Do you save baby stretchies?

amother

Thu, Jan 11 2024, 2:16 pm

My youngest girl is 5 and I’m not pregnant
Just cleaning out my attic and is there a reason to save the stretchies? I live in an area where dressing up to date is the norm, would I even use stretchies that are 6-7 years old if my next one is a girl? Or am I better off giving away for someone to hopefully enjoy now?

amother

NeonPurple

Thu, Jan 11 2024, 2:21 pm

Give away
I like to dress my babies up to date
I usually give to my siblings
If they return, I’ll go through and see what’s still in good condition and I’ll save it, but I almost never end up using them

zaq

Thu, Jan 11 2024, 2:34 pm

You answered your own question. You live in a place where being up to date fashionwise is expected. If you didn't mind bucking the local trend, you wouldn't have asked, ergo you do care about being in fashion, even if only due to social pressure. The items are already five years old, which even a fashion ignoramus knows is nerdaciously ancient for fashionistas. Give the clothes away to someone who can use them and buy the next child, should there be one, new things.

Besides, even clothes that are not being worn deteriorate over time, and six or seven years is a long time.

amother

NeonPurple

Thu, Jan 11 2024, 2:37 pm

zaq wrote:

Wow so judgmental on what someone else chooses to do with their money.
Is it taking away from you???
As I said, I give away my clothing, usually to siblings or sometimes friends
I but very nice clothing and I’m happy for others to get the use
My real real designer things (yup, I’m that terrible person who buys designer stuff for my babies and toddlers) I keep for the next because those are classics

amother

Teal

Thu, Jan 11 2024, 2:40 pm

I don"t care about dressing up to date so I save my stretches (and yes I live in town in brooklyn)

Also it's hard for us financially after a baby because I don't get paid maternity leave. Saving the stretches means I won't have to buy new ones, so it's worthwhile just for that.

I only have one boy who is 9 and I still have the boxes of his baby clothes. Would definitely use it if I have another boy. I can also buy one or two new things if I want a nicer outfit for an occasion, but the ones I have could work just fine for every day use.

amother

Thu, Jan 11 2024, 2:41 pm

LovesHashem wrote:

How do you guys spend so much on baby clothing and then just give it awau

Honestly? Most of my babys stretchies he’s wearing now are from baby gifts
I bought some when the stores were 50-70 off recently and they’re cheaper than Carter’s then!

amother

Winterberry

Thu, Jan 11 2024, 2:42 pm

Keep if you will honestly still use. Otherwise donate or if stained toss.

I'm pretty fashionable & due soon after an 8 year gap. I've actually picked out a decent amount of things from storage that are still very usable. I don't see the stretchies, knit blankets with matching sweater & hat, & definitely onesies being too different than the current styles. Stretches were already the tight narrow fit then. After several years of anything but blue & pink we're back to mostly baby blue & pink! (not that I go just by what's in fashion but it happens to line up)

amother

Winterberry

Thu, Jan 11 2024, 2:46 pm

amother OP wrote:

Honestly? Most of my babys stretchies he’s wearing now are from baby gifts
I bought some when the stores were 50-70 off recently and they’re cheaper than Carter’s then!

True
Buying new doesn't mean expensive, & lots of people reuse old because they brought high quality Jacadi or whatever.

amother

Bisque

Thu, Jan 11 2024, 3:26 pm

I started giving away my (only) son’s stuff when he was about 10 and I unearthed a bin of wide-legged pants that could fit two boys these days LOL

Now his stuff goes straight to my nephews or to the gemach or Goodwill.

I did save my girls’ stuff, which came in handy because I have 3 in a row kah. Even though there are large gaps between them, there are some things that are timeless and actually held up well. I save coats, pajamas and uniforms as well as basic clothes that are unlikely to go out of style too quickly. And the stacks of stretchies that were in good condition are still being put to good use!

Even my fashion-conscious sister in law took some of my hand-me-downs in between my girls.

My current baby is most likely my last, so I will probably be giving away most things when she’s done with them. While my siblings do take things a few years later, I think I’d rather clear up the space in my attic.

ETA: most things from my 6-year-old held up well, and she wears hand-me-downs from my 10-year-old, but the baby stuff I saved from my 10-year-old didn’t hold up well enough for my baby, so I’d say 6-7 years is probably the max.

zaq

Thu, Jan 11 2024, 3:27 pm

amother NeonPurple wrote:

. Sorry you feel I was being
judgmental. I don't give a flying Fiestaware what you or OP do with your money. FTR I am a fashion moron, couldn't care less about being in style, and wouldn't live, if I could help it, in a place where people won't wear last year's fashions. But OP herself said that her neighbors are very fashion-conscious, and, as I said, if she didn't care about being in fashion she wouldn't have asked. I make no assumptions about why she cares, though I imagine it's more because she wants to fit in than because she's passionate about fashion. If she were motivated by her own internal need to be in style, the old stuff would have gone out, no questions asked.

amother

Papaya

Thu, Jan 11 2024, 7:37 pm

amother Winterberry wrote:

Yes to this. My trendy sibling had a gap of gender, 7 years. She also was able to use a bit.
Do expect some of the elastics to be gone and stains grow even if it was perfect before.
I have one of each gender, I gave away to siblings and said it it survives send it back. If not, I won't cry over it. I guess time will tell.
Toddler stuff I buy really cheap because they fight the bib and stain everything. I give away most. Kept gender neutral leggings and PJs, and even those that children's place still makes the same, 1 didn't fit right and the other got a hole after a few washes.