Get Rid of Toddler Gear: Cribs, Car Seats and Old Baby Stuff

To get rid of toddler gear in the Boise area, sort it into three piles first: what thrift stores will take, what a kids consignment store might buy, and what has to be thrown out.

Car seats and drop-side cribs almost always land in that last pile. Most of the rest, from strollers to baby carriers to outgrown clothing, can find a second home if it's clean and complete.

How to get rid of toddler gear that thrift stores won't take

It comes down to liability and federal safety rules. Idaho Youth Ranch, Deseret Industries, and most of the smaller shops around Boise tend to follow similar rules. If something has a recall history or an expiration date printed on it, they don't want it on the sales floor.

Drop-side cribs are the clearest example. They were banned from sale in the U.S. back in 2011, and donation centers won't take them.

Car seats are the same story, since nearly every one has an expiration date printed on a label or stamped into the shell.

The stuff that does move is the boring stuff. Pack-n-plays in decent shape. Wooden high chairs, baby gates, books, clothes.

Shops also judge condition the way a buyer would. A swing with a frayed cord or a high chair missing its tray strap is hard to put a price on, so it usually gets passed over. Monitors and bottle warmers are hit-and-miss too, since electronics have to be tested.

Either way, call ahead before you load anything. The answer shifts with how full their back room is that week.

Quick tip: Snap a photo of the manufacturer label on the crib or stroller before you haul it anywhere. Some donation centers want to see the model number and date, and if it turns out to be recalled, you'll find out from a quick search instead of a wasted trip across town.

How do you get rid of old baby clothes?

Clothes are the easiest part of the pile, and usually the biggest. Most toddlers outgrow a size before the clothing wears out, so bins fill up fast.

Start by sorting. Anything stained, torn or missing snaps goes in a textile recycling bag. Anything clean and whole can be donated, sold or handed to a friend.

If you want some money back, consignment shops are the usual first stop. Some kids' resale shops around the Treasure Valley buy baby gear outright. They're picky about brand and condition, though, and they won't touch a recalled item either.

Know how payment works before you go. Some stores pay cash up front. Others list your things and pay you a cut once they sell, so your share depends on the sale price, not the original price you paid.

The sale price on a used item lands well below the original price on the tag. Well-known brands and gear that still has its box hold value better.

Selling online works the same way: check what similar listings actually sold for, set yours a little under that, and be honest about wear.

For clothing, bundle by size and season. A bag of fall pieces in one size sells better than one shirt at a time.

Good to know: Stains are a common reason clothes get turned away. Treat them before you wash, and let the shirt air dry so you can check whether the stain came out. Heat from the dryer can set it for good.

What do you do with old car seats and cribs?

Car seats are the one everybody gets stuck on. Nobody wants to just chuck one in the trash, and that instinct is right. It's mostly recyclable plastic and metal wrapped in fabric.

Target has run a car seat trade-in event in past years, so check whether one is coming up and whether the Boise and Meridian stores are taking part. It's also worth asking your local fire department or a hospital safety program whether they collect old seats or know of a recycling event.

If none of that pans out, cut the straps, pull the fabric cover off, unscrew whatever comes off easily, and put the plastic shell in the trash.

Cutting the straps matters. It keeps somebody from pulling an expired seat out of a dumpster and strapping a child into it.

The metal pieces from the base can go to a local scrap metal recycler if you want to be thorough.

Cribs give you more options. Fixed-side model, all the hardware, original label still on the rail? Try donating first. Call local thrift stores before you go, since some don't take cribs at all, and local buy-nothing groups tend to move cribs fast.

Drop-side, missing hardware, or it's been sitting in a damp basement? You're looking at disposal.

Most cribs come apart with an Allen wrench, and a disassembled crib fits in a mid-size SUV. The Ada County Landfill on Seamans Gulch Road takes it as regular household waste. What you pay depends on the size and weight of the load, so check their current rates first.

The crib mattress is its own headache. Some transfer stations charge a separate mattress fee and the rules move around, so read up on your options for old mattresses before you make the drive.

Bassinets, bouncers, walkers and other infant gear follow the same rule as cribs. Check for a recall first, then decide between donating and tossing.

Heads up: Before you donate baby items like bassinets, swings or play yards, look up the model on the federal recall list. A recalled item can't legally be resold, and most shops will turn it away at the door.

When does it make sense to pay to get baby gear hauled?

One crib? Take it yourself. That's a Saturday errand, not a service call.

But baby gear rarely shows up alone. It's the crib, plus the glider nobody sits in, plus the bathtub, plus bins of outgrown clothes, plus the boxed bassinet in the crawlspace. For that kind of pile, household Junk Removal starts to make sense, because you're paying for one trip instead of several.

What a load like that costs comes down to how much truck space it takes. A crib, a stroller, an old seat or two and some boxes is a small load. Add furniture or a full garage of bins and it grows.

We charge by volume, not by item. So the broken lamp and the old bookshelf can go on the same load while we're already in your garage, and you pay for the space they take, not a price per piece.

If you want to get baby gear out of the house in one go, a few things make the visit faster:

• Stage everything in one spot, garage floor is ideal
• Pull out anything you're still deciding on, so it doesn't leave by accident
• Break down the crib if you can, it saves truck space and sometimes money
• Set donatable clothes, books and toys aside, since they don't need to be thrown out

A few common mistakes slow people down. Hauling everything to one thrift store without calling first. Pricing resale pieces at what you paid instead of what they actually sell for. Tossing an expired seat with the straps still attached. Waiting until moving day to sort it all.

When the stack gets big enough that you'd need two trips and a friend with a truck, give us a shout at (208) 593-2877. We'll tell you straight whether it's worth hiring out or whether you're better off handling it yourself.

Frequently asked questions

Can I donate a used crib mattress?

Rarely. Most shops treat it like any used mattress and turn it down, so plan on disposal or add it to a pickup with the rest of the load.

How do I get stains out of toddler clothes before selling them?

Treat the spot before washing, use cold water, and air dry so heat doesn't set it. If the stain won't come out, that piece goes in textile recycling instead of the resale pile.

Do resale shops pay the full original price?

No. You get a share of the sale price, which lands well below what you paid. Brand, condition and season move it up or down.

Will you take the whole pile in one trip?

Related reading: Junk Removal Boise Prices: What Your Quote Actually Includes and Junk Removal in Boise: Old Lawn Mowers, Grills and Yard Tools.

If it fits on the truck, yes. Cribs, high chairs, baby gates, strollers, bins and anything else from the garage can go on one load, and the cost is based on how much space it all takes.