy to toddlerhood.
Crib
Safety standards for cribs changed in 2011, thanks to the CPSIA. Because of this, you should think carefully about keeping a crib made before then, even if it is a family heirloom. You should also not keep a crib with visible damage. On the other hand, if it was made after 2011 and is in good condition, keep it or contact a storage company like National Self Storage-Denver to store it for you. As long as the safety regulations are up to date, a durable and expensive piece of furniture like a crib will be something you’ll want again should you have another child.
Bouncer
A baby bouncer is a soft bassinet with a padded seat and a metal frame. It is designed for babies during their first few months, and different baby bouncers have different weight limits. It is time to put the baby bouncer in storage when your darling can sit up unassisted. While you may feel like it’s just as well to get rid of the bouncer when your baby is done, this is another item your next baby could use. As long as it’s kept in a clean, dry environment, your baby bouncer could last through several more kids yet if need be.
Car Seat
Whether or not you can keep or reuse a car seat depends on its condition and the stated expiration date. Most car seats last for five to nine years, so you can probably use the same car seat for a subsequent child. While you may be tempted to keep a sturdy-looking but expired car seat, these expirations are upheld for a reason. As research reveals new and better ways to keep children safe, new car seats are made to these new safety standards. Of course, if you’re going to have another baby within the next year or two, keeping ahold of this is a fair investment, but should be tossed after that.
Stroller
There are many different types of strollers, and you will probably go through two or three while raising your baby. The different strollers are designed for babies of different ages. For example, newborns can’t support their own heads. They thus need a stroller that will enable them to lie flat or nearly so. An older baby will need a stroller with a harness that will hold them securely. Not only do various strollers have different features, they also get a lot of wear and tear. You can mitigate this by getting a high quality, durable stroller that can be adjusted to accommodate different age needs. However, once your child is old enough to not need it anymore, there really is no use in hanging onto a battered and less modern stroller for the next baby.
Baby Clothes
It is often very tempting to hold onto old baby clothes because of their sentimental value: “His first bathing suit!” or “Her first raincoat!” Do that, and your house will soon be overflowing with baby clothes. Not only that, but clothes, stuffed animals, and other cloth-based baby items can collect and breed bacteria that eventually become resistant even to washing. As babies already have a compromised immune system, it’s best that you give them clean, new clothes where possible as they grow. If you’re on a tight budget, however, then incorporate the sniff test. If it smells like something other than laundry detergent directly after a wash, then it has bacteria in it that will require bleach or else should be disposed of.
Babies grow fast and thus go through a lot of clothes and gear, a lot of which can’t be reused for a subsequent child. While it’s often instinct for the modern mom to save what she can to avoid buying the same equipment over and over, the health and safety of the baby often necessitate otherwise. Be aware of what can be kept clean, what may be updated with new safety features, and how long something can hold up against continued wear when you decide what to keep for the next kid and what needs to go.
