Where to Donate or Sell Your Baby Gear

Published on 9/20/2021 at 1:45 PM

Paid Content For

Moderna

After all the time you spend researching and registering for new baby gear and supplies, it can be disheartening to realize how quickly they outgrow it all. The lifespan of a swing, bouncer, or activity mat is surprisingly brief. If future babies aren't on the agenda, and your friends and family with little ones have everything they need, you can still ensure that those (briefly) prized possessions get a second go-round.

Whether you opt to sell or donate your gear, these resources will allow you to recoup some of the cost or pass it all along to someone who can really use it. We've broken it down into the categories of clothing, new diapers, and gear, and found a range of options for each. Out with the old, in with the new.

Clothing

Sign up for online consignment shop thredUP and receive a bag to fill with your gently used, good condition baby (and/or maternity) clothes. Send it back to thredUP (shipping label provided) and they'll take care of the rest. Once your items sell, you'll receive a percentage of the sale price directly to your account. You can opt to cash out or shop the marketplace of second-hand duds for your growing tot.
Create a Poshmark account. Snap photos of the clothes you're looking to unload and set your ask price (Poshmark will offer a suggested range), and other users can make offers. Once an item has sold, Poshmark will email you a shipping label — pop your package in the mail and watch the money accrue in your account.
Donate it. The American Red Cross partners with GreenDrop to collect gently used clothing for resale to benefit the organization's mission. With drop boxes across the country, and even a scheduled pickup option, this is an extremely convenient way to pass it forward. If you'd prefer for your things to go directly to individuals in need, you can try contacting a local women's or homeless shelter. Room to Grow provides critical support to families raising babies born into low-income circumstances, including essential baby and toddler items. Check out their site for details on what's accepted and how to donate.

Gear

If you're in the Boston or NYC area, nonprofit Room to Grow accepts an extensive list of gear, toys, books, clothing, and personal care items to benefit families with babies in low-income circumstances.
If your baby has outgrown their car seat, hold onto it until Target's annual Car Seat Trade-In Event for a discount on your new car seat, and a second life for the old one.
Schedule an appointment with Pickup Please for any used clothing and baby gear (so long as it can be loaded into a van by one person) to benefit Vietnam Veterans of America. They'll sell the items to generate funding to support their local, state, and national programs.
Search for your local women's shelter to ask about specific needs and see if you have anything that aligns with what they're looking for.

(New) Diapers

The statistic of one in three families in the US struggling to pay for diapers is devastating. The National Diaper Bank Network supports more than 225 community-based diaper banks across the country that provide resources to these families in need. Check their site to find a location in your area to donate the new diapers that your baby has outgrown.
In the Los Angeles area, Baby2Baby accepts donations of new diapers, wipes, formula, and hygiene items (soap, shampoo, and toothpaste).
Help a Mother Out has drop boxes across the San Francisco Bay Area for donations of diapers and pull-ups in original packaging, new cloth pocket diapers, and unopened baby wipes.