Is your spring cleaning session turning into a week-long purging of everything in your house, including all of your old baby gear? A lot of things happen to children. While you may be tempted to store or toss outdated clothes, toys, and strollers, there is a responsible—and simple—way to do it.
You’ve certainly gathered a lot of baby goods between baby shower gifts and spontaneous web buying. But, since your child has outgrown it and you don’t have the space (or need) to store it, what do you do now?
You have four choices: sell it, donate it, discard it, or recycle it. Here’s how you can do good with the old baby equipment that’s expired, worn out, or broken.
Table of Contents
1. Breast Pumps
Did you use any breast pump during your pregnancy? You can send back the motor and cable of your unwanted breast pump through many recycles programs. Most other manual breast pumps can be recycled by putting the pump, breast shields, and tubing in your curbside recycling container for pickup by your neighborhood recycling organization.
2. Paper Books
Gently used books are frequently accepted by schools, libraries, and churches. However, if you have any ripped, colored-on, or otherwise irreparable paper books, you can recycle them in your paper recycling bin.
3. Small Baby Items
You can put some tiny baby things in your recycling bin and have them picked up immediately when you no longer even want them, such as:
- Baby bottles
- Breast milk bags
- Sippy cups
- Plastic baby utensils, plates, and bowls
- Jars for baby food (food pouches and lids are not permitted)
- Baby bathtubs
- Diaper pails
- Wipe dispensers.
Check with your city’s recycling department to see if some of the items, such as baby tubs, glass baby food jars, and diaper pails, are accepted (rigid plastics).
4. Car Seat, Prams, And Strollers
Strollers, prams, and seats, unfortunately, aren’t recyclable at the curb. Sell or give yours if it satisfies current safety regulations. You can even resale them to your pram supplier rather than giving it to someone who might face mishap as a result.
Although you will be charged to ship it in, all useful parts will be recycled. Fabrics, foam, metal, and plastic are employed in construction projects in underdeveloped countries.
5. Stuffed Animals
Old stuffed animals are typically not accepted in your neighborhood women’s shelter because to the potential for contamination, but the majority of animal shelters will accept them. Because certain plush toys and materials might be hazardous to animals, check with your local animal shelter to see if they have any safety regulations.
6. Baby-Food Jars
Place these in the bin if your curbside recycling program accepts glass, as most do. However, you can omit the step of rinsing them first. According to an expert, as long as the majority of the food is scraped out of the jar, it’s suitable for recycling.
What about the metal lids? If your community accepts them, toss them in; during the recycling process, a magnetic steel drum will gather them. Such material is often melted and utilized in making strong steel safes by some well-known best safe manufacturers.
7. Toddler Mattress
To give this away after so many mishaps is not a good idea. Call your waste management department to schedule a bulky item pickup.
Your municipality may recycle it depending on the program. If that isn’t an option, call a countrywide firm that will gladly dispose of your unwanted items responsibly.
8. Baby Bathtub
You can give it away. It can, however, go in the bin if your recycling program accepts rigid plastics (plastics that keep their shape and are difficult to break, such as a bucket or a laundry detergent bottle).
9. Electronic Toys
It should be recycled alongside other electronics if it contains a cord or a battery. This means you can recycle your stuff on the same day as a broken toaster, TV, hairdryer, or computer in your neighborhood.
10. Diaper Pail
It’s composed of tough plastic, so recycle it if your municipality allows it. But first, put it on Craigslist or Freecycle. Because no one likes the smell of a dirty diaper, it’s in high demand!
Spread the Joy
While the bouncer in your living room may be a waste of space, the new mom down the street may be in desperate need of a way to soothe her child.
Post or email about the stuff you’re wanting to get rid of if you’re a member of a neighborhood list service or a moms club. If not, tell your friends and family that you’re looking for a new home for your baby gear — word of mouth is effective!
Another wonderful approach to get the word out is to post it on Facebook (or your preferred social media channel). From used baby gear to brand new pond filter system, everything is sold there.
