Hand me down love -the realisation children dont need everything new

When we first had Ava I was adamant that I didn’t want any hand me down clothes or toys . I was under the impression that we would look like we could afford things for her if we accepted it and this was not the case. We both had full time jobs before Ava came along and Jordan works really hard to make sure we don’t go without!. So surely we didn’t need hand me down items.

I soon came to realise that babies have so many presents when they are first born that you just don’t know what to do with them. As hard as I tired there was clothes that Ava either didn’t wear or just wore once . So I started to offer them to friends with little girls around the same age. The things were just too nice to throw away. Don’t get me wrong I have kept somethings just incase we have more but if I kept everything I would need an extension.

This is just half of her clothes at only 6 months ! More clothes that me and her dad have put together . For a child that Doesn’t walk she has a lot of shoes too !!.

One of my friends asked me if I would like to borrow her jumparoo. I ummed and arred as didn’t know if had the space and If we really needed it. Well if you have ever had a jumparoo you will understand how amazing they are !. I will be greatful for this for the rest of my life . It makes my life so much easier and she has saved me a small fortune !. The same as the baby swing my Friend gave me when Ava was really litre .We have also recently been given some clothes that are literally brand new and are beautiful . I don think you can have enough cute outfits especially when she poos through at least one outfit aday!.

I have now realised that just because we are having hand me downs doesn’t show to people that we don’t have money to buy things . Babies are in things for 5 minutes and if another little one can find it useful then fantastic . I mean I have got a bouncer that she was in for all of two month. So I say now share the love not let things that could help others collect dust. We might even have more children that we can use it with.

Since first writing this post we have had another baby. This time it’s a boy so the clothes I had saved from Ava haven’t been much use. I did have some neutral bits for Ava so we have used them but a lot of the clothes have had to be new. I only have two friends that have boys but they are 3 years older than Alby. So they have already got rid of a lot of their old things so were not having as much hand me down clothes this time. Like Ava the majority of his clothes are supermarket own brand clothes. Because lets face it there not in them long enough to get the wear out of them.

However we have a few parties coming up soon so I have spent a little bit more so he has some nicer bits. When I say nicer I just mean things that cost a bit more money and that are maybe better quality.

Jordan is a big lover of named clothes like Ralph Lauren and Lacoste and it’s not just moms and daughter that twin so can dad’s and sons. Junior clothing that replicates adults clothes can look so cute especially when they are twinning with a parent. Twinning is wining right ?

We do a lot of shopping online and one of our go to online shops is OD’s designer clothing. Purely because we can get clothes for all of us in one place and they have some great sales.

*This is a collaborative post*