Kids off to School? Dads have to make choices…
So, you’ve got your first child off to kindergarten, and you’ve decided you don’t want a second yet, but you might later. What are you going to do with all the baby stuff?
Well, first you’ll have a load of stuff that was unsuitable, which you can just sell or give away. Donate It!
You might have some handed down family gear, like a crib or basinette, which will need to be cleaned and put into storage. Keep It!
You’ll also have some things that you’ve used so much they’ve worn out, like the stroller. Trash It!
Last though, you’ll have some items which you will need to replace if you have more kids. Replace It!
For us, this included the crib mattress (you should aways buy new, they don’t cost much), some clothing (girls don’t suit GI Joe Jammy’s) and the car seat.
The reasons for replacing our car seat were threefold. First, a better one became available. Second, the cloth seat cover got a bit mildewy in the attic. And lastly, safety belts only have one big stretch in them. If you’ve had a lot of use, or have the misfortune of an accident, the belts will be slack, and the buckle may have worn.
You’ll feel like me that every one of your children deserves the best you can give. But that doesn’t mean spending load of hard-earned cash on name brands. What you are looking for is quality, and cost per use.
Look for items on sale at the end of line, just because its last years stroller doesn’t mean its any different underneath. Quite often some of the major brands (of our stuff, it was Mama’s and Papa’s) just change the fabric pattern on the accessories, and the product underneath is the same for years.
Don’t forget you’ll need some black trash bags, some labels or tape you can write on, a permanent marker or two, oh and yes, some uninterupted time…
Take your time, one really good idea is to offer use of the bulky stuff to your friends with kids, with the understanding that it is a loan.
Good Luck !
fatherhood, storage ideas, clutter
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