Repurpusing Baby Gear
Baby gear can be so short-lived and even the most minimal parents can end up quickly accumulating a pile of stuff that’s outlived its original purpose. While passing along or selling items is a great option, if you’re planning to hold onto it either for future babies or because it’s not in good enough shape to pass along, then you might want to consider ways to repurpose. Over the years I’ve noted that by making a few swaps for things marketed specifically for babies it can make repurposing a little easier. Take a look below and please share any of your own swaps or repurposing tips in the comments!
Resuable silicone bags - These bags easily replace pacifier holders and travel wipe cases and can be repurposed in so many ways. They are a diaper bag essential in our home. We’ve tried other less expensive brands but they just don’t compare with the Stasher brand, especially if you’re looking for something that will last. Now that my kids are older, we use ours daily for snacks, food storage, storage for small toys like legos, toiletries etc. They’re the best.
Decorative bins and baskets - We use a lot of bins and baskets to organize all the stuff in our home. By sticking with neutral options versus styles that scream “baby!” I can easily move them around my house as needs change. Baskets once holding diapers, ointments,burp clothes, or postpartum supplies in my bedroom now hold blocks, train tracks, and magnetic tiles in my living room. Obviously you could get these in any color or style you like. We stuck with grey, cream, and beige options from places like H&M Home, Ikea, HomeGoods, and Target.
Pregnancy pillow - I loved my Snoogle but once my second baby was born, I didn’t need it and it took up too much space to store. On a whim, I put it under my then four-year old’s fitted sheet and it worked great as a bumper! If you have a toddler transitioning to a big-kid bed you might consider this option to keep them from rolling out, but please do your own research or consult with an expert on specific safe sleep practices appropriate for your child’s age.
Foam playmats - when my daughter was little we used a House of Noa playmat in lieu of a rug in her room. Once she outgrew that we repurposed the tiles that were in decent shape to use for home workouts, specifically to absorb impact for kettlebell workouts. I also think they’d work well for yoga or anything else you’d normally use a padded mat for. You could also consider using as tile or two as a shock-aborpting mat if you’re working from home and have a standing desk area.
Oversized hand towels - while hooded baby towels are just the cutest things, I never ended up buying any and have noticed that my parachute waffle hand towels are perfectly sized for little babies (ours are 30” by 20”). I’m still using them for my 18-month old and they work great. The obvious advantage is that they can be used as…actual hand towels, once your baby outgrows them.
Baby Bathub - We used the Stokke Flexi baby bathtub and while there was a lot about it that I didn’t love, at the end of the day it worked best for our teeny tiny bathroom because it was the only option I found that folded flat for storage. Now that both my kids have long outgrown the need for baby bathtubs, this tub works perfectly as a sensory bin for lots of messy activities. It has tall sides to contain the mess and folds up compactly when you’re done!
Calm app - White noise was essential in the early days for both my kids. There are a ton of options on the market, including portable versions like the famous shusher, but for a multi-purpose option we used the premium version of the Calm app instead. Under the sleep tab there are lots of different soundscapes to soothe baby including the Shhhhhhh sound on a loop. This was a LIFESAVER for us. I would play it shushing on my phone for stroller or carseat freakouts or use it in our home when I just couldn’t manually shush anymore :) My older toddler loved the sleep stories for naps and bedtime, and my husband and I use the guided meditations regularly. You can use your phone, a tablet, or hook up to a bluetooth speaker. It’s obviously a very portable and versatile option.
Layinne convertible changing pad - And last but certainly not least, this buttery soft vegan leather changing pad folds up into a water resistant clutch and was designed to be versatile and last well-beyond the years your baby is in diapers. I use mine to store a change of clothes and diaper supplies inside my diaper bag. It’s also roomy enough to use as a wet bag for damp bathing suits or soiled clothes. You could also use it as a toiletry or make-up bag and unfolded it can serve as a sanitary and wipeable surface for your products and make-up brushes - especially great for travel!
What creative ways have you repurposed old baby gear? I’d love to hear in the comments below!