Planning to reuse all of those expensive baby items for your second baby? Putting away your stroller for the winter? Wanting to resell your high end baby clothes but don’t have the time right now? Saving your baby gear (and other items) is a cost effective, eco-friendly way to pass down pre-used, barely worn, and lightly loved baby items. Read About HOW TO STORE A STROLLER.
So, what is the best way to store baby items? What should you toss, what can you save and what’s best to donate? As a general rule, bottle nipples, pacifiers, some breast pumps and parts, and food and medicine items should not be saved. Everything else is fair game for saving and storing, or donating!
Evaluate your items prior to storage to make sure you’re keeping only top quality items that you’ll want down the road. Make sure that everything is in good condition, has all the pieces, hasn’t been recalled, is in working order and is free of significant damage.
Best way to store strollers:
- Strollers can take quite a beating and still keep on rolling. But some precautions should be taken prior to storing your baby’s ride away for the winter or until a new brother or sister comes along. Before packing up and storing your stroller, give it a thorough cleaning. Crumbs, gummy bears, Cheerios or whatever else may be lurking in those hidden seams are breeding grounds for mold, bacteria, and *gasp* bugs!
- Try to get out as much staining prior to storage as possible. Stains like sunscreen, mud, and potty accidents are much harder to get out the longer they sit, so removing them now is key. After wiping, scrubbing and/or steaming, allow the stroller, fabric and all attachments to thoroughly dry. Any amount of moisture can lead to mold, mildew, and rust; possibly rendering the stroller unusable.
- If you just don’t have the time, tools or energy to do a heavy deep cleaning, consider hiring a company, like BabyQuip Cleaning. Their certified cleaners spruce up your stroller and sanitize it for you! Having a professional clean and detail your gear can offer peace of mind, knowing your baby gear is storage ready.
- Storing your strollers in an easily accessible location makes the most sense, in case you may need it for a 4 year old who swore off strollers two years ago but suddenly forgets how to walk! Dreambaby StrollAway Over the Door Stroller Hangers are a great way to stow away strollers behind a closet or bedroom door.
- For longer term storage, ladder hooks screwed into the wall of a garage or basement will help to keep strollers up off the ground, deterring pesky critters from crawling inside. Cover your strollers with large, clean sheets, to protect from dust, light, and moisture. Remove all accessories, like guard bars, snacks trays, and adapters, and store them in the stroller’s basket in an airtight bag. This will prevent any damage that may come from folding the stroller with the accessories attached while keeping all the parts together.