My garage holds the overflow of stuff that needs to be “spring cleaned” right out of this house. Oh, and the basement closets, the kids’ closets—well, pretty much any closet. When I assessed the stuff that had to go, it was apparent that it was mostly kid’s stuff.
As I happily snapped shots of not one, not two, but yes, three strollers to post online, I realized that my two boys may not be as enthusiastic as I am about cleaning out the clutter.
At first, the kids didn’t want to get rid of anything—not even a little crappy toy that they “won” at the CNE. I talked to the kids about passing on pre-loved stuff because I want them to be a part of the solution. It’s a great chance to teach young ones about the planet and the importance of re-using stuff. After I talked to the boys, they realized, that they don’t need so many things, and that they don’t miss the stuff they give away.
When you’re ready to give away your kids’ pre-loved stuff, remember a few ground rules:
• Toys should have all working parts
• Clothes must be in good condition without stains or holes
• Check online to find out what is not a great item to pass on to others, like used mattresses and stuffed animals, for example.
If the item is in good condition, just beyond our needs, we put it aside to “pass on” to another family. There are a few options available to sell and give away gently used children’s stuff:
• Donate to a charity, such as Goodwill, The Salvation Army, and neighborhood churches, just to name a few.
• Hand Me Downs – if you have family and friends who are in need of kids’ stuff.
• Sell in person at consignment stores like Once Upon a Child
• Sell online on sites like ToddlerTrunk.com, Kijiji, and Craigslist
I only realized the impact of my discussions with my five-year-old son when we were walking past a friend’s car one day at school pick up. I said, “Wow, looks like your friend Maggie is still in her little girl car seat.” My son, Callum, said to me, “Well Mom, I guess her Mommy isn’t on ToddlerTrunk.” Too funny, I thought and sweet, he gets it and embraces it!
Guest post by ToddlerTrunk.com CEO, Jennifer Scace. ToddlerTrunk is an online social marketplace for parents to connect, buy, sell or trade virtually anything for their children.
