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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to just bin baby clothes ?

99 replies

ElleGee1 · 28/07/2021 15:16

AIBU to just bin baby clothes ??

What do you all do with clothes dc has grown out of? No chance of having a third child and already the outgrown clothes are piling.. when I say bin, I mean could put them in a clothes recycling bin..? with dc1 we put everything up the loft (most of it is pink lol and dc2 is a boy) and it’s still there. Really want to avoid hoarding this time. Thought of putting on a Facebook freebies page too.. but the time wasters I can’t be dealing with.. x

OP posts:
BarbaraofSeville · 28/07/2021 16:10

BHF are incredibly fussy. They won't accept anything that isn't in as new condition.

Your second suggestion @RaptorInaPorkPieHat is what the OP is already planning to do.

I actually think it's more responsible to put the clothes in the clothes bins than give them direct to charity shops etc, because if they can't sell the item, they have to get rid of it.

If you put things in the clothes bins, it transfers the sell/recycle/waste decision to someone who knows the standard required by the organisation operating the bin. I'm the sort of person who will wear/use something for ever, so almost nothing I have finished with is fit for anything other than rags.

If any of the OPs baby clothes are slightly faded, pulled or bobbly, it's probably not fit to be resold anyway and may not even be considered suitable for refuges etc.

DarkDarkNight · 28/07/2021 16:12

I’m terrible for hoarding things and absolutely hate the time wasters on Facebook so I would separate in to 2 piles - one in good condition, no stains, minimal wear and give those to a charity shop/local charity. The rest I would put in recycling bags. Our fire station collects and also the air ambulance so I like to give to those.

Dollpiglet · 28/07/2021 16:13

My work has a conveyer belt of baby clothes. We use them, bag them up and pass them into the next pregnant person. My DS is currently in clothes that have seen through five of my colleagues kids. There's no pressure, if things get ruined or holey then you just take them out (recycle the cotton if possible) and pass the bag back with the better bits in.

BountyIsUnderrated · 28/07/2021 16:14

I bunged them all in the bin but this was at the height of the covid pandemic, so all of the charity shops in my area had shut and none were coming around with the bags.
Typically they have started coming round now that my sister needs baby clothes lol.

unsureofneighbour · 28/07/2021 16:15

Laughing at all the people suggesting you do exactly what you are asking about simply because they didn't read the OP properly Grin

thecognoscenti · 28/07/2021 16:15

Literally anything BUT putting it in a bin. What a disgusting waste of resources. Charity shop - recycling - women's refuge - donation - freecycle. Anything but the bin.

Moomala · 28/07/2021 16:15

Why bin it...if you must bin then take it all to a charity bin by the supermarket next time you go shopping

pleasedonttextmyman · 28/07/2021 16:18

Before binning, ask if any local charity/school/hospital could use them.

If you try to give thing away, you will only attract time wasters or CF.
No one wants to buy baby clothes, everybody has kilos of them.

If you have enough, you can try a "cash for clothes", you'd get a few £ but at least they'll do something with them.

pleasedonttextmyman · 28/07/2021 16:19

Many schools have started a clothes collection to raise a few quids, worth asking locally if there's one near you?

User56439876 · 28/07/2021 16:20

As you say OP clothes recycling bin at supermarket is easiest, though ours were full this week when I went to put stuff in one.

hellcatspangle · 28/07/2021 16:23

I've got rid of loads of stuff via the Nextdoor app (even the sort of stuff you wouldn't think anyone would want!)

Marguerite2000 · 28/07/2021 16:25

Yes, put them in a clothes recycling bin.
Hopefully a few people will read this thread, and realise that there is no need to buy a lot of clothes for babies. A few outfits will suffice, even if your baby pukes and shits a lot. That's what bibs, muslims and nappies are for.

SATSmadness · 28/07/2021 16:25

Assemble in in bundles of 10 or more items in one age/size/type of clothing and list on e-bay, ticking the box for donating a portion of proceeds to charity if you'd like to (although you've only been able to do that in recent years).

I found that larger bundles sold well as buyers get better value out of the p&p charge and you only have a few parcels to bother with, albeit bigger ones but your nearest courier (myhermes) drop-off point may be closer than you think and boxes/strong carrier bags turned inside out and a reel of tape are all you need. I put an amount of money in the kids savings accounts from the proceeds, as money was much tighter back then.

I also bought some beautiful bundles of baby/toddler clothes myself from e-bay, some of which even got sold back on e-bay after use. The baby clothes in charity shops round here were too well worn for my preference, but I did check them out before resorting to e-bay.

Eventually your kids will wear stuff out before they outgrow it, but it takes years !

EBearhug · 28/07/2021 16:25

You won't get near a refuge without insider links.

That doesn't mean you can't donate. I had some things to donate and I handed them over in a public carpark.

8monthsinandcranky · 28/07/2021 16:25

I’ve done a mixture, some bags of similar age and same gender I’ve listed for free on local selling site and other bags of mixed age/gender I donate to local banardos kids charity shop.

I’ve just cleared out all DD’s newborn stuff and am sending that to the baby bank

gogohm · 28/07/2021 16:26

I gave most of mine to a mother and baby hostel, my pram was still useful so I kept that for a couple more years and it went to woman's aid

DeflatedGinDrinker · 28/07/2021 16:27

I bin all my kids old stuff

fuckyeahpercywigwam · 28/07/2021 16:27

Please, please don't bin it. Take it to a clothes recycling bin and dump it there. They are often situated in supermarket car parks, so shop and drop. sorted

GintyMcGinty · 28/07/2021 16:29

Charity shop

pleasedonttextmyman · 28/07/2021 16:29

Assemble in in bundles of 10 or more items in one age/size/type of clothing and list on e-bay, ticking the box for donating a portion of proceeds to charity if you'd like to (although you've only been able to do that in recent years).

great, but realistically, who got time for that!

Benjispruce5 · 28/07/2021 16:29

Charity shop or charity bag collection.Don’t bin!

Anonymous48 · 28/07/2021 16:29

@DeflatedGinDrinker

I bin all my kids old stuff
That's so wasteful!
Benjispruce5 · 28/07/2021 16:30

I used to divide into stained/worn out-bin. Clothes still with life in them to the charity shop. Can’t believe people actually bin clothes.

DimplesToadfoot · 28/07/2021 16:30

Are you anywhere near an H & M, if you shop with them you can hand over a carrier bag of clothes for £5 off your next purchase (over £25)

pleasedonttextmyman · 28/07/2021 16:30

@Marguerite2000

Yes, put them in a clothes recycling bin. Hopefully a few people will read this thread, and realise that there is no need to buy a lot of clothes for babies. A few outfits will suffice, even if your baby pukes and shits a lot. That's what bibs, muslims and nappies are for.
I don't really see the link.. just because someone's baby had outgrown their own clothes doesn't mean mine doesn't need some!

You know when you buy baby or children stuff that it won't be needed for long. I also know that at least half the stuff I buy for ME won't be needed next year!