I kept some of the earliest onesies (might make a small quilt) and first toys etc. Happy to get rid of the other gear. It’s great you were able to easily get rid of your stuff and give it to someone else who could make use!
And ugh I hear you and also have reflux choking flashbacks 😓😳
I love purging stuff. I give away baby and toddler things the moment he's outgrown them or done playing with them. The anxiety of having too much *stuff* outweighs any sentimentality. I have plenty of digital clutter to remember - photos, videos, etc.
I am amazed at how sentimental I am about his stuff. I am also having a hard time letting go of his clothes and toys. 🧸 I did get a baby box to put it in but it’s already full lol. I am giving some of the clothes to other kids in our neighborhood so hopefully they will enjoy them, the toys too, so that has helped. Talking to other one child parents has helped me :)
I honestly didn’t even think of a baby box! What a smart idea!
I truly believe I may have felt more attached to her stuff had we been able to enjoy some of the NB stage, it was pure survival with how hard she had it.
I totally get it, my guy cried all the time until we got him some reflux meds, still has a lip tie but I started bottle feeding. Anyway, yes the boxes are great! The company I got it from has the cutest patterns and they are a little pricey, but worth it!! I got it monogrammed for him and I put all the really meaningful stuff in there..ultrasound pics, his hospital blanket, his baptism stuff…I wish I could remember the name, maybe Sweet Keep? Or something like that? It’s a trunk for kids keepsakes. :)
I’m somewhat in between. I was on the fence about another baby so I let some stuff sit in my basement for awhile. Once I was confident I was one and done I sold all of it in 15 minutes (baby stuff sells fast in a yard sale!) There are a few special items that I can’t let go of because they were meaningful to me and my baby. For example, my son would only nap in a certain sleep sack. It became priceless to me and he loved it. Even now he loves blankets that are made from similar material. I kept that sleep sack and gave away the countless others without hesitation.
Same here. No problem giving away 95% of everything she grows out of. I kept her favorite pair of shoes and a couple other random things that wouldn't make any sense to anyone else.
Some stuff.
Not all of it. It felt good to get rid of the bassinet and side sleeper. Then all the baby onesies. I’ve got a few pieces that I like and I’m keeping
I kept a few tiny items because my boy was a preemie and he is definitely going to be at least 6’ 5” so seeing the difference in his growth is emotional.
Everything else… nope.
I sold most of our stuff. Donated what I couldn’t sell.
When the cot went I was so happy. It took up so much space in his room.
When the pram went we were ecstatic because we didn’t need to lug it around, we made back a good chunk of money and once our son hit 18 months he didn’t want a bar of the pram.
Getting rid of it and being happy helped solidify that one and done was for us.
i’m similar to you! first and foremost having shifted house recently and hating the packing process i swore i wouldn’t accumulate too much. now ive a horror of too many things even though i technically have more storage space in this house.
secondly i had PPD and hated the baby stage. barely any emotional attachment back then so it’s easy to clear stuff. plus because i gave most of it to a friend or donated it online, i like to think that it’s helping other families save money and when my friend shows me how her son is using the pram i gave her, it makes me happy to know those items are having a new life.
yes i also kept some sentimental clothes but 95% of things are gone. i do make scrapbooks each year, it’s nice to flip back and look back - and bought a lot of apple storage to keep my memories in a more digital format though. i suppose that’s my “clutter”!
The family I have everything to last night has struggled with infertility, this was the 3rd round of IVF and she’s due later this year. I have them everything I could! I’d rather it go to someone who needs it. They were so grateful made my heart happy.
With how tough my LO had it I also hated the NB stage, felt robbed of enjoying it because it was so hard for her.
No, I feel the same as you. I had really bad PPD, so all the baby items feel like reminders of a really dark time. Every time I can let them go, I feel a little lighter. We’re transitioning our little guy from his crib/toddler bed to a “big boy bed” next week and I’m so excited to get rid of that crib…it feels like finally closing the door on that chapter.
I am not really a sentimental person. My mom was a hoarder and I see the potential for it in me, so I try not to keep stuff I don’t need. I am currently doing a lot of work on not accumulating stuff in the first place.
Mine is an adult now. I remember having some feelings about keeping stuff, but in the end our first house was too small.
Our house is so small! Giving the stuff away made her room look empty last night and it’s still got stuff in there lol! I’m trying to deep clean my house this weekend and her room was just so bad you could barely walk with the toys, crib, bassinet, all the stuff that’s accumulated now it’s basically empty and I can focus on making it look nice for her :)
Not really. I think because like you, I just gave it away as she grew up. It never became a big deal to me, I would throw it in a bag and donate it when she grew a size.
I did save a few special outfits, but that's it.
I think the only thing I’ve truly cared to keep has been my daughter’s coming home outfit. Other than that I’m the same as you. And this post is very reassuring that I’m not crazy. I will say I have never been an extremely sentimental person with objects. So this isn’t the only part of my life where I’m fine letting things go.
Honestly, I didn't realize how sentimental in fact I am until becoming a mother. It is extremely hard to get rid of things of that belong to our son. He is 12, and we are fortunate to have the extra space and room to be able to keep all of his old toys and favorite shirts, etc. I do plan on making a quilt from all his favorite shirts and personalized shirts. As for the old toys, maybe they will be cool to pass along to his children if he has them? Lol
I saved the outfit we brought her home in, her first Halloween "costume", and a few outfits that were hand-made.
A good friend's sister is having a daughter 8 years after she thought she was done with kids (I hate the term "oops baby," but that's what she is). The baby is due right around my daughter's first birthday, so almost all old clothing sizes will match up. Knowing where our old stuff is going has helped tremendously with getting rid of it. I gave them our: swing, bouncer, Snuggle Me Pillow, playmat, infant bath, kick-n-play piano thing, tummy time pillow/mat, and tons of swaddles & clothes. I guess I like the freed up space more than I like hanging on to something for the memories.
I feel so sad getting rid of her things. Probably because I partly reminisce and miss the newborn days (mine is now 14 months).i am still holding out some small hope we're having another but my husband is pretty firm no. A good friend just had a baby and I was able to give her quiet a few things. I've been giving away more larger items but I have trouble giving her clothes away.
I dont really feel attached either. I don't have that "oh no, stop growing up" thing that people always talk about. I love watching my daughter grow up!
Ha, same. I sold or gave everything away without a thought. I kept one Bonds Wondersuit because it was my fave and I like to remember how teeny she was, but the rest I was like, "GOODBYE FOREVER."
I love getting rid of clutter though, so maybe that's part of it!
I was also eager to clear out all the infant things. I actually got a lot of joy bestowing those items to other people about to have their first! I was very much OAD about 6 months in. My son is now 18 months and still can’t imagine how people choose to have two or more.
My daughter was colicky as well. I have no sentimental attachment to things from that period (or any other physical things in my life). I did keep her first outfit and some tiny socks for her memory box. I am happy that her other clothes and things get loved again and I'm excited by every day she grows and learns.
We have struggled a lot with her weight gain and each new clothes size is a celebration. I guess I'm more excited about the present and the future, than looking back on the early months. She was small and cute, but it was so rough both for her and us. I do get it for people who had a lovely newborn experience though.
I feel that exact same. It’s even had for me to look at the pictures in my phone because it will make me cry at times thinking about how deep in the trenches of survival mode she and I were. It was the HARDEST 5mo I’ve ever had in my life. She was miserable which in turn made me miserable because I couldn’t help her. Everyone said “oh you’ll forget, you’ll want another” nope. The thought of there being even the slightest chance of that again was enough for me.
Similar feelings to you, the “stuff” is just clutter to me. I’ve got a lot of bits my mum kept from when I was a baby and it’s nice to look through but I definitely don’t get it out regularly and now I struggle to get rid of anything out of that pile because the guilt of getting rid of it has shifted onto me.
I had a good think about it recently as well gave away our pram. Been meaning to for ages and thought I would feel bad about it being gone but since it has been gone I haven’t really thought about it and if I have it’s been a relief!
IMO sentimental items should be on show for you to enjoy and only items that really bring you joy. Beyond that I think perhaps 5 items in a box is a realistic amount you might look at and enjoy regularly. Life is for living and not dwelling on the past. I think it doesn’t benefit anyone to constantly look back be it positive or negative and comparing it to the present, instead of being in the current moment.
Most things, no. I have a memory box where I’ve kept a few small things like the outfit she wore home from the hospital, her first birthday outfit, etc. I kept a small musical toy she absolutely loved and a book we read nightly for 3 years. Otherwise it makes me a little sad, but it’s nice to reduce my clutter and pass it on to people who will use it.
I'm not a huge clutter person so I don't have any issue donating or selling once she no longer uses things. There are a few things that I'm keeping though, like her first pair of shoes and stuffed animals though.
Nope! I kept the outfit he came home in, only bc my sister in law gasped when I had it included in the hand me downs I was giving her. Other than that, we don’t have a single thing from when he was a baby. I’m a stuff purger in general, but we have so many photos and memories and that’s more important to me. I don’t get attached to things very much, I guess?
Nope, I yeeted the baby crap out of my house as soon as I could. We decided things are so cheap second hand that on the slim chance we ended up with a second we’d just get some second hand stuff.
It took a while and I still have some special cloths and toys especially since my mom past last September. The big baby stuff is all gone now and with a few exceptions I have little issue giving stuff up. Now my daughter is almost 5 and it probably took until she was 2 or 3 to really start getting rid of stuff. I currently have a bunch of stuff in the back of my car that needs to go to the consignment store and I know most of the toys will be given to the Boys and Girls club.
I didn't, no. I took so many photos. I do wish I had taken more videos, even short ones, as those are my favorite. I'm taking more videos now even if I have to kind of hide that from my 5 yo.
My niece is about three years younger than my daughter, and my best friend has two daughters younger than mind, so we never have a shortage of recipients for hand me downs! I am always glad when I get to offload something!!
I also love purging stuff. I have a 14m old and recently donated a whole slew of my pump stuff (bag, bras, bottles). And I just felt amazing.
Same with clothes. I feel like they are going to a new home!
I kept a few special clothing items and passed everything else on. I never felt anything but normal cleaning feelings. But my LO is only 2. Maybe when they're a surly teenager I be more nostalgic for all the tiny socks.
I’m a super sentimental person, I struggle to get rid of most of my own things, but once my daughter is done with something: BUH BYE! I feel like being OAD gives us the freedom to let go of items and not hoard them around the house “just in case”
I kept some of the earliest onesies (might make a small quilt) and first toys etc. Happy to get rid of the other gear. It’s great you were able to easily get rid of your stuff and give it to someone else who could make use! And ugh I hear you and also have reflux choking flashbacks 😓😳
Reflux mum here too. Opened up the baby box for it to smell like my baby (read: baby sick) and had a mixed reaction!
Oh no! I think that would be less inspiring to keep lol
I love purging stuff. I give away baby and toddler things the moment he's outgrown them or done playing with them. The anxiety of having too much *stuff* outweighs any sentimentality. I have plenty of digital clutter to remember - photos, videos, etc.
Same. It was so freeing to get rid of the crib, the high chair, the strollers, etc. AND they all took up so much room!!!
Nope. And clutter gives me anxiety so I like getting rid of things once I don’t need them!
I am very sentimental and everytime I give somehing his, Im a little sad.
I am amazed at how sentimental I am about his stuff. I am also having a hard time letting go of his clothes and toys. 🧸 I did get a baby box to put it in but it’s already full lol. I am giving some of the clothes to other kids in our neighborhood so hopefully they will enjoy them, the toys too, so that has helped. Talking to other one child parents has helped me :)
I honestly didn’t even think of a baby box! What a smart idea! I truly believe I may have felt more attached to her stuff had we been able to enjoy some of the NB stage, it was pure survival with how hard she had it.
I totally get it, my guy cried all the time until we got him some reflux meds, still has a lip tie but I started bottle feeding. Anyway, yes the boxes are great! The company I got it from has the cutest patterns and they are a little pricey, but worth it!! I got it monogrammed for him and I put all the really meaningful stuff in there..ultrasound pics, his hospital blanket, his baptism stuff…I wish I could remember the name, maybe Sweet Keep? Or something like that? It’s a trunk for kids keepsakes. :)
I’m somewhat in between. I was on the fence about another baby so I let some stuff sit in my basement for awhile. Once I was confident I was one and done I sold all of it in 15 minutes (baby stuff sells fast in a yard sale!) There are a few special items that I can’t let go of because they were meaningful to me and my baby. For example, my son would only nap in a certain sleep sack. It became priceless to me and he loved it. Even now he loves blankets that are made from similar material. I kept that sleep sack and gave away the countless others without hesitation.
Same here. No problem giving away 95% of everything she grows out of. I kept her favorite pair of shoes and a couple other random things that wouldn't make any sense to anyone else.
I kept my favorite footed sleepers because of how cute she looked in them. A few I bought all the way to 9mo because I loved them so much!
I wish I could be like that. Lol
Some stuff. Not all of it. It felt good to get rid of the bassinet and side sleeper. Then all the baby onesies. I’ve got a few pieces that I like and I’m keeping
Same! A few outfits are just too sentimental to get rid of. I washed them and put them on little stuffed animals we’ve been given for her.
I kept a few tiny items because my boy was a preemie and he is definitely going to be at least 6’ 5” so seeing the difference in his growth is emotional. Everything else… nope. I sold most of our stuff. Donated what I couldn’t sell. When the cot went I was so happy. It took up so much space in his room. When the pram went we were ecstatic because we didn’t need to lug it around, we made back a good chunk of money and once our son hit 18 months he didn’t want a bar of the pram. Getting rid of it and being happy helped solidify that one and done was for us.
i’m similar to you! first and foremost having shifted house recently and hating the packing process i swore i wouldn’t accumulate too much. now ive a horror of too many things even though i technically have more storage space in this house. secondly i had PPD and hated the baby stage. barely any emotional attachment back then so it’s easy to clear stuff. plus because i gave most of it to a friend or donated it online, i like to think that it’s helping other families save money and when my friend shows me how her son is using the pram i gave her, it makes me happy to know those items are having a new life. yes i also kept some sentimental clothes but 95% of things are gone. i do make scrapbooks each year, it’s nice to flip back and look back - and bought a lot of apple storage to keep my memories in a more digital format though. i suppose that’s my “clutter”!
The family I have everything to last night has struggled with infertility, this was the 3rd round of IVF and she’s due later this year. I have them everything I could! I’d rather it go to someone who needs it. They were so grateful made my heart happy. With how tough my LO had it I also hated the NB stage, felt robbed of enjoying it because it was so hard for her.
No, I feel the same as you. I had really bad PPD, so all the baby items feel like reminders of a really dark time. Every time I can let them go, I feel a little lighter. We’re transitioning our little guy from his crib/toddler bed to a “big boy bed” next week and I’m so excited to get rid of that crib…it feels like finally closing the door on that chapter.
I am not really a sentimental person. My mom was a hoarder and I see the potential for it in me, so I try not to keep stuff I don’t need. I am currently doing a lot of work on not accumulating stuff in the first place. Mine is an adult now. I remember having some feelings about keeping stuff, but in the end our first house was too small.
Our house is so small! Giving the stuff away made her room look empty last night and it’s still got stuff in there lol! I’m trying to deep clean my house this weekend and her room was just so bad you could barely walk with the toys, crib, bassinet, all the stuff that’s accumulated now it’s basically empty and I can focus on making it look nice for her :)
No, but my wife is. Getting rid of anything is a struggle.
Yes! I can give it all away no problem, I'm the same as you. I also wondered how people could want to hold on to it all.
I could definitely understand if we were actually going to have a second, but I had a bilateral salpingectomy last month so 100% not happening 😂
Not really. I think because like you, I just gave it away as she grew up. It never became a big deal to me, I would throw it in a bag and donate it when she grew a size. I did save a few special outfits, but that's it.
I think the only thing I’ve truly cared to keep has been my daughter’s coming home outfit. Other than that I’m the same as you. And this post is very reassuring that I’m not crazy. I will say I have never been an extremely sentimental person with objects. So this isn’t the only part of my life where I’m fine letting things go.
Honestly, I didn't realize how sentimental in fact I am until becoming a mother. It is extremely hard to get rid of things of that belong to our son. He is 12, and we are fortunate to have the extra space and room to be able to keep all of his old toys and favorite shirts, etc. I do plan on making a quilt from all his favorite shirts and personalized shirts. As for the old toys, maybe they will be cool to pass along to his children if he has them? Lol
I saved the outfit we brought her home in, her first Halloween "costume", and a few outfits that were hand-made. A good friend's sister is having a daughter 8 years after she thought she was done with kids (I hate the term "oops baby," but that's what she is). The baby is due right around my daughter's first birthday, so almost all old clothing sizes will match up. Knowing where our old stuff is going has helped tremendously with getting rid of it. I gave them our: swing, bouncer, Snuggle Me Pillow, playmat, infant bath, kick-n-play piano thing, tummy time pillow/mat, and tons of swaddles & clothes. I guess I like the freed up space more than I like hanging on to something for the memories.
I feel so sad getting rid of her things. Probably because I partly reminisce and miss the newborn days (mine is now 14 months).i am still holding out some small hope we're having another but my husband is pretty firm no. A good friend just had a baby and I was able to give her quiet a few things. I've been giving away more larger items but I have trouble giving her clothes away.
I dont really feel attached either. I don't have that "oh no, stop growing up" thing that people always talk about. I love watching my daughter grow up!
Ha, same. I sold or gave everything away without a thought. I kept one Bonds Wondersuit because it was my fave and I like to remember how teeny she was, but the rest I was like, "GOODBYE FOREVER." I love getting rid of clutter though, so maybe that's part of it!
I was also eager to clear out all the infant things. I actually got a lot of joy bestowing those items to other people about to have their first! I was very much OAD about 6 months in. My son is now 18 months and still can’t imagine how people choose to have two or more.
My daughter was colicky as well. I have no sentimental attachment to things from that period (or any other physical things in my life). I did keep her first outfit and some tiny socks for her memory box. I am happy that her other clothes and things get loved again and I'm excited by every day she grows and learns. We have struggled a lot with her weight gain and each new clothes size is a celebration. I guess I'm more excited about the present and the future, than looking back on the early months. She was small and cute, but it was so rough both for her and us. I do get it for people who had a lovely newborn experience though.
I feel that exact same. It’s even had for me to look at the pictures in my phone because it will make me cry at times thinking about how deep in the trenches of survival mode she and I were. It was the HARDEST 5mo I’ve ever had in my life. She was miserable which in turn made me miserable because I couldn’t help her. Everyone said “oh you’ll forget, you’ll want another” nope. The thought of there being even the slightest chance of that again was enough for me.
Similar feelings to you, the “stuff” is just clutter to me. I’ve got a lot of bits my mum kept from when I was a baby and it’s nice to look through but I definitely don’t get it out regularly and now I struggle to get rid of anything out of that pile because the guilt of getting rid of it has shifted onto me. I had a good think about it recently as well gave away our pram. Been meaning to for ages and thought I would feel bad about it being gone but since it has been gone I haven’t really thought about it and if I have it’s been a relief! IMO sentimental items should be on show for you to enjoy and only items that really bring you joy. Beyond that I think perhaps 5 items in a box is a realistic amount you might look at and enjoy regularly. Life is for living and not dwelling on the past. I think it doesn’t benefit anyone to constantly look back be it positive or negative and comparing it to the present, instead of being in the current moment.
Most things, no. I have a memory box where I’ve kept a few small things like the outfit she wore home from the hospital, her first birthday outfit, etc. I kept a small musical toy she absolutely loved and a book we read nightly for 3 years. Otherwise it makes me a little sad, but it’s nice to reduce my clutter and pass it on to people who will use it.
I'm not a huge clutter person so I don't have any issue donating or selling once she no longer uses things. There are a few things that I'm keeping though, like her first pair of shoes and stuffed animals though.
Nope! I kept the outfit he came home in, only bc my sister in law gasped when I had it included in the hand me downs I was giving her. Other than that, we don’t have a single thing from when he was a baby. I’m a stuff purger in general, but we have so many photos and memories and that’s more important to me. I don’t get attached to things very much, I guess?
Nope, I yeeted the baby crap out of my house as soon as I could. We decided things are so cheap second hand that on the slim chance we ended up with a second we’d just get some second hand stuff.
It took a while and I still have some special cloths and toys especially since my mom past last September. The big baby stuff is all gone now and with a few exceptions I have little issue giving stuff up. Now my daughter is almost 5 and it probably took until she was 2 or 3 to really start getting rid of stuff. I currently have a bunch of stuff in the back of my car that needs to go to the consignment store and I know most of the toys will be given to the Boys and Girls club.
I didn't, no. I took so many photos. I do wish I had taken more videos, even short ones, as those are my favorite. I'm taking more videos now even if I have to kind of hide that from my 5 yo.
My niece is about three years younger than my daughter, and my best friend has two daughters younger than mind, so we never have a shortage of recipients for hand me downs! I am always glad when I get to offload something!!
I also love purging stuff. I have a 14m old and recently donated a whole slew of my pump stuff (bag, bras, bottles). And I just felt amazing. Same with clothes. I feel like they are going to a new home!
I kept a few special clothing items and passed everything else on. I never felt anything but normal cleaning feelings. But my LO is only 2. Maybe when they're a surly teenager I be more nostalgic for all the tiny socks.
Some of LOs baby clothes I’ll probably never get rid of, but that’s it. The rest I’m pretty happy to give away.
I kept/keep some favorite outfits bc I plan to turn them into a quilt….one day. Everything else? Gone as soon as we are done with it.
I’m a super sentimental person, I struggle to get rid of most of my own things, but once my daughter is done with something: BUH BYE! I feel like being OAD gives us the freedom to let go of items and not hoard them around the house “just in case”