Archives for Baby
Swimming in children’s clutter
I have a hard time conveying my disdain for the inevitable accumulation of more stuff for my two year old. We are about to celebrate her second birthday and the grandparents are the nemesis against my anti-accumulation project. My wife and I tried to head off the unnecessary gifts by suggesting to the grandparents that they simply invest in a pass to the Children’s Museum here in Pittsburgh. This objective was achieved, but the grandparents were not satisfied with such a modest purchase.
Apparently, my mother in-law has a box of stuff that is awaiting my daughter when they return from their winter retreat in Florida. I’m not sure what is included in the box, but I’m fairly certain we will be finding a home for all of these gifts at grandma’s house. That is our short-term solution: Clutter the grandparent’s house with the gifts that they feel compelled to purchase. I don’t feel great about it, but we decided that this is the best solution at the moment. We appreciate that they want to buy our daughter gifts, we know that a lot of children don’t have this opportunity, we just wish that every gift they give didn’t have to be a toy. The gift giving guide that we compiled for the holiday season can also be applied for birthdays, but getting the grandparents to comply has not been successful.
The accumulation of more children’s clutter is a constant struggle, and it seems that Merlin Mann is right in the middle of an all out war against baby clutter, too. Good luck, sir. It is a tough thing to get under control with so many others (grandparents) working against you.
Popularity: 4% [?]
The highchair is in the way, again
In our recent move to a smaller home, we have noticed that our daughter’s highchair is constantly in the way. It doesn’t fold up, it doesn’t fit nicely against the table, and it is getting old. We have started to introduce our two year old to the “big girl chair” (a.k.a normal chair), but she needs to grow a bit before it’s a full-time solution. Since she easily took to her “big girl bed,” we figure it will eventually be a relatively easy transition.
I think if we had it to do over again, we would probably settle on a booster type seat. It saves space and it can easily be used on an existing chair. It won’t get in the way when not in use and it can be removed from a chair and set in a closet when needed. The highchair we have cannot easily be stored away. This folding high chair (pictured) is also an option we would have likely considered, but hindsight is 20/20.
Popularity: 3% [?]
Creative storage for kid’s clutter
Apartment Therapy’s ohdeedoh site recently held a contest in conjunction with Cookie Magazine where readers sent in pictures of their creative solutions for storing toys, clothing, and entryway items. It was called, Now You See, Now You Don’t! The contest finalists were recently announced, and their ideas were fantastic. I thought some of our readers would like to check out some of the great ideas that were showcased in this contest.
As a parent of a nearly two-year-old daughter, storage for toys is a constant struggle. It is always helpful to see what other people are doing to conquer the toy sprawl. I hope you enjoy these creative solutions for storage.
(Photo via ohdeedoh)
Popularity: 3% [?]
Getting rid of maternity clutter
We just got rid of the last of my wife’s maternity clothes last week. We have a friend who is expecting, so it was an easy way to get rid of them. My wife was also lucky to have a similarly sized aunt who gave her a few boxes of clothes initially, which means these clothes are being recycled for the third time.
Maternity clothes are a necessity, but seeing as they’re only worn for a few months, they’re not clothes anyone should be holding onto after they’re done being needed. Treehugger suggests using a maternity clothes lending library. The maternity clothing example in their post is based in the UK, but you may want to also try eBay, Craigslist and Freecycle. One thing that my wife learned was that maternity clothes are usually expensive, and getting them secondhand was worth it financially.
My wife also added some elastic to some of her older pants which gave her the room she needed for the in-between months that can be tricky. She simply cut about an inch down on each side of the waistline and sewed in some elastic. It is a very easy fix, but be sure to use pants that you no longer want for regular wear.
Popularity: 6% [?]
Diaper wallet
The latest trend in diaper bag sizing is: big, large, and huge. But, when I saw this Ikea hacked diaper wallet, I knew there was someone out there who thinks like me. Having to lug around diapers and other supplies can get tiresome. The diaper wallet option is great if you are making a quick stop somewhere with your infant or to keep under the car seat to have in case you forgot the diaper bag elsewhere. Also, considering that I have no need for a CD wallet anymore, a hack for a now obsolete item is very useful.
We are in the process of trying to potty train our daughter, so hopefully we’ll be able to rid ourselves of our diaper bag in the next few months. Wish us luck!
(via Ohdeedoh)
Popularity: 6% [?]
Crib clutter warning
A newborn baby adds so many items to your home. If you are a first time parent, you often don’t know what you really need. That being said, you should never clutter your infant’s crib with toys, pillows, or multiple blankets.
According to a warning to parents by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, having too much clutter in the crib of a baby, whether it be with too many pillows, blankets, etc. can put babies at risk of harm, and even death.
The agency stated that between 2002 and 2004, there were 241 child deaths, with 40% of them involving cribs. In all of the deaths, the kids were under the age of 5.
The deaths from cribs revolved around pillows, blankets, etc. taking up too much space.
We received about 10 different blankets for my daughter when she was born. Needless to say, we really didn’t use many of them. We also didn’t pack her crib full of toys and pillows either. I’m thinking this stuff is commonly known, but you never know. Keep the child’s crib free of clutter and your little one will be that much safer.
(via dbTechno)
Popularity: 26% [?]
Online toy rental in the spirit of Netflix
Reader Lorena sent us a link to a wonderful article about Baby Plays, an internet-based toy rental company for U.S. residents. From the article:
“Baby Plays … allows parents to receive four or six toys in the mail every month, assembled and ready for playtime. Call it Netflix for the toddler set.”
There is a flat fee based on the number of rentals ($29, $32, and $36 packages), and all of the toys are guaranteed to be lead-free. According to the article, “the toys are sanitized with Clorox wipes and loaded with fresh batteries before being shrink wrapped and boxed for shipment.” Additionally, all toys come with a postage-paid box for returning the toy when your child tires of playing with it.
Toy rental sounds like a terrific idea for keeping play room clutter under control, especially if you don’t have a toy lending library like the one discussed in today’s earlier post. This service also seems like a perfect gift a grandparent could give a grandchild.
Popularity: 39% [?]
Check out Zwaggle
We’ve written about sites like Freecycle and Craigslist on ways to get rid of things you no longer use or want. Zwaggle is a very interesting concept in that it is specifically for baby products. Do you need a stroller? Are you looking to get rid of that changing table? You may want to check out Zwaggle.
From Zwaggle’s site:
Zwaggle was created with our own families in mind. We value neighborhood and conservation, and envision an online community that reflects a strong sense of social responsibility while helping families manage their resources. We believe in promoting a sense of sharing, trust, and respect for one another, our resources, and our environment.
Zwaggle is shaped by our community members. We strive to provide services and forums that are relevant, educational, and easy to use. We encourage all members to participate in a way that demonstrates our shared ideals of cooperation and collaboration in making our global community - online and off - a better place.
Thanks to Amy, one of our readers, for pointing us to this service.
(Via Lifehacker)
Popularity: 10% [?]
2007 Gift Giving Guide: Buying for children
The holiday season is upon us and now is the time when grandparents and family friends overindulge and spoil their children by purchasing everything that they think looks cute.
My 19-month-old daughter is getting ready to enjoy her second Christmas. She is the only grandchild between the two sets of grandparents and the spoiling is hard to combat. Both sets of grandparents are raring to go out and buy, buy, buy.
Here are some tips on trying to combat the accumulation of more toys:
Make a list: This year we supplied both sets of grandparents with a list of what our daughter needs. We didn’t really want to resort to this, but it is definitely a necessary evil. We can’t house an endless supply of toys, and there are actually things we need for her.
Consumables for the little ones: To combat the influx of new toys, you might want to include some consumables for your little one’s list. How about a season pass to the local zoo or museum? These are great purchases that grandparents can also enjoy by accompanying their grandchild to such an outing. What about a year’s worth of gymnastics or piano lessons? Be creative.
Prepare old toys for donation: What better time of year to donate old toys that no longer hold your child’s interest than the holiday season? In preparation of the new toys coming in, make a conscience effort to donate all old and gently used toys and books to a local charity. If you child is old enough, have him or her participate in the charitable process.
When shopping for other people’s children, consider ways that you can give in uncluttered ways, too. Toys with small pieces probably aren’t the best choices.
I hope these tips help. Good luck, and happy holidays!
Popularity: 26% [?]
Don’t let bath toys consume your bathroom
I recently visited a home that had two children under the age of four. When I used their bathroom, I was overwhelmed by the crazy amount of bath toys. With bath toys, just like regular toys, you need to get rid of the old when new ones are acquired.
My wife and I have yet to purchase a bath toy for our daughter, but if you have a child you know how toys go. We have a small plastic tote not unlike the one you may have had back in your college days. The plastic tote holds all of my daughter’s bath supplies. Her soap, shampoo, and toys all fit into it. If we acquire a new toy there isn’t much room to work with, so we get rid of something old and keep the baby bath gear down to a minimum.
Popularity: 24% [?]
Baby’s preferences are unpredictable
When my wife was pregnant with our daughter, she went to our friend’s house who had recently adopted a newborn. Their daughter was very young at that point and they recommended a cradle swing that they dubbed, “a life saver.” It was the only thing that would soothe their child to get her to sleep.
We did some shopping around online and the model that was recommended had very high ratings and glowing customer reviews. My mother-in-law eventually purchased the swing for our daughter, but she never liked the swing at all. We figured maybe she would grow to like it, but the screaming never stopped and the swing eventually found its place in the basement never to be used again.
Its not like you can take your newborn around shopping for a device that they will eventually be comfortable in, but you can shop around on Craigslist, Freecycle, or any number of secondhand stores for larger devices like a swing. If your newborn doesn’t take to it, get rid of it by using that same service.
This way, you save money and you get rid of an item that your child clearly doesn’t like. It is almost as if you are renting the item in hopes of your child taking to it.
Popularity: 22% [?]
Sippy cups: Less is more
My sixteen month old daughter has been off the bottle for quite some time. Since then, we have been using sippy cups, and I have come to appreciate the simplicity of the two piece cup. (We also have a three piece and a couple of four piece cups, but I’m not recommending them.) When you are cleaning cups multiple times per day, the less you have to clean the better. The more pieces the cups have, the more likely you are to lose a piece–which we have definitely done.
Some ridiculous cups have six pieces! A few of the pieces are optional, but why have a six piece cup if you can get the job done with a two piece cup? It is a bit hard to figure out how many pieces a cup has shopping online, but be diligent in finding out that information. Most sippy cups have a little rubber or plastic valve to hold back the liquid, and, regardless of how many pieces there are in a sippy cup, this is the one you will inevitably lose.
The most important thing in a sippy cup is the spill factor. Does it hold the liquid? From experience, none of the cups we have are fool proof. The little one figures out how to get a few drops out here and there, but if the sippy cup has an extra piece acting as a stopper you should know that they slip out after being dropped over and over again. If the cup is missing that valve, then your child is covered in juice or milk.
To recap: When buying sippy cups, you want ones with as few pieces as possible (I recommend two–cup and lid) for easy cleaning and to reduce the likelihood that you will lose essential pieces.
Popularity: 15% [?]
Reader pics: Charles Smith’s uncluttered nursery
Having a baby can really test your ability to keep a tidy and uncluttered home. You can either give into the disarray and let your home descend into a constant state of clutter or you can make a conscience effort to straighten up your home.
Our daughter was quite active once she started crawling and pulling her self up. Her ability to grab anything and everything definitely contributed to my wife and I keeping our home less cluttered. We got rid of tons of items that were definitely clutter, but resided in our home for one reason or the other.
We also try to keep our daughter’s nursery in an uncluttered state. It isn’t easy and the room still gets a bit disastrous here and there, but it never really gets out of hand. Our daughter hasn’t reached the age where she can run around room like a tiny tornado wreaking havoc where ever she goes, but we are constantly trying to teach her that everything has its place.
That brings me to a reader’s submission about their nursery. Charles writes in his email:
Popularity: 24% [?]
Grandparents, consider the fold away crib
Both sets of our daughter’s grandparents have a crib for her in their homes. The cribs take up a ton of space that neither homes have to spare. For soon-to-be grandparents considering a crib, you may want to look into the Stowaway Folding Compact Crib. If you are going to purchase a crib anyway, you should definitely consider this compact and easy to store alternative. When your grandchild isn’t around, the crib folds up and can easily be wheeled into storage.
If your son or daughter already has Pack and Play, you may want to consider bypassing the spare crib altogether. We use our Pack and Play as a crib for our daughter whenever we are traveling to a destination that is without a crib.
Popularity: 14% [?]
Baby toy alternatives
As I wrote the post on managing your child’s toy collection, I realized how many things we used as an alternative to toys. Here are some everyday items in your house that can double as a toy for your adventurous little one. My daughter is fifteen months old right now, a peak time for such alternatives. Admittedly, these solutions may not be right for your older child.
Laundry basket: Our daughter either gets into and out of the laundry basket over and over again or she wants to be pushed around in it as she sits inside. She also torments our cat as it relaxes in the laundry basket. She likes to push the basket around the room and crash into things too. It can also double as a place for all of her regular toys.
Boxes: My daughter loves to throw things into boxes, so before we throw any old shoe boxes away we give them to her to play with until she destroys them.
Measuring cups: This is a nice alternative to the plastic keys she has. From five to ten months old she loved playing with her measuring cups. She doesn’t really like them these days.
Bottled water: Shaking a bottle of water keeps her occupied for quite some time on long car trips. Just make sure the cap is on tightly.
Cups: Nesting plastic cups can keep her entranced for fifteen to twenty minutes, and that is like an eternity for our daughter who is moving non-stop.
Keys: Give your kid a set of keys, but just make sure to remove the door lock contraption from the ring. Kids love pressing buttons and the panic button is usually red which is even more appealing.
Cellphone: Playing with an old cellphone lets her mimic her parents. We removed the battery from an old one and she pretends to talk to someone (most likely Elmo).
Blankets and pillows: They can be used to make tents or tunnels with some help from the furniture.
Obviously, these aren’t going to replace every toy, but they can offset the accumulation of more toys.
Popularity: 13% [?]
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