This is the last rant in the series. I mean blog , REHOME and its one very close to my heart as I'm sure to yours too when you take a minute to see the kindness of family and friends in your life. As new mums getting ready for a baby is daunting, someone so little needs so much (or so we think ) and when it's your first we want it to be right , so new is always nice as we are buying it for our wee one and its special etc . Blah blah blah . I say that because , yes buying stuff is nice but the amount of items people have stored and shoved and saved in cupboards, garages and lofts is amazing. And we need to take advantage of that. I realised that after 6 months I had not actually bought my wee one anything , and I mean anything. And I did not need to for a good wee while yet. I did cave at a really cute outfit and a winter coat in a large supermarket the other day, but I could have made do with donations I had.
You see one wonderful way to help this planet is to reduce and rehome. So much stuff from clothes to toys and cots and cribs and playmats , highchairs, rocking chairs, change tables, baby baths , curtains, sheets and bumpers, are only used for a wee while in bubs life, they move on and out so quick . That to be handed a pre loved nearly new item is finding new purpose for it and reducing waste, most of the items above have some sort of plastic component to them and reducing that in any way is a win win for everyone. Bundles of its are usually saved of you by family so to have to crib that so and so used the bouncer that was this persons adds memories and value to it. My wee one played in a saucer in NZ that my mum figured was at least 27 years old and had been loved and dribbled on by countless babies and relatives and friends as wee ones I need to add . For my daughter to have her photo taken in it and posted to all that had either borrowed it or indeed played in it brought us all together, joining us to each other. It also goes to show the longevity of a plastic item. Imagine that sitting in land fill !
Clothes and all other baby items are perfect candidates to help reduce waste and rehome. Every new mum likes her new stuff but is grateful for the bags of only worn once items to fill in the gaps in bubs drawers. Even if they don't actually get to wear them and then you get the satisfaction of paying it forward to another mother. There is nothing better than a swap shop coffee date, a generally catch up and pass on between mums.
If you are the end of the line, then charity shops are the place to do your bit. It is a win win situation as everyone profits from the help. Item either go to those in need, the money of selling an item is passed down to buy a basic need for life. And you have passed it on to the worthy case. Although if your item is still in good nick you can also make a pretty penny yourself on eBay and or preloved sites. Either way you are reducing waste and rehoming items, no adding to land fill or rubbish dumps.
Im sure over these series of thoughts I have had , it has prompted you to say , I already do that , ok, hadn't thought of that and or yes I can emolument that . But mostly I am sure I am preaching to the converted as we as new mums are so aware of the world around us now we have to pass it on to someone. We already feel the need to do more and be more for the next generation. So well done, I know sometimes can feel like we are taking a dust pan and brush to a nuclear waste site and feeling like Wall-E at times. But every little counts a lot.