Help! I’m drowning in baby clothes!
We have all been there, your baby’s first year goes so quickly, full of wonderful firsts. The first cwtch is a moment you can never forget, their first smile, the first time they take a little bite or little step and their first words. In that time though, there is not a lot of time for sorting and organising the outgrown baby clothes. When you finally get down to it, it’s harder than you’d think to say goodbye to the baby clothes that mean the most. Here are our top tips to deal with the mountain of babygrows, sleepsuits, bibs and bodysuits.
What you can do with your mountain of baby clothes?
- Another Babi?
First things first, are you going to have another baby. Don’t panic, you don’t have to decide right now. But if there is even the slimmest chance, then keep that in mind when you are going through the piles. Good quality, durable baby clothes are the holy grail so make sure you keep hold of them. Sort the baby clothes into their size groups, you will thank yourself when you get them all back out! Fold them away into vacuum packs, space saving is key in any home with little monkeys running riot, and move on to the next load.
- The ones you just can’t say goodbye to
There are some clothes that our little Boo have worn that we just can’t let go of. Their first babygrow, their favorite jumper, the outfit they wore when they first met their great grandpa or their coming home outfit. There is no reason you can’t keep hold of these pieces, as long as it’s not a whole wardrobe full! We treasure these precious memories and Babi Bw has a gorgeous way for you to create something that lasts and is a gorgeous gift for your little one to carry with them, always.
We take your favorite pieces (minimum of 20 so you don’t need to worry) and create a memory blanket that they get to cuddle up with when they are little, learning the story of their first year with each patch. Teamed with our super soft and durable organic cotton it will be something that they can have forever and maybe even pass on to their little one.
- Repair, Reuse and Recycle
Now that you have sorted the baby clothes that you want to keep, what to do with everything else!
According to the Welsh government 350,000 tonnes of clothing ends up in landfill every year in the UK. At Babi Bw, we are passionate, as a clothing company to be part of the solution.
We have some really easy options whether you live in Wales or in the UK to handle your baby’s old clothes sustainably. Babi Bw is committed to responsible living to safeguard our children’s future, and that doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are our top tips to avoid the bin.
Recycling Baby Clothing
1 – Friends
Do you have any friends that are pregnant or have little ones that are a bit younger than yours that would be grateful for some of your bits? It’s a right of passage for any mother sorting through baby grows, sleepsuits, baby vests and everything else you can think of from thoughtful friends and family.
2 – Baby groups and nursery
Are you part of any baby groups or nursery that might appreciate clothes to keep as spares? Haven’t we all been there when you have forgotten a spare babygrow and there is the fated poo explosion! Never have we been more grateful for the spare clothes bin in our life.
3 – Sell on Preloved sites
There are plenty of options if you want to sell your outgrown baby clothes. Facebook Marketplace, Ebay and apps like Vinted are a great option if you have the time. Alternatively, you could sell outgrown baby clothes to an independent second hand children’s clothing company, there are 100s of options with a quick google search.
3 – Charities
The old favorite is the charity shop. Although these days, your more heavily worn items may not be what they are looking for and might be better off donated elsewhere.
The Salvation Army tends to have donation bins at large supermarkets that include recycling material which is a great option for worn or heavily soiled clothes.
4 – Local council
If you can’t give your baby clothes to friends or local groups or you don’t think they are up to being worn again then check out your local council. Some will collect clothes and textiles to be recycled. It’s worth checking if they have any requirements for this, i.e. clean, no tears. If they won’t collect then there will definitely be the address of your local recycling center.
5 – Supermarkets
Many large local supermarkets have recycling points for clothing and textile banks which you can drop off your unwanted items. This is the perfect place for heavily stained baby vests and baby grows that you don’t feel comfortable regifting.
6 – The Highstreet
Can you believe that the High Street is finally catching up with the wave of reuse and recycle. Stores like Primark, H&M and M&S can offer clothing donation banks in-store, check their websites before you leave the house! H&M will even offer you points for your donation to use in store as long as you are signed up to their app. So its a win win!
We know that being parents is busy, messy mayhem and that recycling can drop to the bottom of your list. However, we really hope that this article has helped give you options and ideas for when you do eventually get around to sorting that mountain of baby clothes.
Babi Bw Welsh organic brand, is based in our cottage workshop, in Wales. We are passionate about making baby clothes that are not only organic and snuggly but durable so they last. Follow us on Facebook to learn more.
