Store or Toss—What items should stay or go after having a baby!
Having a baby truly changes your life—for the better! It takes about a year for things to wind down enough to start to regain control of your space and you’re often left feeling the need to get organized, more than ever before! So, that leaves us with the burning question of what to store and what to toss? Assuming this is your first baby and you’re planning on having another, there’s a few main things to keep (and toss) for the long-haul, here’s our suggestions:
What to Store
Maternity clothes—After you’re back into your regular wardrobe, you’re left with endless piles of maternity clothes. What’s the best thing to do with them? Wash them all, sort through what items can be used again, and store them in labeled plastic totes until next time. A lot of women exchange and borrow maternity clothes to save money. If all of your clothes are washed, organized and stored it’s even easier to access them for a friend in need!
Paperwork—It’s no secret that along with the birth of your little one, comes endless paperwork as well! We recommend breaking it down per child and per year, ie: “Ava—Year 1.” These linen storage boxes are a great option because they have lids which makes them stackable, and they’re also collapsible for easy storage when you don’t need them anymore.
Photos—After year 1 with your new little bundle, your phone is sure to have thousands of your most cherished memories in the form of videos and photos. Be sure those are safe and protected in both digital and print form. An external hard drive is the best way to store photos digitally but also ensure they’re safe and you can access them. This is often a better option than something like Dropbox since there’s a lot more storage space than what you’d have to purchase to store everything on Dropbox. Another great idea for economically printing your photos is to use an app called Chatbooks where you can simply connect your phone’s camera roll or your social media feeds and it will sort and organize your photos into a book for you! The best part is, the books start at $10!
What to Toss
Plastic Parts— Bottles, pacifiers, nipples, and breast pump parts often have the most use and wear down the easiest. Plastic and silicone deteriorate more than other materials, so, be sure to toss anything that has had its fair share of use. Replace breast pump parts every 3-6 months, check with your insurance company as they often replace parts as needed.
Baby clothes and bibs—Baby clothes and bibs take the brunt of the beating the first year. Wash and store clothing that can be used again but don’t hold onto the pieces with large stains from baby throw up or blow outs, despite the many bleach washes you may have put them through.
Baby food/formula—Baby formula is something that if unopened, should be used by the date listed on the container, however, if it is opened it should be used within a few weeks or a month of opening. Additional baby food that’s unopened will last as long as is marked on the use by date, but, if opened and/or refrigerated it should be sued within 24 hours. To be safe, it’s best to purchase new food and formula for your next baby.
What are your favorite baby storage hacks? Comment below and let us know! We hope you have an amazing time getting your growing family organized!
