For two and a half years, our duplex has been slowly filling up with baby things. Double of everything, because twins. Two bouncers, two high chairs, a double stroller, bins of tiny clothes in sizes nobody in this house will ever wear again.
In August, I finally looked at the hall closet and said, out loud, to no one, "This is enough." The twins are 29 months now, fully in toddler territory, and we're not planning on more babies. (Dan asked me to write "probably" there. Fine. Probably.)
So we spent three weekends clearing it out. Here's how it went, and what ended up where.
How we decided
I used three questions for every item:
- Have we used it in the last three months?
- Will we use it in the next six months?
- Does it hold a real memory, not just a vague "aww"?
If the answer to all three was no, it went. If it was yes to the first two, it stayed. If only the third was yes, it went into a small memory box, and I mean small. One bin per kid.
What we kept
This list was shorter than I expected:
- The double stroller. We still use it almost every day for walks and the farmers market.
- Both car seats, obviously, since they're in their convertible seats now.
- A few favorite board books the twins still ask for.
- The play yard, which we now use for trips to Dan's parents in Sacramento.
- One memory bin each: their going-home outfits, the hospital bracelets, one knit blanket each from my mom, and a few pieces I just couldn't let go of.
What we sold
I sold things through our local online marketplace and a neighborhood parents group. Big items with brand names sold fast; clothes did not. Here's what sold and for how much:
| Item | Sold for |
|---|---|
| Two high chairs | $70 |
| Twin nursing pillow | $25 |
| Two bouncer seats | $45 |
| Baby swing | $40 |
| Bottle warmer and sterilizer | $30 |
| Activity gym and play mat | $35 |
| Bundle of infant winter clothes | $20 |
Total: $265. It went straight into the emergency fund, because that's the rule for surprise money in our house now.
A few lessons from selling: take photos in daylight, clean everything first (a magic eraser did wonders on the high chair trays), price it a little lower than you think, and meet in a public place. Our local police station has a "safe exchange" parking spot, which I used for every sale.
What we donated
The rest went to donation. Most of the clothes went to a local nonprofit that gives baby supplies to families in need. They were really specific about what they take, which I appreciated: clean, no stains, no recalled items, and no used car seats or cribs for safety reasons.
We donated:
- About six big bags of baby clothes, newborn to 18 months.
- Swaddles, burp cloths and bibs, washed and folded.
- Baby bottles and pacifiers that were unopened.
- A pile of rattles and soft toys.
A friend from my twins group with a new baby took the baby carrier and the bassinet sheets. That one made me happy in a way selling never did.
What was harder than I expected
The clothes. I didn't cry over the swing or the bottle warmer. But I got completely undone by a pair of matching yellow onesies with little ducks on them that the twins wore to their first Thanksgiving. I put them in the memory bin. I think that's allowed.
Dan, meanwhile, was ruthless until we got to the bouncer seat June used to nap in when she was colicky. He stood there holding it for a solid minute before he let me list it.
What it feels like now
The hall closet has space in it. Actual space. We can store the vacuum in there instead of in the corner of the living room. The twins' room has room to play on the floor. I didn't realize how much the clutter was stressing me until it was gone.
If you're staring at a closet full of baby gear, start with the easiest pile. For me, that was the gear. The clothes came last, and they took the longest. Give yourself time and a little grace for the pieces you just can't let go of yet.
