If you’ve been putting off the day when you clear the clutter from your kids’ room, it’s time to take action. Tackle your kids’ bedroom or playroom—the spaces that require daily work to keep clean—with a real plan of attack. We asked the experts to weigh in and offer tips on how to clear the clutter and keep things organized (for real). From prepping for the big day to what you need to toss out, here’s our guide on how to clean out your kids’ room.
How to Prep for the Day You Clear the Clutter
1. Make a plan.
A good way to start is to identify what you want to accomplish while cleaning. Are there a lot of old toys that can be given away to a friend or sold at a garage sale? Does your kid need more space for books? Write down the tasks you want to tackle, and you’ll feel better about the job.
2. Start where you are. It’s the secret motivational boost for what can feel like a daunting task. As contributor Jennifer Landis recommends, any spring-cleaning project should start with one room, and look—you’ve got your kid’s room already picked out. Whether you tackle an all-purpose bedroom or have a designated playroom, grab your “to keep,” “to donate,” and “to toss” bags, and get going!
3. Move out. If it’s been a while since you’ve vacuumed under that epic fort in the corner, it’s time to move things around—or at least to the middle of the room. It’s not only the best way to clean out nooks and crannies, but you’ll be more mindful of what you bring back in.
All those little plastic toys your kids get while cruising the petite party circuit? If it hasn’t found a place of honor in your kid’s play rotation yet, toss it.
2. The last of the baby gear.
Do you still have a nursing pillow in the closet? How about an activity gym or a Bumbo seat? If you’re done adding to your family, it may finally be time to pass these on to newer mamas or donate to those in need. And upcycle! Add flair to formula or diaper wipe containers for extra storage or paint those baby food containers for a color wheel crayon organizing system. Check out more clever ways to upcycle old baby gear.
3. Anything broken. No matter what project you’ve undertaken, little feels better than being on a roll, so start with easy toss-ables, such as anything broken. That play purse that lost its handle. Those three missing parts that don’t add up to anything. Crayon stubs you know you’ll never melt into little DIY gifts. Clear all that clutter and enjoy the immediate breathing room.
4. Stuffies that aren’t lovies. We’ll admit it, this one is going to be a battle, but if your little hoarder is old enough to rise to the task without suddenly growing inseparable from each stuffie you attempt to discard, then this presents a wonderful opportunity to donate those in good condition.
5. Too-tiny clothes and shoes. Kids grow fast in the early years. Before we know it, the pants are too short and the shoes are tight. Take honest stock of what your kid wears (oftentimes it’s a few favorite outfits), and purge what’s outgrown, stained, or simply not your kid’s style. You can even go the capsule wardrobe route, check out our tips on how to make it happen here.
6. Odd socks.
It’s a mystery as to where they all go, but we do know that socks love to disappear. Accept the fact that, for some reason, they’re gone, and toss the solo sock. You’ll have more space in your drawers and it’ll make laundry day much more pleasant.
7. The endless piles of paper. Royal crowns from birthdays gone by? Notebooks long ago scribbled in? Coloring books of yesteryear? How about all those school Valentines or party favors? Take a quick flip through for anything indicative of early artistic genius, then recycle, recycle, recycle.
8. Outdated wall decor Have you changed your preschooler’s wall art since you set up the nursery? Every few years, it’s nice to switch things up. If you’re still planning to add to your family, put the sweet baby giraffe print in storage with the Rock ‘n’ Play, and update the walls. Etsy has thousands of affordable printables, or you can clear wall space for an educational mural from Wallsauce. Here are other great ways to design a kids’ room that grows with them.
9. Ripped, broken books and board books (if your kids are beyond the baby stage). Like little bodies outgrow clothes, big minds and imaginations outgrow books. If your bookworm’s shelves are bursting, it’s time to save a few sentimental titles and donate the rest.
How to Keep It Clean After You Clear the Clutter
1. Pick up regularly.
Now that most of the hard work is over, save time in the future by going through this clean-up process regularly, especially after birthdays and holidays, as NEAT Method recommends. Read on for other great pro tips and secrets to organizing success from moms.
2. Don’t micromanage the small stuff.
Toys and parts often migrate under the couch, appear underfoot, and end up right on your last nerve. While these Shopkins and snap-ins may be tiny, they need a big home. Rather than spend time every day re-assigning them to individual containers, consider one big bin or this fun Swoop Bag, which also works wonders for LEGO, train sets, and play food. The best part? Clean-up is a cinch, even for mini-mess makers.
3. Don’t go overboard on storage. It’s a little counterintuitive, but hear us out. We are all for stylish, sensible ways to organize—and storage solutions are certainly keys to a clean room—but any additional containers are bound to fill up. Work with what you have to minimize excess—the answer isn’t always to store it.
4. Save the sentimental stuff. Parents, we are one of the biggest reasons it’s so hard to clear out what our kids have outgrown—physically and developmentally. It’s emotional! We remember when he walked off to his first day of kindergarten in that sweatshirt or that toy dinosaur she carried everywhere for a year. Select choice pieces for cool and surprising ways to repurpose the sentimental stuff.
5. Upcycle “new” toys. With everything streamlined, the last thing you or your budget want to do is rush to fill it up with new stuff. The next time the kids beg for the latest, get creative! Sand-filled juice boxes make for awesome stacking blocks and corks morph into stamps. There are loads of great reasons why you should be upcycling anyway.
6. Use the “out of sight, out of mind” method. Have a place to stash the toys they haven’t played with in a while and give yourself a time limit. If the time has passed and no one has asked for it, you can donate or toss it. Get more on how to make this work here.
7. Let (some) clutter go. At the end of the day, it’s a kid’s room. It should look like a kid lives, plays, and imagines there, which means extra stuff is sometimes just part of the fun, messy wonder of it all. So relax, and remember that the next time clutter accumulates.
Online consignment shops are an eco-friendly way to outfit your kid
It’s almost time to put away the swimsuits and think about clothes that work for the school year: jeans, sweaters, and durable shoes. Whether you need to make space in the closet for clothes that actually fit or if you’re looking for a more sustainable way to shop, consignment is your answer. We’ve got every option for finding used kids’ clothes out there from in-app selling to designer duds on a dime, an online baby consignment store, and even a place to sell old toys.
Hanna-Me-Downs by Hanna Andersson
You love Hanna Andersson for its adorable prints, classic pajamas, and how well the items hold up to the constant wear and tear that comes with being a kid. Long known for its sustainable fabrics and durability, the clothing brand is taking the next step in responsible retail with a new Hanna Andersson resale shop, 'Hanna-Me-Downs,' making it even easier for parents to buy and sell the made-to-last apparel.
How it works: Upload your images, select the condition of the items, choose your prices (Hanna Andersson will offer price recommendations based on the condition of your items), and then ship the item to the buyer using a pre-paid USPS label. The shop is open and ready for business, and items range from infant clothing to swimsuits and pajamas—many are listed at a nearly 50% discount.
Why you'll love it: Sellers can make more through Hanna-Me-Downs, as the company will offer 25% more value on each resale item via a gift card option, which can be used on the Hanna Andersson website or gifted to a friend. A cash transaction option is also available if you don't go for a gift card.
GoodBuy Gear is a service that picks up your item and sells it for you. They check the quality of the item and recommend a selling price for you to approve. GoodBuy Gear always inspects their items and never sells recalled items.
How it works: They handle everything from communication with the buyer to shipping the item, so you don’t have to. When your item sells, you make up to 85% of the sale price.
Why you’ll love it: GoodBuy Gear handles everything for you so there’s no stress on your end.
How it works: Created by a dad, this new online consignment shop/service sells your unwanted baby gear and toys on local marketplaces for you. You choose what you want to sell (see the requirements for items), and then you can either mail your items in or if you're in Portland or Dallas, make a drop-off at a local Sella hub. You'll be matched with a Sella expert, and they'll handle everything else from there. The rate is reasonable, no matter how much (or how little) you make. You pay a flat rate of $6 and $0.20/day for small items and $0.05/cubic foot for large items.
Why you'll love it: The "Sellas" do everything for you, from taking photos to figuring out market value and writing out compelling listings. Once you've approved the price, the items will be listed in places like Facebook Marketplace, Craig's List, and more. All you have to do is collect your earnings.
Tea Collection, the world-inspired kids' clothing brand has just launched Tea Rewear shop with Kidizen. This is the first time a kid's clothing line has offered its own resale site; you'll be able to buy and sell items from the world-inspired kids' clothing brand, and when you trade in pre-loved items, you'll earn credits towards other Tea Collection items available for purchase.
How it works: Simply mail in your gently-used Tea Collection items, or drop them off at locations in Austin, Charlotte, Philadelphia, and San Francisco.
Why you'll love it: Tea Collection is known for its well-made clothes, so you'll be able to buy, sell and trade items for years.
Kidizen is a socially-driven parent-to-parent marketplace where you’ll find deals on high-end and boutique brands as well as styling ideas, all within an easy-to-use app.
Buy from them: Individual kid filters make it easy to find what you need, in the size you want. Shop your favorite brands, and connect one-on-one with sellers to ask questions via built-in private messaging.
Sell with them: Set up your shop, snap a photo (or two) of the item(s) you’re selling, and set your price. Kidizen eliminates the middle mom, leaving you with 90% of the purchase price.
Why you’ll love it: More than just a platform for buying and selling used kids' clothes, it’s a community where parents can find inspirational pics and share their favorite stylish photos.
This online consignment shop deals in outerwear and winter gear like jackets, snow pants, gloves, ski gear, and more.
How it works: If you're selling, Out&Back has instant cash offers, which means they'll take the gear off your hands and deposit cash to your Paypal or Venmo account. They even pay for shipping, so you don't have to mess with uploading photos or managing listings. If you're buying, simply browse their website for the items you're looking to purchase.
Why you'll love it: Unless you live somewhere where cold weather is part of daily life, buying winter gear for kids often means you spend a ton of money on things they might only wear a few times. And even if you do live somewhere where 32 degrees equals a warm winter day, kids grow fast, so the dollars spent can still add up. With Out & Back, you can buy and sell new and slightly used items with ease.
This online swap meet-style trading platform was started by a Brooklyn mom looking to trade her daughter's used clothes for cute duds to outfit her newborn son.
How it works: Instead of splitting the profits, as you would with a traditional consignment company, you pay an annual membership fee to gain access to the marketplace. Send in the items you wish to trade, and Swoondle will catalog each item. They give you Trading Credits that can be applied to clothing and accessories on the website. Remember: what you give is what you get—each item is assigned a rating of 1 to 5 depending on its worth. Credits in a designated level are traded for items similarly tagged within the same level.
Why you'll love it: Your first five items traded are free! You'll get an email with your credit amount, and that's when you can decide which membership you want (the rate depends on how many trades you want to do). To get started, request a kit and send your items back in the provided bag for free.
Shop Tomorrows is an online shop for used kids' clothes that doesn’t use money between buyers and sellers.
How it works: Launched by a mom and former stylist, parents can easily buy and sell gently used clothing in top brands like CrewCuts, Appaman, Adidas, and more. Once you set up an account with Shop Tomorrows you’ll be able to purchase tokens (1 token = $1), and you’ll use those tokens to purchase clothing.
Why You’ll Love It: You can sell and buy clothes on Shop Tomorrows, and you don’t have to send anything to the company beforehand. You’ll be able to connect to closets you love, and you have the option of dropping off sold items at someone’s front door if they live nearby to save on shipping costs. You set your prices, and you keep 100% of your commission, too. You can buy tokens in bulk to save money, and there’s also an impressive set of filters, so you can easily find exactly what you need.
A unique blend of online consignment and subscription services, Everlasting Wardrobe gives parents the freedom to rent clothing for 30 days.
How it works: Once you fill out a profile for each kid, you'll receive eight new or like-new items of clothing. Kids can wear those items for a full 30 days before you need to return them. If there's something your kid loves too much to send back, you can buy that item at a deep discount.
Why you'll love it: There's no charge for shipping, you'll have stylists picking stuff based on the categories and customizations based on your preferences (with no styling fees), and you'll have access to hot brands like Burt’s Bees Baby, OMAMImini, Kickee, I Haven’t The Foggiest, Frenchie Mini Couture, PopUpShop, Mimi and Maggie, Red Caribou and more. Also, if you're opting to have gently-used items sent to you, it's good to know that all items go through an inspection and an eco-friendly cleaning process after being returned and before being sent back out.
Cost: $40 per month for 8 pieces of new and like-new professionally cleaned & inspected clothing for 30 days, or $80 per month for 8 pieces of brand-new clothing for 30 days.
You’re probably already spending time on Facebook, so it’s the perfect place to do your buying and selling too. Simply head to the marketplace section on Facebook or search garage sale groups, and local groups will pop up.
How it works: If you're buying, be sure the images are clear and that there's a good description of the item. If you're selling, the good news is that since this is all your effort, from the pictures to the pricing to the drop-off or delivery, you get all the proceeds.
Why you'll love it: If you enjoy organizing your clothes and price haggling, this is the way to go.
The local swapping app also has an online store where parents can buy gently used kids' clothing and toys.
How it works: While the option to consign is limited to San Francisco Bay Area residents (Toycycle will pick up items for free) at this time, nationwide thrifty shoppers have to option to shop for gently used goods at bargain prices. If you can consign, payouts range from 10-60% based on the value of the item, with higher-value items receiving a higher percentage payout. You can also choose to donate your proceeds to a local charity.
Why you'll love it: The online shop has a wide variety of items, from Land of Nod blankets to school-aged sizes for bigger kids. There are even books and DIY kits available for purchase (hello holiday gifts on the cheap!).
If you're looking for a basic online buying and selling community then OfferUp may be your solution.
How it works: Download the app, browse local deals, and message sellers. You can narrow your search to just clothing, and since you can buy and sell just about anything on the site (there's a handy app to help make it happen), it's kind of like a one-stop family consignment shop. Plus, they've recently announced a new delivery option.
Why you'll love it: Not only will you have access to a wide array of baby and kid gear (it's all from other users within a 30 mi. range) but you can also upload and sell your own gear too.
How it works: If you love frills, boutique prints, and formal wear for Sundays, take note! Founded by three southern moms, there are hundreds of brands offered on Bagsy's website. Simply request a bag, opt to pay for a return, or donate to charity if items don't sell, and that's it!
Why you'll love it: You'll receive up to 50% of your resale price, and you can opt to use the money as a credit to shop the site.
This online consignment shop offers high-quality kids' clothing at great prices.
How it works: Currently, the store only buys locally (in the SF Bay Area) but for updates on inventory, buying and selling, fun giveaways, and more, check out their facebook page.
Why you'll love it: You can shop for quality brand names like Tea Collection, Mini Boden, Nordstrom brands, Gap, and more all in either new or excellent gently used condition.
Started by a busy mom of four, Sweet Pea & Teddy offers stylish name-brand fashion in sizes newborn through 14 years. With bargain prices on chic pieces, the selection is varied and constantly fresh (new items are added every day).
How it works: You can search by sizes or search by styles, like “nautical,” “retro” or “holiday ready,” making it a breeze to find occasion outfits. The site is visually rich, with lots of great photos making it clear what the items look like, and checkout takes just a couple of clicks.
Why you’ll love it: The site also has a selection of designer handbags so you can browse for something for mama while you shop for the kids.
Poshmark is one of the original online consignment shops but what you might not know is that it has a great selection of used kids' clothing (and is an excellent way to sell).
How it works: Selling is uber-easy with the app: you take a photo and upload it to your "closet" in less than 60 seconds—right from your phone! The labels are pre-paid and shipped to you, and the cash goes into your account as soon as the item is delivered.
Why you'll love it: Buying and selling are made super easy through the app, and the entire interface is very user-friendly.
This site is a one-stop shop for keeping you and your family in style (and on budget) season after season.
Buy from them: ThredUP is the world's largest online consignment shop, so you’ll find everything from J.Crew (and crewcuts) to Vince and Mini Boden sold for up to 90% savings. Looking for something specific? Create a personal shop by selecting favorite sizes and brands, and thredUP will email you when those pieces become available.
Sell to them: Order a thredUP Clean Out Bag, clean out your closets, and send your like-new (or possibly never-worn) garments in to be evaluated for FREE (you can also use the Clothing Calculator to estimate how much your items are worth). ThredUP buys the items outright and pays you up to 80% of the resale value in shopping credit or cash.
Why you’ll love it: The site features a companion app so you can buy on the go. New customers take 20% off their first order.
As the “largest online consignment shop/thrift store" Swap is a great resource for buying and selling everything from gear to clothes, toys, and more.
Buy from them: You’ll definitely need more than a few minutes to browse through the thousands of items available on this site. From A Pea in the Pod to Gymboree, H&M, and the list goes on (and on), you can easily dress yourself and the smaller members of the family year round, and outfit them with the gear they need.
Sell & Swap with them: The site offers a unique service where you can sell your gently used clothes, toys and gear, or swap items with other sellers. After passing the inspection process, swap.com will style and photograph each item, and then let you set the price. Not sure what to charge? The Kids' Pricing Guide can help.
Why you’ll love it: The new SureSell Guarantee means that you’ll make money no matter what. If your items haven’t sold in 45 days, you can sell them to Swap.com for up to 30% of the retail value.
Whether you are just moving to the area or a brand-new mom, moms groups are a great way to meet people who share your same stage of life. These Akron, Ohio groups for moms offer moral support for these days at home and the promise of playdates at the park and moms nights out on the town once things return back to “normal.” Your crew is here for you!
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Akron Area Moms (and Dads) This Facebook group has over 2,000 members in the Akron, OH area. They plan playdates, schedule adult-only meetups and share local events for kids. Join here.
Fairlawn Moms & Tots This group is designed for moms with young children. While the group was founded in Fairlawn, they have grown to include moms and tots throughout the greater Akron area. They are a diverse group of moms and tots and welcome everyone who wishes to be part of the group. When able, they schedule a variety of play dates throughout the Akron area and have a monthly Mom's Night Out. Join here.
West Akron Moms Club This group is for parents living in West Akron who enjoy the support and social activity of other adults and their children. The network is here to offer support and understanding to each other through the joys and tasks of parenthood. The club offers a wonderful opportunity to create lifelong friendships for moms, dads and children alike. Prospective members are welcome to attend a club activity before committing the join. Join here.
The Nest This donation-based business spun off two busy Facebook groups—the Becoming "Mom" group and Tots & Up group. Find babysitter recommendations, local meet-ups, toy swaps and more on the Tots group and information about becoming a mom through infancy in the Becoming "Mom" group.
MOMS Club® of Cuyahoga Falls, OH This group is for moms within the 44221, 44222, or 44223 zip codes. They keep a full calendar of activities for moms and kids of all ages. From Couples' Nights Out to playdates at local parks, this group has it all. They support members with helping hands meals and provide community service opportunities throughout the community. Join here.
MOMS Club® of Copley/Fairlawn This MOMS Club serves stay-at-home and working mothers in Copley, Fairlawn, Bath and surrounding areas. Most club activities occur during weekdays and kids are always welcome. Activities include coffee meetups, craft days, playgroups, book clubs and more. They also host meal prep days where members get together to make meals for the week. Join here.
MOMS Club® of Hudson, Streetsboro, Peninsula and Richfield This chapter serves residents of Streetsboro, Hudson, Peninsula and Richfield, Ohio. Meetings are on the first Tuesday of the month and are currently happening via Zoom. You are welcome to attend a meeting before joining the group. Join here.
There are additional MOMS Club groups in Medina and Stow. Find your local chapter here.
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Northeast Ohio Mothers of Multiples This group's mission is to offer support, information, education and social interaction for mothers (or guardians) of multiple births in Northeast Ohio. They typically meet on the second Tuesday of the month. The group participates in the Kids Stuff Sale each September as part of the Great Garage Sale at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Join here.
Barberton/Norton/Akron Moms Helping Moms This Facebook group helps local moms share tips, promote their businesses and receive support from other moms. Join here.
Eastside Cleveland Playgroup If you're willing to travel a bit or live closer to Cleveland, this is a great group to check out. Activities range from play-dates at local parks to all kinds of field trips. Kids range from newborn to elementary school (0-10 years), and they enjoy trips to the zoo, museums, fairs, libraries and special local events. Most events occur on the east side, but they do venture south and west on occasion. They are currently offering Zoom Mom's chats, Zoom playdates and hikes. Join here.
When you have three kids in a span of 42 months, a lot of chaos crams into the space of everyday living. My boy, boy, and girl munchkins in that order were eight, six, and four when I lost my mind on an otherwise normal day in March of 2002. In a span of seconds, I fell from the end of my rope into the deep end of the motherhood pool.
My cherubs decided this day to have a group whine session, much different from wine sessions adults partake in. Whining isn’t fun for anyone involved but serves the purpose of black-out inebriation in other ways.
“I’m bored,” bemoaned son one. Followed by, “So am I,” from son two and “Me too, Mommy,” from girl.
The classic, throwback kid complaint.
A mature choice for responding was to ignore the drama and send my kids on their way with a suggestion to use their imagination and find new uses for their toys. But on this day my measured mothering etiquette lay dormant. I’m guessing PMS was in full force or I was in the middle of a week flying solo while hubby worked out of town.
Instead of paying attention to the warning signals my body sent out, muscle twitches and eye ticks, I chose to engage with my kids complaining.
“Why are you bored, guys?”
Son one, always quick on his feet, says, “Because we have nothing to do.”
Nothing to do.
Those three words hung in the air like fall-out from an atom bomb. Within seconds I formulated an obnoxious plan for something to do before losing my grip on the rope and cascading into 30 foot waters.
“I’m so sorry kids. You’re right, you have nothing to do. And because my number one goal in life is to ensure you’re never bored, I’ve come up with a fun mission for all of us. The basement and your rooms are a mess. Spring is around the corner and we need to clean and declutter anyway. So, today we are going to not only pick up your toys, games, books, etc., but we are going to organize them by category. And to make our playtime extra fun, we will count every item and keep a running total, which won’t take long because, like you said, you have nothing to do. Sound good?”
Keep in mind my soaked in sarcasm announcement came through a crazed expression. All tree stared at me pale faced. Either in shock and awe over the transfiguration of my normal loving demeanor into a psychopath or in utter disbelief of the task before them.
“No, Mommy. We don’t want to clean and count toys. That’s boring too,” boy one continued to whine. Boy two and girl just stared.
I grabbed a pen, paper, and calculator before marching all three darlings into the basement knowing full well the enormity of the clean and count project. My kids were clueless, but enlightenment was around the corner.
A sample of our nothing to do collection included the following: puzzles, games, Legos, Lincoln Logs, costumes, toy cars, action figures to name a few. The gluttony accumulated from hand-me-downs, garage sale pick-ups, gifts, and over-the-top Christmas extravaganzas.
The rules of the game were the real kicker in our counting escapade. The kids had to tally every item, not by group. For example, the Hot Wheels collection didn’t count as one toy, but each car added to the total; 50 cars in our case. Before you judge, all 50 were my husbands from childhood. I blame my mother-in-law for the excessiveness.
The only exceptions to the non-grouping rule were Legos and other piece-meal sets. Otherwise we counted books, sports items, stuffed animals, and a plethora of other items one-by-one.
Any guesses on our final inventory numbers?
Try 490 things to play with compiled from 105 line items, and I still have the list fifteen years later.
The truth is, I threw up in my mouth a little when I saw the number. Then I made my kids look at the list for an hour and memorize the totals. Okay, I didn’t do that. But what I did to was hang the list on the kitchen door as an everyday reminder of how they had nothing to do.
Looking back, I’m awed at the underlying lessons of my manic induced plan. Although I didn’t realize at the time, our project ran the full gamut of elementary education and basic life skills.
First, they absorbed the math principles of counting, sorting, and grouping like items. Reading skills improved every time they looked at the inventory list. History took care of itself as they learned right away never to whine again about boredom. The science lesson centered around cause and effect and they learned how to write big numbers. Even better was the social skill of learning how to get along with a Mommy tyrant.
As for me, I got the house clean and organized which did wonders for my spirit. And the experience created fertile ground in my kid’s brains for imagination to sprout about how crazy mommy would act next time.
One minute she’s wearing 3-6 months and the next, she’s already outgrown 9-12 months. Keeping up with your babies’ seemingly never-ending growth spurts in an organized way, figuring out what to do with all of babies’ outgrown clothes, can feel overwhelming. Here, we’ve compiled some ideas on how you can effectively and easily deal with all those clothes while positively impacting those around you.
The first thing that comes to mind is giving your clothes to another sibling or family member. Recipients of hand-me-downs are usually super excited and grateful to be given such an amazing gift. It saves lots of money and it’s also fun to see favorite outfits on your other kids or nieces and nephews.
A couple tips for hand-me-downs:
1. Save only the clothes that are in great condition. Check out each piece and figure out if it’s worth saving. Is it stained beyond repair? Does it have holes in it? If so, then put them in a separate pile to recycle (which we’ll cover next).
2. Wash everything you decide to keep. You want to make sure any odor or stains don’t attract bugs or other creepy crawlies while they’re being stored.
3. Stay organized with your storage. Whether you choose plastic bins, or the oversize ziplock bags that you can suck the air out of, keep like items and same sizes together and then label them.
4. Keep your clothes smelling fresh. Before you pack the clothes away, stick a few dryer sheets in to keep all those sweet baby outfits smelling fresh and clean.
It can be tempting to just throw clothes away that no longer have a usable life. But experts estimate that the average American throws away 65 pounds of clothing per year, most of which end up in landfills. So what can be done with all those clothes? Recycle them!
There are many for profit and non-profit clothes recycling companies in existence. One of the easiest options is to simply stop by your local H&M clothing store (usually found in malls) and drop off your used, any condition, any style or brand clothing to their “No Garment Goes to Waste Collection.” Those items will find new life as cleaning cloths, insulation or textile fibers.
It can be downright exhausting to manage all the clothing that our littles outgrow so quickly, and if you don’t have the time, or desire to sort, wash and store all of them, donating is another great option with several different avenues you can explore.
Freecycle: Similar to recycling, freecycling involves finding people who would really love what you have to give away. The website freecycle.org matches people in your area with free stuff. A great option when you have baby clothes that you’d like to pass on to others for free and don’t mind a little bit of work to connect to others who would directly benefit from your items.
Schoola: You can now donate your gently used items while raising money for your favorite school! It’s called Schoola. All you have to do is log on to their website, request a pre-paid bag, fill it up with your clothes, drop it in the mail and start raising cash for the school of your choice.
Local Thrift Store: If you’re into donating clothes, your local thrift stores are also a great option. Most of them have easy drop off locations where you can leave your items and even get a tax write-off in return, if you so desire.
We all have our favorite outfits that are just plain hard to give away or donate. It’s nice to make money on all those clothes that we swooned over when we first had our baby. If this is your predicament, and you don’t mind a little extra work to make back your hard-earned money, then selling them is right down your alley and you have a few options.
Resale: Stores like Once Upon a Child are resale stores which means you bring in all your stuff (washed) and they pick out the items they’d like to buy from you. The nice part about resale is that they give you cash on the spot. The downside is that they can be quite picky about what they’ll accept. To find a resale shop near you, simply Google “children’s resale store.”
Consignment: This idea is similar to resale, except the store doesn’t pay you until they sell the item. There are children’s consignment stores all over the place in brick and mortar locations as well as online consignment stores like threadup.com. It pays to have your items in pristine condition as well as keep track of when they expire at the store so you can go and pick them up. It takes a bit of extra work, but it could pay off!
Tag sale. The good ole tag sale is the final way you can sell your baby’s outgrown clothes. Washing the items and organizing them is necessary and pricing them to sell (or being negotiable) will help you get rid of them all, while making some cash. It’s also a great time to throw in other baby items you no longer use. A helpful tip is to post your garage sale on craigslist.com with a picture of some of the items you will be selling. This is sure to whet the appetite of shoppers who are specifically looking for baby items.
Now that you have lots of ideas to get you started, what will you decide to do with your baby’s outgrown clothes? Please share your ideas below.
Bargains and reusing are two things that most Portland parents can appreciate 24/7. It’s even better when they’re together at the same place and time. Enter, the giant, multi-family, multi-block phenonmenon, known as the neighborhood garage sale. Whether you want to shop from (or sell to) neighbors in your own hood, or get out of your quadrant, the following neighborhood garage sales make for the perfect treasure hunt while scoring some seriously stellar deals.
Like scenic hills with your stellar deals? Forest Heights’ neighborhood sale snakes throughout the West Hills of Portland, from Skyline down to Cornell, making it a gorgeous drive that winds through the hills. When you’re done shopping, hit up the Skyline Restaurant (1313 NW Skyline Blvd.) for gigantic burgers, crisp onion rings and rich milkshakes while you sit in classic, red booths – just be sure you bring some cash.
Maywood Park
When: June 12-14, Fri.-Sat. 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.-2 p.m
Maywood Park’s city-within-a-city lies due east of Rocky Butte. Their annual garage sale happens all weekend, so come early for the best selection, and late for last minute deals. Maywood Park is part of the “40 mile trail” that isn’t quite 40 miles yet, but you can still enjoy this multi-use trail. Bring your bikes, and work off some of the calories from the elephant ears that will be available at the sale.
Happy Valley
When: June 12-14, Approx. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Happy Valley might seem like a bit of a trek for most Portlanders, but it’s only about 25 minutes from downtown Portland and just a hop, skip, and a jump from Clackamas Town Center. This sale has a really cool, updated website that tells bargain hunters what’s selling at each house, for shopping efficiency for those serious sales hounds. This neighborhood doesn’t have set hours, but most sellers open up from about 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Bring Fido and head to the dog park at Happy Valley Park (13770 SE Ridgecrest Rd.), and if it’s a hot day, bring your bathing suits, too. A rollicking splash pad at the same park has 16 sprayers to keep your family cool.
The Laurelhurst neighborhood is a popular destination for families as it is, with Laurelhurst Park’s (SE Caesar Chavez Blvd. and Stark St.) rolling grassy hills, duck pond, basketball courts and playground. Laurelhurst’s sale will include a map of participating neighbors in a very established part of town with a higher price point – who knows what you’ll find? There aren’t many restaurants in Laurelhurst proper, but your family can grab some grub to go from the nearby food carts at SE 28th and Ankeny for kid-friendly meals or snacks to take to the park. Choose from Mexican, Italian, and more. Falafel from Wolf & Bear’s (113 SE 28th Ave.) makes for portable picnic to refuel after some serious bargain hunting.
Eastmoreland When: June 27 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and June 28 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
This sale is especially hopping on Saturday and, historically, has had more than 140 homes participating. Maps will be available bright and early Saturday morning. Bring a change of shoes and socks so you can head across Highway 99 to check out the new Westmoreland Nature Park (SE McLoughlin Blvd. & Bybee Blvd.). Your little naturalists can dig in sand and scoop water, climb around logs, and build structures out of natural materials. Or, head the other way, east up Woodstock, to Cloud City Ice Cream (4525 SE Woodstock Blvd.) for innovative flavors that the whole family can get behind.
Kenton goes a little more high-tech, with a map of garage sale sites available for download the night before the sale opens, so you can plan your attack. The morning of the sale, low-tech garage sale aficionados can grab a map at Posie’s Cafe (8208 N Denver Ave.), a cool coffee shop with a kids’ play room. Score! You’ll know you’re in Kenton when you see the big statue of Paul Bunyan (8433 N. Interstate Ave.) Don’t forget to pay your respects to old Paul, who’s been overlooking the neighborhood and providing photo ops since 1959.
Not sure how to spend your next weekend in San Diego? If you’re looking for some family fun that’s just off the beaten path, spend a day at the famous Kobey’s Swap Meet. Swap meets are a fun way to treasure hunt with your cuties, and a great chance to teach about recycling, reusing and handling money (if they are old enough), all while feeling the thrill of a scavenger hunt and the score of a deal.
Kobey’s Swap Meet
Kobey’s is the ultimate stop for swap meet swag. It has many pint-sized bargain-hunting treasures. Scour the tables and bins for LEGO, Polly Pocket dolls and accessories, Barbies and more. There are both swap meet and garage-sale style booths for your little ones to explore. Set an amount they can spend (let them learn to budget), then send the little pirates off to scour the terrain for their bountiful loot (with mom or dad’s supervision, of course).
Sweet Treats If the little swashbucklers need a bite to eat, there are lots of places to take a bit. Traditional hamburgers and hot dogs are available (a little on the expensive and greasy side). But we recommend saving the money and appetites for the other treats. Popcorn is a hit with the pint-sized type and snow cones are big and fun to eat (especially on hot summer days). There’s also a mini-donut stand where kids can watch them make the sweet treats.
Savvy Swap Meet Tips
Sunblock is key. Even on overcast days, be prepared to spray and wear a hate. Brining a bottle of water is also recommended.
Vendors don’t take credit cards. So bring cash. Smaller bills will be appreciated.
Bring your own canvas bag to stash all your goodies.
While the swap meet is open all weekend, Sunday is the best day to score treasures.
Go online and print a coupon for $1 off adult admission.
You can rent a single stroller ($6) or a double cool cart ($7) to wheel your little munchkins around.
The bathrooms are located at the back of the meet near the food stand. While they are porta-potties, there is an attendant on duty and a place to wash hands.
Imagine getting paid to engage and entertain kids through music and dance. Sound too good to be true? Nope — so is the life (errr…shall we say enviable life) of Andy Zamenes, a children’s performer and singer-songwriter whose original songs, albums and videos will get even the most ornery kid up and dancing. Andy’s performances incorporate character voices and puppets, as well as genres that include folk, jazz, hip hop and blues.
Andy recently sat down with us to talk about his love of music, summer plans, and favorite neighborhood haunts.
What are the last five songs/albums you downloaded on your iPod/MP3 player? 1. The Beatles- Revolver (don’t know how I never got this album before. I’m a Beatles nut!)
2. John Lithgow- Singin’ In The Bathtub
It’s his kids’ music album and a masterfully done one at that. I featured his song “Big Kids” on my guest DJ set for the Internet Radio Show “Spare The Rock, Spoil The Child”, and wanted to have a good sounding version of the song and the whole album, so I got it.
3. Danny Kaye- Danny Kaye Sings “Hans Christian Andersen” and Other Favourites. I featured the song “Tongue Twisters” on the same show, and again decided to download the whole album.
I am a HUGE Danny Kaye fan in general, but I’ve been particularly influenced and inspired by his masterful use of rhyming and word play.
4. The Killers- Hot Fuss
One of my favorite new(er) bands. Waited until the songs got somewhat out of rotation to buy this one, and put my gift card to good use!
5. The Police- Ghost In The Machine
Another classic album that I somehow never bought. Gift card to the rescue again!
Describe a perfect Sunday with your family. It’s all about getting outside ideally- maybe hitting our favorite farmer’s market, and a garage sale that catches our eye(s). Then hitting the coast, maybe staying there until sundown, eating dinner and heading back.
What are you most looking forward to this summer? Playing for more families at repeat and brand new venues (I LOVE my job!), playing some tunes on the new Halloween album, going to Lake Tahoe, and maybe Virginia City, NV while we’re out that way (our sentimental favorite destination). Not too much vacation time nowadays as I’m booked just about every weekend (no complaints!), but we’ll get out when we can! Monterey, Carmel and Capitola are favorite “Indian” summer destinations as well.
What is the last big risk that you’ve taken and how did it turn out? Taking out a big loan to fund my 5th album. It’s the first one however for older kids (8 to 12) although it will still be accessible to my young fans. This is new territory for me in the realm of kids music, so that’s a risk in itself. But I just work with what the muse brings to me. Also, I’m fortunate enough to be working with Grammy-moninated producer Tor Hyams, and national family music publicist Elizabeth Waldman Frazier this time around. When they agreed to take on this project with me, I HAD to take the risk! I’ll let you know how it turns out. I have a feeling it’s going to be REALLY good!
Tell us about your favorite date night spot. When we do get a chance to get out, we like to go to the Symphony at Davies Hall in San Francisco. That’s quite a date night, and it doesn’t happen very often, but it feeds the soul for sure. Speaking of feed, we like to go to our favorite Greek Restaurant Kokkari when we’re in SF on a date night. It’s the ambience as much as it is the food.
Tell us about a hidden gem in your neighborhood — a place that the locals love. Well it’s not such a “hidden” gem per say, but it might be for those outside of Redwood City and the mid-peninsula. We love “Courthouse Square” in front of the old County Courthouse, which is now the San Mateo County History Museum- not only because it’s pretty (which it is) but because there is a different event going on there more often than not. Whether it’s a concert, outdoor salsa dance-off and presentation, a family movie on the square (summer nights, kinda like a drive-in movie without the cars), or ice skating (the city puts up an ice skating rink in the square) there is much more to do downtown than when I was a kid. The hometown I’ve found myself living in again has come a LONG way!
Thanks, Andy for speaking to Red Tricycle! We can’t wait to catch your next show.
Your floor may be covered in preschool toys, but that doesn’t mean your walls can’t be covered in grown-up art. Seattle Magazine shows you how art collecting isn’t just for the filthy rich, or those with tons of time to scour swap meets and garage sales for Antique Roadshow-esque finds. Having unique, collectables can be a reality for the rest of us.
Nancy Guppy bought her first work of art at a coffee shop in 1989. “I was waiting to order and became mesmerized by a painting of this maternal, Madonna-like figure. I loved the colors, and it felt so safe and loving,” Guppy says. The former Almost Live actress paid $600 for the painting and promptly hung it on the wall of the new apartment she shared with her husband, Joe. The purchase, she says, helped her settle into the space. “It was important to create our own aesthetic.”
The Madonna painting was a seed that grew into a passion for art collecting. More than 20 years later, Guppy is the host of the Seattle Channel’s Art Zone program and lives with Joe in a compact two-bedroom condo on Queen Anne. Her home is like a private gallery, where paintings, sculptures, photos and illustrations enliven walls, tables and even the refrigerator.
There’s the oil landscape above the bed that she bought at an artist’s garage sale for $75. There’s a birch log sculpture by Seattle artist Julie Lindell. There’s a “crazy-great” Gregory Blackstock piece, for which the local autistic artist used Sharpies, crayons and colored pencils to draw “all the firecrackers in the world.” Guppy says surrounding herself with original art makes her feel happy and delighted.
And that, she says, is the whole point of art collecting. It is so personal that you can’t worry about what anyone else thinks about the work. “It’s an artist’s idea. It either speaks to you or challenges you or it doesn’t. It’s really a person-to-person communication,” she says.
Guppy and other local art aficionados insist that having your own collection doesn’t require a special education or gobs of money, just a willingness to go with your instincts. So if your own home is decorated with ho-hum posters or mass-market art—or left bare for fear of choosing the “wrong” thing—Seattle’s thriving art scene is an ideal arena in which to begin your own collection.
Continue reading Art Collecting 101 for more tips and tricks on how to make your home a beautiful gallery.
This is our weekly guest post from our friends atSeattle Magazine, which keeps readers on the pulse of restaurants, personalities, arts, entertainment and culture that reflect the tapestry of our dynamic landscape. We’ve teamed up for an exciting partnership to bring you a weekly dose of fantastic Date Night ideas throughout greater Seattle.
Join The Marin Parent’s of Multiples at the largest Family Garage Sale in Marin! MPOMC’s annual Garage Sale features a variety of high-quality used items including maternity apparel, baby and children’s clothes (from infant to approximately age six), infant and toddler gear, toys, furniture and much more! Saturday June 11th, 8am 12pm, half price sale 1pm – 2pm. Marin Catholic Gymnasium, 675 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Kentfield. For more info, visithttp://www.mpomc.org/garage_sale.