With a new baby on the way, a friend or relative is bound to give you that "essential checklist" of gear you'll need to buy. But before you go crazy at your local baby store, why not think of buying a few key items secondhand?
Buying used is great for the environment and your baby budget. Instead of spending big on items that are only used for a short time, why not save the money to spend on something your son or daughter can use for life? Here's a list of gear you can find in good shape with relative ease secondhand:
1. A bassinet/moses basket. Considering these only last a baby a maximum of six months, chances are you can find one secondhand in great condition. I bought the organic bassinet pictured above, retailing for around $350, for just $100 used, and sold it for the same when I was done!
2. A dresser/change table. A vintage dresser is a great way to add some age, some depth to a new nursery. Add a change mat on top and you have yourself a change table for as long as you need it.
3. The crib. If you decide to go straight to a crib and forego the bassinet, a crib can be purchased used: all you will need is a new mattress. Remember, stay away from drop side cribs - they are dangerous and illegal to sell used.
4. The stroller. Test out strollers at the baby store, and have a quick look online to see if anyone is selling the same model.
5. Bouncers and swings. These almost always have removable, washable covers and can be recovered if the design isn't to your liking.
6. The high chair. You won't need one for at least 4 months, but when you do, if there's a particular one you want, you might get lucky online. I had my heart set on a Stokke Tripp Trapp, and found one on Craigslist for just $10! The paint needed a touch-up, but that's only a small amount of work for a savings of $200!!
Good luck, and happy secondhand hunting!
(Image composite: Alison Gerber)
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I might disagree with the stroller one, depending on how much you will use it. Our second child will be using her brother's stroller, and it definitely feels...usable, but used. Other gear, on the other hand, holds up well to reuse or doesn't get too beat up in the first place. I think any given neighborhood only needs three Exersaucers in rotation at a time--nobody should buy a new one. Ditto baby bath tubs, size 0-3 month clothing, co-sleepers...
I found that buying things as I needed them and getting them secondhand was best for my budget and the environment. Lots of things that were on most people "must have" list I did not need such as a bouncer chair or a change table.
I must say I am really jealous of your 10$ tripp trapp chair, I searched for a used one for a year and never found one under 200$ (it retails for 300$ here).
There are so many gently used items of high quality out there. I bought our BOB for $100 at an REI garage sale... the reason it was returned was a little bit of the grip foam on the handle was missing from the underside. That was it. I also am a fan of the consignment sales, my fave one is in a community where a lot of parents are conscious of high-quality, organic items. I bought many things along the way for our first and kept the list of must-haves pretty minimal. With #2 on the way I feel like I have this in the bag with doing it economically and green.
It's good for new parents to be aware of the 2011 changes in crib standards, too--it's not just drop-side cribs that are illegal to sell, donate, or give away, but *any* crib manufactured before the new standards went into effect in June 2011. (That's not to say you can't make a parental decision to go ahead and use an older crib anyway if you feel confident in its safety--plenty of people do--but know that a number of safety standards changed with the new regulations, from the strength of the mattress platforms to the distance between slats.) The CPSC has info here: http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2011/06/the-new-crib-standard-questions-and-answers/
The other day we tried to drop off some baby gear at the goodwill. They won't even accept it. Not even a relativey new stroller due to liability. What does that tell you about second hand baby stuff.
Tells me more about lawyers than the actual baby stuff.
I bought tons of stuff used for my kids and I wish I had bought even more now that I've seen how fast they outgrow it!
I disagree with the used crib advice. With the constant recalls and changes in regulations, that, to me, was a must-have NEW item. Our local children's consignment shop will not even consider accepting a used crib.
It should also be noted that carseats should never be purchased used, as well, unless they're from a trusted source and you can check recall status and that it's never been in an accident.
Bouncers, swings, high chairs, bassinet - yes, definitely. I'm a little on the fence about the stroller thing. They get used so so much and can really take a beating. Obviously, if budget does not allow for a new one, you do what you have to do, but it's another thing that, to me, is ideally new.
I truly believe that if you are NOT buying at least SOME main pieces of baby items second hand you're personally irresponsible. Bringing children into this world and putting a strain on the planet's resources can be mitigated somewhat by reuse of clothing and gear.
For safety - car seats, cribs - those can be exchanged between friends if you have access to recalls and manuals.
But for unnecesary items like bouncers, swings, etc, and even some strollers, it's great to access used items.
If goodwill won't accept baby items due to some policy, it's easy to post them online and offer them to families in need. Our goodwill doesn't make that distinction, but there are numerous bad policy decisions out there for organizations. Don't let that solve the question of whether or not reuse is a good idea.
A very crucial bit of "gear" for babies is their diapers, and if you use cloth, these can look beautiful in your nursery.
I'd like to add that cloth diapers are another item that can be purchased second-hand easily in any large city. If you consider adding a good 300-500 years of waste from disposable diapers per each new kid versus cloth diapering, and if you use a high efficiency washer to wash your diapers, and line dry or use more efficient dryers, then you can save money and preserve the planet a little better for your kid(s) and other people.
I don't think it's even legal to re-sell cribs on Craigslist. I might make an exception and take a crib from a friend or family member, as long as it was new enough to have closely-spaced bars, and all the hardware was still able to tighten all the way.
People may think that recalls are ridiculous, but our stroller was recalled because the folding mechanism was SEVERING little kids' fingers who got in the way when someone was folding the stroller. I almost got my own hand caught in it once. I'll now be checking recall info carefully for used stuff I buy!
As a new mom, receiving gently used furniture was great. But I would definitely check the recall status of anything you receive....even the new stuff, because that can be recalled in a flash too. (Register all of your equipment, so the company can contact you if there is a recall!)
I find the suggestion of reusing hand-me-down used cloth diapers a bit much, though.
Reusing cloth diapers is very popular. If they can be cleaned they can be shared. I understand that many people consider it a bit much initially but if you really give it thought it makes sense for the planet and isn't a hygiene concern.
Agree 100 percent, though certainly different people are comfortable with different used things for the safety and ick factors, and that's ok. As long as you're satisfied with it, the savings and environmental benefit will be worth it.
I can also totally appreciate the fun of getting some special new things, when they're gifts or comfortably fit in a smart budget - but I'm baffled by friends who do things like a $1500 nursery despite struggling to pay their medical bills, or buy a $600 glider and then cover it so thoroughly to keep it safe from the baby that you'd never it's nice in the first place.
Bassinets were definitely the biggest waste of money for us. They only used them for a month before they were rolling/smooshing into the sides and waking themselves up. Child number three didn't have one at all.
I had a stroller that lasted through all three and still kept going. (Used it for 12 years.) The only thing wrong towards the end was that the cover was getting a bit worn from constant washing.
I totally agree with this article. I am expecting baby number 5 and I want my children to have the latest and greatest but wow they really out grow stuff fast and sometimes they don't take to something as much as mom or dad does..take for example a Ergo Baby Carrier. I have my heart set on one for this baby but if I take a clue from the babies before this one none of my children have enjoyed a carrier and neither have I for the most part but I really want to try one this time around but I don't want to spend way over a 100 for something I might not even use..so I am bididng on ebay and set my budget at 60.
Wish me luck!!
Be careful with items made from plastic, particularly furniture and safety items like strollers or car seats (although I don't know anyone with a second-hand car seat). The plastic softens over the course of a couple of years, so if it's more than two years old you want to ditch it because it will not hold together well.
I would never, ever, buy a used carseat. I did buy our stroller from craigslist. It's a Bugaboo Cameleon and I use it on a daily basis. It's been the most amazing stroller. I have sold several Stokke Trip Trapps on Craigslist and never for less than $150-$200.
Also PS- People were folding their stroller while the child was in it? o.O
Two items that absolutely hold value and sell quickly: Trip Trap and Learnng Towers.
I agree that strollers get a lot of wear. But there are freak occasions where a stroller gets sold on CL when actually it has had very little wear - it was a gift, the owner didn't like it after a month or two etc. I agree these occasions aren't the norm, but you have 9 months - being patient for the right deal can really pay off! Perhaps you'll only save $50-$100, but that is actually a lot of money when you think about it.
I'll be selling my barely used (5 times) stroller on CL... ended up using the used jogging stroller I found on CL much more! Love CL!
I made myself a baby wrap carrier (like a moby wrap) from fabric i already owned, but i'd assume it was discount stuff that was about $2 a meter, so 10$ worth of fabric.
http://www.make-baby-stuff.com/make-a-baby-sling.html
Now that it's not in use, i've made jogging wallets, textile bracelets, headbands, and so on, with the fabric, and i believe i'll make a little dress for my daughter next. It was a low-risk way to do it, vs spending $90 on a mobi wrap - and it's getting another life now.
Wow. I was surprised to hear about the crib. I bought my crib second hand a a goodwill store for 30.00. It is, indeed, a dropside crib but the manufacturer sent us a free immobilizer to bring it up to code. I checked and double checked all other rules and regulations and am satisfied that it's safe. Of course, of course, my baby hates to sleep in it (he prefers a futon matress on the floor) but that's another thing.
Great point. Manufacturers will send you the immobilizer. Free. We don't need to TOTALLY stop using cribs that are perfectly decent. I am sure that the crib manufacturers would have you believe we do, but if you have regulations (size between slats, etc) in mind, then you're prepared to do some reusing and keep a few more cribs out of the landfill.