The problem with baby products is that almost as soon as you’ve bought them, cleaned them, and put them to use, your little bundle of joy has become a little too big and outgrown it all. Baby shower gifts, once shiny and pristine, lay discarded in the attic, collecting dust and serving as a nagging reminder of how badly you need to go to Goodwill. Baby food is now just the aisle in the grocery store you can’t pass without getting wistful for the days before your kid learned what Taco Bell is.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. As my youngest kid nears nine, I’m seeing these products in a new light. A changing station… or a new dresser for our tween? Here a few ways to give your outdated baby products a new life.
Baby Monitors
Once used to be sure your little one was safely asleep in her crib, you’ll want to dig this one out again to be sure your teen is, you know, safely asleep in her room and not sneaking out with the boyfriend.
Baby Bath Products
Take advantage of still being on those baby bath product coupon lists. Except instead of pampering baby, this go-round the focus is on you. Baby oil is a cheap eye makeup remover, baby wash is perfect for hand washing delicates, and powder can stand-in as a dry shampoo in case of emergency.
Sippy Cups
When the kids were little, sippy cups were the first defense against spills while they learned to use cups on their own. Nowadays, they’re the last line of defense for my sanity when I just want to finish my own drink without a kid knocking it off the table with a lightsaber or flag.
Cradle
For a very brief time when the kids were tiny, they slept next to my bed in the cradle their great-grandfather made for our firstborn. Now, it’s overflowing it’s a makeshift zoo, filled to the brim with stuffed animals the kids will probably carry with them to college.
Blankets
The giant stack of receiving blankets you brought home from the baby shower will really come in handy when your teen is dying her hair some insane color. They’re better than your good bath towels, anyway.
Baby Food
These days, I find myself back in the baby aisle every time the kids are sick with a sore throat. There’s only so much applesauce one can take, and even our oldest is happy to have a gentle food option in the much more fun flavor of Hawaiian Delight. Confession, I don’t really mind it myself, either.