To not want the baby clothes?

[otterliegorgeous]

A neighbour has bagged up three bin bags of baby clothes for our imminent arrival.

The problem is, we are very limited on space. It’s a very small two bedroom property with a small lounge and kitchen, bathroom and one normal size bedroom and one tiny one. The small bedroom fits a single bed and chest of drawers.

Also, I don’t like the clothes. We don’t know if we are having a boy or a girl but we’ve been given clothes for both, and this doesn’t matter but they just aren’t really what I would choose. I don’t really want the house filled with clothes they might wear at 6 months, we have babygros .

Would it be really rude to return them?

Yes, it's not as if snowsuits are some sort of compulsory item that baby can't possibly be kept warm without.

*Where are you going to put the prom high chair baby chair baby bath cot etc

We haven't got to toys yet! Kids take over*

We have a house of similar size to OP's by the sounds of it, you just find a way. The high chair folds down so lives in the kitchen when not in use, they do foldable baby baths now, we have one, it's great and takes up next to no room. The toys we keep in plastic crates and on a set of shelves and regularly switch out for ones we've stashed away. The big pram was a pain but it mostly lived in the car and when we switched to an umbrella fold buggy it was small enough to go in the foot of the stairs. Underbed storage boxes, vacuum bags and ingenuity solve a lot of the issues not a lot of space present. It's completely doable.

It's going to be fine OP. Don't let people scare you. You will find a way.

I cannot believe the pasting you've had OP. Seriously bonkers responses on here.

Is there anyone who has posted here who would seriously just dump three bin bags of clothes of assorted sizes on someone's doorstep with a note? That is exceptionally rude, unless it's been agreed in advance.

I also didn't know which sex baby I was having either time and I had someone try to do this with me, bin bags of boys clothes and just as we were about to move. Her motivation was a clear out, she said as much, can I bring them round . I said no thanks, sorry. At least she was transparent.

Is there any reason she got the idea you'd want them,OP? If you did agree but changed your mind once u saw it I would have said suck it up.

Let us know what happens next...,

Op sorry you're getting hard time. For what it's worth I rarely accepted offers of second hand clothes for my kids because after the first couple of times I found there was very little wear got out of most of it due to having plenty of stuff already myself and items not been suitable for time of year/gender.

As for having a puker and not having enough clothes or leave the house. People need to get a grip. There is such a thing as washing machines and tumble dryers and as you said on line shopping and nearby shops.
Funnily enough I was 10 miles away from nearest shops, had no car while dh was working and no internet shopping then and I was never stuck for clothes.
Sorry you're going through a rough time, hope it all goes really well for you.

Your DH was not rude OP. You found clothes on your doorstep which you didn't want so he returned them. Seems fine to me.

Was there no note when they were delivered? If there was, and they were handed straight back with no note saying thanks but no thanks, that is really staggeringly rude of your DH. Sure, she should have asked first, but she presumably thought it was a kind gesture! If there was no note, thats different, but then how did you know where they came from?

Lone, just because they exist doesn't mean someone owns them! I had no tumble dryer because, um, I had no room for one... So it is entirely possible to have a sicky small baby and struggle with the washing. Fine if op is ok with that, not ok to tell others to get a grip for finding such things difficult.

Well she "presumed" wrong then. She absolutely should have checked before leaving that sort of volume of clothing. Madness.

The only thing I would question here is whether we have the full back story. It's such a crazy thing to do without warning/ agreement it would be a welcome gesture.

I can totally imagine being 8 mo pregnant, a non driver, living in a small flat and being driven irrationally crazy by this act, even if I were normally polite to a fault. I don't think it was impolite to return- the giver should definitely have checked- but we should give the OP the benefit if the doubt really.

Frogsoup, I didn't have a tumble drier with my first child 20 years ago. Baby clothes are tiny and dry easily indoors. Lots of baby grows and vests are really all a new born needs.

Why are some players so obsessed with the loft? I live in a three bedroom house and don't have a loft...maybe the op doesn't either!

You just say thank you but I can't accept them. Simple. You will get loads if your own clothes and trust me you won't need them. If you accept you will be accepting forever

Players=posters, obv

Leave them on their doorstep with a note saying thanks but we already have loads of stuff and have run out of room!
Why do people think we should be so grateful for something we haven't asked someone to do??

Lonesoup agree with you. Multi packs of babygrows and vests don't cost much. Friends and relatives often buy little outfits, especially for the first baby. Then coat/snowsuit and hat and gloves for a winter baby is all they need.
That's pretty much all my babies had, and we never ran out of dry clean clothes.
Incidentally I did wash and sort some of my baby clothes and pass them on, to people who actually needed them and asked for them. Wouldn't have dreamt of just leaving them on someone's doorstep.

I'm with you OP. When I was pregnant I got several bin bags of clothes from people I didn't know well at all. Sorted all through them, 2 and 3 quarter bin bag went straight to the charity shop (not my taste and/or sick stains on it!). A couple of items I kept but felt a bit meh about.

My DD never wore any of those items! I got so many gifts of clothes that the ones that I kept were just overlooked.

I live in a smallish flat without a loft and I just do not want things that I do not like! I have one of those IKEA Kallax units in DDs room and in one of the boxes I keep clothes she is yet to grow into. So that's maybe half a bin bag worth of space? All the 3-6 month items fitted in that box so why people think 3 bin bags are necessary is beyond me.

She was in the newborn size for 6 weeks and I found 10 body suits and 7 sleep suits to be more than enough. They barely need anything!
That being said, I do have a tumble dryer. Wouldn't live without it .

On a more childish level I want to pick my child's own clothes! There are so many cute baby clothes, why should I settle for something that's decidedly not my taste and with stains on it.

I give away loads of clothes as I have 5 aunts who change their wardrobe every season, but I always ask the intended recipient if they want them and they can come pick out what they like. The rest goes to the food banks.

Yanbu op.

I was given a bin bag full of newborn and 0-3 clothes for dc3 by a woman in work that I didn't like to say no to. They were all pristine and expensive brands but were mainly proper clothes, like adult clothes in tiny versions.

There were thick jumpers, gilets, jeans, a large number of baby shoes. Basically all cute but completely impractical and stuff I would never buy. Who the heck dresses a tiny baby in a gilet? I can't even think of a scenario where that would be appropriate clothing. Anyway they all went to a charity shop.

@Steeley113

I love shorts for this reason! I’m hoping to get another 2 years out of my oldest pairs before I bin them grin I’m expecting a girl next so unfortunately they won’t get another round of use

Don't be daft, of course they will. They're just shorts. My DD has worn most of her elder brother's shorts as hand me downs, why wouldn't you put them on a girl? As she's got older she's got some more fashionable shorts from the girls' department as well, but she's loved her brother's shorts. When he gets new ones she asks when will they be hers!

I get given huge Ikea bags of my cousins clothes for my son. My DS is 8 and some of these are age 14+.
Lots of the clothes ate older than my younger cousin.
I know my Auntie is just doing a clear out every 6 months and it motivates her to give to me.
I can't say no but then end up with bags everywhere of clothes. I put clothes up on the attic and then forget to bring down years later at the age my son is.
We have had a few bits that he's loved and money has been tight so it's been good having some extra clothes but the sheer volume is a little overwhelming.
It's actually quite good now my son is getting older as he is able to say what clothes are to his preference and we can bag up the rest.
I then hand to my sis in law for my nephew and she is probably writing a thread about me
Also my sis in law gives my DD clothes from my niece who is 18 months older and was a December baby and my DD is a June baby. So all he clothes that fit her now her summer dresses which my DD does love and we just wear long tops and tights underneath !
I'll be glad when I'm out of all the clothes swapping stages.

Can’t believe how many people are saying the OP is rude! The neighbour totally just wanted to get rid of the clothes as easily as possible.

There’s no way I’d be sorting through stuff that had been dumped on my doorstep and putting it on Freecycle. Sod that. I think you did exactly the right thing OP.

Do you get these bags OP? It's been the answer to all of my prayers. I have 3 kids and still, friends and neighbours inundate me with their stuff, as if we need more! Thanks for the age 2 jumper and skinny jeans for my rugby player built 3 and a half year old. And thanks for the age 13 trousers for my 7 year old. Maybe flares will be back in by then if the moths don't get to them during their 6 YEARS OF FECKING STORAGE!!! Cue donation bag. And loads of thanks- no pun intended- for the charity shop trip, 3 miles away, no car, must walk. I needed more shit to fill up my day! Thank you!!!! Love and kisses.

This and Norovirus gives me uncontrollable rage.

Sorry here's the pic.

I don't think it's problem to return the clothes. Both my DC wore 3 months clothes as newborns and very quickly went into 6 months so don't be too hung up on sizing OP. DC1 is now super slim at 4 but DC2 is still chubby at nearly 2.

TheVanGuardSix I have 3 and also seem to be the dumping ground for all friends and neighbours.
My neighbour constantly used to hand me in bags that her small, petite daughter had grown out of ad my giant daughter was never going to squeeze into ! They have now moved so I'm grateful for less shit to sort through.
My problem tho is that I can't say No ! Drives my DH bonkers. He says "just say NO" but I can't 😩