I am a first time mama who gets anxious easily. Worse, I am a first time mama who has to take care of myself and a newborn since the very first month.
Due to family reasons, my hubby and I did not get help from any other family member, neither a helper, a nanny or babysitter. We are on our own.
(Want to know how we handle life as a pair of new parents? Check out my blog article: How to make life happier as a new mama)
Whenever I feel panic, I tend to shop a lot.
I bought dozens of baby clothes without realising that they "shrink" very fast. Those cloth retailers must be kidding me by putting 9 months on a romper which a 3-month-old baby cannot fit in!
I bought a whole closet of "top recommended" toys, wishing them could help sooth the baby. Well, obviously they do not contribute much help.
Prior to my delivery, I have also bought myself 5 boxes of milk storage bags, 10 cartons of breast pads, 5 pairs of nursing bras, and even a wind-blocker for my air conditioner (Chinese confinement, more stories to be told...)
Because I am such an inexperienced and stressful mama, I made my house totally over stocked with baby things, until we found no place for moving our feet.
Luckily, I found out some ways to clear the "blockage":
1. Carousell
I have been selling second-hand stuff since university time. Not really a hard-core seller but I have managed to get 18 positive feedback. This increases my chances of successful dealing.
I always make sure my listing is filled in with sufficient details, such as the material (100% cotton or others), condition (brand new or 90% new), design, brand, origin and reason for selling. This gives customers a sense of trust. I also try to reply their inquiries on time, allow a bit of negotiations and pick up a common spot for meet up purchase.
Many people are using Carousell because they are on budget. Therefore I will try to set a reasonable price for my items and sometimes I sell things in an attractive bundle, i.e. 30 pieces of baby clothes at SGD10.
2. Facebook forums
I made two fuzz free deals via Facebook group "Real singapore expat wives classifieds 2.0". It looks some group members have initiated a destined baby market called "babyfair singapore". You may also want to visit "Maternity Exchange" to let go your nursing items.
Make sure you attach some nice photos and give as many details as you can. Think in your buyers' shoes, who would be interested in picking up a shabby looking item? Of course, your photos should not lie. It will just discredit yourself and make a bad reputation over the online community.
3. Donate them to people in need
Some of you might question why I did not write "donation" the first thing. The reason is, I myself am living in an economic family. That's part of the reason that I bought excessively during baby fairs where things are on discount. I consider selling on Carousell at a much cheaper price a warm behavior too, at least I ensure these things sold are truly in the hands of people in need.
Some charity parties in Singapore you can go to:
Salvation Army
Giving.sg
EcoBazzar
New2U
Bra Girls
More ideas of donation can be found here.
4. Send to friends as a gift
It's the Chinese' tradition to pass around worn baby clothes for longevity and prosperity. My friends who are jumping onto parenthood are more than willing to take my baby's clothes, as they know that I have hand picked them for myself and I'm a person who looks up on quality.
I have also given out nursing pads, milk storage bags and other stocks which are unwrapped and brand new. My friends are happy because they save time on shopping. I am happy too for freeing up space for my little home.
Do my tips provide some help? If yes, please do share this article with your friends! Stay tuned to get more updates from me, a new mama blogger who likes to articulate life!
Keep in touch!
Instagram: @mamaonpalette
Facebook: Mama on Palette