Listen, I know you’re excited about that new baby and there are so many adorable outfits at Target, but step away for a minute and consider your options. Babies grow out of things really, really fast. Like in a day, sometimes. So buying brand new clothes for baby just doesn’t make sense.
Parents in the know are all about the hand-me-downs. If you can find someone – a relative, friend, neighbor, or that woman from your office who had a baby last year – who will hand you bags of baby clothes for free, you’re all set.
My big kids LOVE hand-me-down bags! It’s like Christmas happens randomly on a Tuesday in April. Once you find your hand-me-down source (friends, neighbors, coworkers), make sure you find someone to pass things on to and keep the love going!
If you’re not that lucky, start scanning Facebook marketplace, Craigslist or other local sites for baby clothes bundles. You can often find someone advertising “complete six months girl baby clothes set” or something similar.
Goodwill and thrift stores are another good option. Sometimes you can find amazing things at the thrift store (like the time I found $70 Keen hiking boots for my son at Goodwill), but if you aren’t into scanning the isles, check out the more upscale used clothing shops or shop online for used clothes.
The easiest way to create a posh wardrobe for your baby (if you're into that), while still buying used, is to shop online resalers like Thredup and Kidizen. You can find everything from last year's adorable Target onesies for five dollars all the way up to fancy baby brands selling at Target prices. The benefit of this strategy is that you do get to choose your baby’s clothes instead of hoping your friends’ tastes align with yours.
However you do it, buying used cuts down on your baby’s environmental impact by reducing resource consumption, manufacturing, and shipping. And who wants your tiny baby to be worried about a huge carbon footprint? She still hasn’t even found her toes!
– Hannah