I know we haven't even started collecting 'stuff', but what we have so far... I don't know where it's all going to go! We've been generously given many 'big' things we need, and I'm so thankful for them What I didn't think about beforehand was- where are we going to put it all??
So far, we've gotten hand-me-downs:
- pack-n-play
- exersaucer bouncy activity center thing
- bouncy chair
- swing
- travel bed
- side-of-the-crib diaper organizer
- garbage bag full of clothes
- garbage bag full of receiving blankets
- boppy covers
- infant car seat & base
The baby's room has a crib, dresser/changing table, and glider- and anything more than that on the floor makes it impossible to walk through the room. So, nothing else can go in there, except what stores underneath the crib. Right now, the exersaucer thing and the packed-up pack-n-play are sitting in the middle of the floor in the room, making it pretty much impassable. The swing is half-assembled in the middle of the living room. (And we don't have modern furniture and bright colors in our house- it's pretty much all subdued & wood & country, so the bright, primary colored toys don't exactly camouflage well.) Almost everything else in that list is still sitting in Josh's car. :)
And, I know this is just the beginning. Most of the Stuff left is smaller and easier to store (I think?!), I think, but the sheer volume of it is a bit overwhelming for our little house. I know much of the stuff on the above list isn't necessary, but I figured we'd at least give it a try to see what Baby Boy likes before getting rid of it.
My question for you: What are your storage tricks? Where did you put all the big "baby stuff"? Does it take over the living room? Your bedroom? Or do you just keep it in the attic or garage until needed? Because middle-of-the-floor isn't working for me right now.
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3 comments:
Heh try living in a one-bedroom apartment. :-)
Yeah I remember dealing with this. It's amazing where you can find room when you rearrange... We were able to put the pack & play in the small space between the living & dining room by pushing the couches closer together (we put it behind the couch). The bouncer we never got a handle on... I stubbed my toe SO often on that thing!! But once we started using it, it was always in the living room, and after we stopped we put it in the storage room we have.
We didn't get the exersaucer until we moved into the house, so we keep it in the den. I've used it like 3 times, and I think we might be beyond its use now? I am going to get rid of it I think... They're easy to come by, so I'll just get another one when baby #2 gets that age.
Is that the pack & play you have? My inlaws got that same one for when we visit and I love it. I like that changing pad way more than I like ours!
Infant carseat goes in the car, of course. :-) I drove around with an empty carseat for the whole last month of my pregnancy.
I washed all the clothes, and took all the newborn to 3 month sizes and put them on the shelf of the closet that was hers (I didn't have a dresser for her until we moved to the house). Then I packed all the too-big clothes up in one of those plastic storage containers at the bottom of the closet. That's what I do now, too, with her too-small clothes. Blankets also went in that closet or in the pack & play. You could store some stuff in the bottom of the p&p because it will probably be a little while before you need the playpen part. Are you getting something like an Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper? Because mine has space in the bottom for storage as well.
So I have three little boys, 6, 3.5 and almost 1 year. We made a practice from the beginning NOT to let the baby stuff to take up the main living space. We have always hosted Bible studies in our home while having kids, and my hubs doesn't like to see baby stuff out when there is no baby present. You will not use the excersaucer while the baby is in the bouncy seat. When you are done with it, put it in a garbage bag and put it in attic/garage rafters/basement if you intend to save it and pull out the next developmental thing. There isn't too much you can do with a swing but leave it out. But many people don't mind having all that stuff out. So do what suits you.
Bye Bye living room! Walk in our house and you know we have kids. My house is not a show piece, but rather a home. Do what you are comfortable with. The bouncer will be needed ASAP. They are not all created equal though. You may need pillows to help support his head. One of our bouncers we got rid of because it was too upright.The boys both sat in the bouncer on the kitchen table and watched me cook dinner. They loved the vibration and ours had a kickpad that made light and music start. We couldn't live without it. He can sit in it in the bathroom when you are lucky enough to get a shower. We used everything else on your list except for a travel bed (only good for non-rolling babies I would assume!). You don't really need that if you have a pack n play. The pack n play can go next to your bed for midnight feedings. However his room is so close, if you want to get out of bed you could just store the pack n play in the trunk and use if for traveling only until you want the playpen.Plastic storage tubs, labeled with clothing sizes is a must. We still store them under all of our beds and up high in the closets. Do you have boards up high in the garage to store the exersaucer until he is older? Our first house was bigger, but we still ended up with a mini barn. It was a good investment if you are planning on staying put for a few years.
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