Local Used Baby Stuff

Being green is not just about minimizing toxins in our lives, but it's also about minimizing our footprint on the Earth and not wasting as much as we otherwise could have.  Used items have the opportunity to loose chemicals or outgas before you get them.  Children move so quickly through clothes, toys, and items that it's not always worth buying new.  But, for one reason or another, we might choose to buy something new.  Sometimes it's hard to imagine being able to wash the past out of something, or we are looking for something so specific, we don't find what we're looking for.  There are lots of great stores and sales in this area to find used clothing.  We've also hit up a bunch of local yard sales and were graced with lots of hand-me-downs from friends. 

I picked up a stroller for $50 at a consignment sale a few weeks ago.  Last weekend, I snagged a whole 12 month to 2T spring/summer/fall wardrobe (probably 30 outfits) for $100.  I also bought a snap-n-go for $20.  I just saw a Johnny Jump Up go for free yesterday.  At our first consignment sale, I snagged a lightly used Pottery Bard $250 crib set for $25.

Kids Stuff Sales

• Just Between Friends: Loudoun and Prince William, VA - http://loudoun.jbfsale.com/ 
• Classy Kids - Woodbridge, Fredericksburg, Manassass, VA - http://dscreationsclassykids.intuitwebsites.com/ 
• The Junior League of Washington's Children's Trunk Show - Arlington, VA -http://www.jlw.org/?nd=tf_home 
• Tot Swap, Gaithersburg, Howard City, Frederick, Timonium, MD - www.totswap.net 
• Our Stylish Kids - Upper Marlboro, MD - www.ourstylishkids.com 
• University Park Children's Clothing Co-op - University Park, MD - http://www.universityparkchildrensclothing.com/
• Wee Sale: Ann Arundel and Prince George's, MD - http://wee-sale.com/

Consignment Stores

• Greenberrys: Columbia, MD - http://www.greenberriescompany.com/
• Wiggle Room: Bethesda, MD - http://wiggleroom.biz/
• Bellies and Babies: Delray (Alexandria), VA - http://www.belliesbabies.com
• Little Lords and Ladies:  Chantilly, VA - http://www.littlelordsandladies.com
• Monkey's Uncle: Eastern Market, DC - http://www.monkeysuncleonthehill.com

Freecycle

In my neighborhood, there is a rocking Freecycle community.  Folks are always offering up kids items, clothes, and furniture.  We've disappeared a few things that would have otherwise ended up at the dump, and we've also snag a few things that we would have otherwise bought. 

Email lists

Local email lists have for free and for sale offers of kids clothes, supplies, and toys all of the time.  This including the local DC Urban Mom email list.  In my local area, the moms group has a lot of "porch alerts" and sales. Check around to see if your local area has a moms list.  The Mamistad meetup for first time moms publishes a newsletter in which folks can make offers of items for sale.  I even met up with someone who posted a local ad on Babycenter.com about wanting to sell her consignment leftovers.