hanging onto baby stuff..

[guineagents]

Sounds crazy cos am moving house in 2 months and trying to sort out cellar etc. Have lots of baby stuff, DS pram, highchair, baby clothes etc. I have bit the bullet and got rid of the cot, am dumping the high chair, but am less keen to throw other stuff.. the clothes, his baby toys, the 3 wheeler buggy.. just in case?

Why cant i get rid of this stuff when i thought my mind was made up?I have a good mate who only ever wants one. She thinks im crazy hanging on to this stuff! V confusing..

Did others just bite the bullet and chuck stuff?

[MindySimmons]

Don't chuck it...get it on ebay! I've only kept some clothes for a baby box. If you change your mind - get back on ebay! Sorry if I'm being a little dismissive but my thoughts on this is I'm pretty sure it's one for us and should things changed, I now know you can get some great stuff on ebay and alike.

It may even make you feel better about your decision and help you move on from it.

[CosmicMum27]

I have one of my DS favourite toy from when he was a baby, and that's it. No clothes etc.

I can't actually remember how, where or whom I gave his pram, cot etc to, and it never even crossed my mind that I should keep them. Although I have been sure I only ever wanted one child, since the age of about 13!

10 years later, and my decision to have just one child leaves me with absolutely no regrets. Just contentment and joy at raising such a wonderful child

If you're having doubts, maybe you should hang onto them a few years longer, then re-evaluate your thoughts then.

[UniS]

bite the bullet, get rid before you move. else it will just cost you money to move and then spend next xxxx years in a new loft and then get chucked as its no use to any one at that point.
Get rid now while someone else will want it.

I've kept one or two tiny T-shirts for sentimental keepsakes, every thing else has gone to new homes.

[UniS]

bite the bullet, get rid before you move. else it will just cost you money to move and then spend next xxxx years in a new loft and then get chucked as its no use to any one at that point.
Get rid now while someone else will want it.

I've kept one or two tiny T-shirts for sentimental keepsakes, every thing else has gone to new homes.

[feedthegoat]

I moved all baby stuff with us from one house to another.

My problem though is that the one child decision has been made by dh and not me.

Although realistically I know we will not have any more, I'm finding it really hard to actually make the final move and get rid of things. I am mentally trying to gear myself up to do it this year as I would love to buy a wii for christmas and there isn't much chance of doing so without raising some extra cash. But to be honest the thought of doing so makes me feel really .

If I was happy with the decision though I'm sure I'd have no qualms about getting hold of some extra money!

[guineagents]

feedthegoat- that's how I feel. Im gonna try and get rid by the end of the year, but im finding it really really hard. Just seems crazy as if we did have another child nexty year, id have to buy all stuff again- even thought I know we probably won't if you see what i mean!

[kreecherlivesupstairs]

You really need to make your mind up. As soon as DD outgrew something it was donated, we have enough stuff in our flat without keeping more. The only thing I've got of her baby stuff is her first shoes. They cost me so much money I am determined to find a use for them.

[guineagents]

think thats the whole point- I cant just make up my mind and I cant get rid!

Think thats telling me something whether I want to admit it to myslef or not

[BertieBotts]

You can always buy more stuff, if you are ever in the position of having another baby. I was hanging onto my maternity clothes and nearly all of DS' clothes, and then I realised that if I ever do have another baby it's going to be years in the future, and a) I don't need this stuff hanging around taking up space, and b) by the time it's needed again it's going to look really dated and be useless! and c) I will have an excuse to go shopping again

There's a saying which is something like pass on what you no longer need, and the universe will provide when you do.

I found it helped to pass things on to people I know, so I at least occasionally get to see the things in use and know that they went to someone who actually liked them.

[RobynLou]

my mum had 3 but when she was done kept LOADS of stuff, it sat in the loft for 20ish years and now my dd has the most amazing array of lovely handknitted jumpers (my grandmother woud've been made up to know her great granddaughter would be wearing them) and hand sewn dresses, she uses my old highchair when we're there, has worn some 2nd generation terry nappies, and my mum is def the grandparent with the best toy selection!

if you've got room keep it!

[nouveaupauvre]

i'm struggling with this but for different reasons -after years of trying and failing to get pregnant again am now trying to accept that ds will be an only. so i know i really should throw out all the baby stuff because it's only a reminder of the other child we can't have, but can't quite bring myself to. i do think that not letting go of the stuff is often as not about not letting go of the idea of a baby.
my eventual compromise has been to lend stuff to people i know who have babies - that way if a miracle happened the stuff could always come back, and if it doesn't at least it's cluttering up someone else's loft...

[Acinonyx]

I've kept a box of baby stuff with the thought of giving it to dd one day if she has her own baby - or maybe I will just sit and fondle it wistfully when I am a demented old lady...

I am one who tends to hoard stuff. With sentimental stuff, I find that I keep a lot (too much) for a while - then a time comes when I am ready to start whittling the pile down.

[ASmallBunchofFlowers]

Acinonyx - I have done exactly the same. No doubt by the time dd has a baby (especially if she's a geriatric mother like me) the stuff will be so outmoded that she won't want it. I tell her that I shall sit and weep over it when I'm old and gaga. So some time next week then.

[Acinonyx]

I'm definitley going down the other side of the hill of life myself

[ASmallBunchofFlowers]

Me, I'm in the valley at the bottom of the hill.

[Orissiah]

I kept all the treasured pieces like the first toy DD ever gripped properly (her rattle), the first book she ever held and opened (her Fuzzy Bee soft book) and special clothing from each era eg first baby gro, first Xmas dress, first pair of jeans, pair of shoes. Chucked/gave away all the rest. No regrets as I've kept the special stuff. I hate clutter and I am not a hoarder, so I admit it was easy.

[Acinonyx]

Ah, smallbunch, soon we will be sitting in our rocking chairs, sipping gin and weeping over their baby gros.....

[ASmallBunchofFlowers]

[shelscrape]

We had to get rid of our baby stuff recently as we have moved abroad. Some went to the local NCT sale, the rest went to the salvation army. I kept a few bits and bobs - first shoes, first babygro worn at hospital and first christmas outfit. Although I knew there would be no more children, I had dealt with that issue on a practical level about 3 years ago, I cried my eyes out when packing all the baby stuff up. It made me deal with it all on an emotional level at long last. Was hard, but glad it all went to places where it was needed and will be used.

[domesticslattern]

I've found two ways to rationalise getting rid of stuff.
Firstly, even if you change your mind and have another, there's only a 50% chance that they'll be the same gender and need the same pink babygro/ blue hat ( or whatever!).
And secondly, isn't it lovely to think of a warm little baby dressed in those clothes, laughing at that book etc and how much nicer it is that someone is getting pleasure from those things right now rather than the things being wasted in storage. I found it so much easier when I concentrated on how things were going to a "good home" where they would bring happiness.
I feel your pain though.