Rant about unwanted 2nd hand gifts

[Beckyv88]

I just have to get this off my chest. I know I sound very ungrateful and to tell you the truth I’m or grateful, at all.

My cousin has given us boxes of her old baby stuff that is 12 years old. It’s not a special few pieces, it’s tons of old crap like used muslin cloths, random clothes with stains etc. And she said, “if you don’t want any of it just keep it and give it back” ok well I don’t have enough space in my flat for all the baby stuff I have bought plus your boxes full of stuff! And why do you want it back???!

I told her before to please not give us too much as we have bought most stuff new already and that I appreciate the gesture but we just don’t need it. She didn’t listen. I’m so annoyed seeing these boxes with no where to go causing clutter when I’m trying to make space for the baby stuff we want/need!!

Arghhh sorry for the rant but it’s just so annoying

Can you just give them back and tell her it's all duplicates of things you've already got so as she wanted them back she may as well take them now?

🙄🙄🙄

Just take all the boxes back.

I'm having the exact same problem! People keep giving us absolute shit! But some people have given us useful and lovely things too. I'm a yes or that's lovely, thank you person, so it's my fault really but it's so annoying, we have so much you can't move in her room

We’ve got a similar problem, but with newly-knitted items. DH’s step mum has knitted an entire wardrobe of clothes for ours, including some which would probably fit him now (he’s not due for another 7 weeks). A lot of the clothes look very warm, which won’t necessarily be helpful over summer. Many of them are adorable, but I don’t see how he’s going to use them all, and I already didn’t have enough space. There are also about 5 pram blankets, but we’re planning on carrying the baby in a sling everywhere, so these might not help much (although we might yet decide that we don’t want to carry baby at all times after all, of course!).

The most fun bit, though, looks to be a teddy bear. I’ve not seen him yet, but I’ve seen photos. I’m a bit frightened by it.

But she’s knitted almost everything herself, and I know I should be grateful. Sometimes it would be easier if people were less helpful!

Take out the bits you want, thank them and say you don’t have space to store so if they’d like them back could you give them back now or if they don’t want them back you’ll be happy to donate somewhere for them. They mean well I’m sure.

The most fun bit, though, looks to be a teddy bear. I’ve not seen him yet, but I’ve seen photos. I’m a bit frightened by it.

MiL knitted a teddy bear for DS, it was beautiful but we ended up finding four pins left over in it thankfully we found them and not DS, I used to prop him up on it when he was tiny for tummy time! DH threw it away, he was pretty annoyed!

You are not ungrateful, no one wants a load of old crap. I agree with pp, just give her the lot back and tell her you have everything you need.

Be honest with her and say you have bought everything and have no space to store them as spares. If you talk about passing them on or giving them to charity she may take them back quickly if she still wants them. Some women think they’re being helpful when they offer used things but unfortunately it’s not always welcome and they have to accept that it’s not being ungrateful at all

au hate this - DS is 4, and I get bags of stuff.
So he is great- but people often give me stained stuff, stuff with holes, even smelly trainers!
Me and my SIL are both pregnant at the moment, it’s her first, she told me how she’s not buying anything as she’s been promised so much from colleagues - I felt like saying dont rely on that as it could be a load of stained bobbly crap!!!

Very tough, i find that people seem to get offended when i say no thanks!