18 January 2016

Having a Clear Out?


If your home is like mine then you'll probably have to have a little clear out every now and again. You put it off and put it off but then comes a time when you can't ignore the bursting cupboards and drawers or overflowing loft anymore. It's surprising just how much stuff a family of four (plus two dogs) can accumulate over the years. What can you do with all the old, but lovely stuff, that you can't use or don't need anymore? There's no point throwing it away or dumping it in the skip if its still got plenty of life left in it. So, I'm going to be really helpful and write down a few things you can do with your unwanted but still lovely stuff.

Sell It
First and foremost why don't you try and sell some of your lovely stuff? There's tons of places to do this now from eBay to Gumtree and if you're in Scotland there's also the lovely Jack & Jill Markets for your preloved baby and children's stuff. As long as it's been lightly used then the lovely people from the Jack & Jill team are happy for you to sell it. There's markets from Aberdeen to Dunfermline and even Glasgow. You should definitely check out their website for more details, I've done a few markets myself and they are well worth it: www.jackandjillmarket.co.uk.


Have a random assortment of stuff? Then you can always try a local car boot sale however do be warned they can be a bit scary for the newbies out there although I'm sure there's a good survival rate!

If some of your clothes have maybe seen better days but still you'd like to get a few pennies for them then try a local cash for clothes store. You don't get much but something's better than nothing and the clothing is recycled at least.

Give to Charity
There's tons of charities out there that could do with your donations and it all depends on what stuff you need to offload, however try thinking of local charities first. What about your local toddler group for preloved toys or what if there's a clothing bank near by that gives to local families in need. If you're in Fife (like me) did you know that there's a charity called Fife Children's Clothing Bank? I certainly didn't until recently. They basically collect children's clothes from drop off points all over Fife and hand deliver them to families in need. These families have of course been referred through the appropriate methods but how fantastic and helpful that clothes your children no longer need can help someone else. Check out their Facebook page for the latest up to date info.

Whilst we're on the subject of charities, ladies if you have any unwanted bras that are still in good condition then hand them over to Smalls For All, a brilliant charity based in Livingston which helps children and women in Africa. They even take nursing bras so any mamas out there no longer breastfeeding get your old nursing bras donated to a good cause.


Sometimes schools and nurseries do a rag bag collection where old/unwanted clothes can be popped in a bag and are then collected at the school. The school then receives some pennies in return for the clothes collected which of course benefits the children at the school as the funds go back to them in some way.

Friends and Family
Good old friends and family are always fab for asking if they'd like some of your unwanted but lovely stuff. Sometimes the things you loved to wear or use are just too good to sell or give to charity so why not ask around and see if anyone you know would like them. I've recently given my mother-in-law a gorgeous winter coat that's like brand new but no longer fits and she's thrilled with it. I'm glad it's being used and not stuck in my cupboard taking up room, win win.

I've recently had a clear out of Logan's clothes and shoes and some of them are in great condition so I'll hopefully be giving them to a little boy we know very soon. His mum was very thankful last time and she even gave me some lovely clothes for Harlow since she has a little girl who's older which was fantastic and very kind.



Upcycle It
Everyone seems to be into upcycling stuff these days so why not turn some of your old stuff into new stuff? This seems to work really well with old clothes and if you're crafty that's great however if you're like me and not very crafty then you can get someone else to upcycle for you.

How about a cute little keepsake teddy bear or stuffed animal made from your baby's old clothes or sleepsuits? Pretty cool I think and there's lots of people all over facebook and etsy who can do that kind of thing for you. Have a quick google and you'll see just how many come up.

If you have any ideas on what to do with your stuff after you've had a clear out then please do let me know. I'm always looking for other ways to recycle my unwanted but lovely stuff.



2 comments on "Having a Clear Out?"

Mandy on 18 January 2016 at 19:29 said...

I always either sell it or give it to someone who needs it more, the only time things get binned is when they can't be used! This post is extremely good, saves things going to waste x

The Breastest News on 18 January 2016 at 19:38 said...

Yeah I normally try and sell things first myself Mandy or if I haven't got the time I give them away to people in need. It leaves a warm fuzzy feeling inside :)

Thanks for the compliment x

Post a Comment

 

The Breastest News Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved Baby Blog Designed by Ipietoon | All Image Presented by Online Journal