What to do with old baby clothes

Average rating:

What happens when your baby gets too big for his teeny-weeny clothes? Do they just pile up around the house along with all the ones that do actually fit?

If you're planning to try for a new brother or sister, you'd do well to hang on to them. And don't worry about the gender of your second - my daughter absolutely loves her Spiderman hand-me-down pyjamas!

However, if you've decided that the baby shop is now closed, it'd be a shame to let your stack of children's clothes become dinner for the moths. Whether you want to see them go to a good home, feel the urge to be charitable or want to get a bit of the cash, here's the lowdown on how to do it.

Show and sell

Nearly-new sales, such as those run by the National Childbirth Trust, are popular and can sometimes feel more like a rugby scrum than a charity event. The NCT prides itself on selling items of nearly-new quality only, so their sales attract lots of buyers. If you like the sound of this, log on to nct.org.uk and click on 'What's happening near you'

NCT sales are part of the trust's fundraising so you'll have to make a contribution to sell items. Each branch organises things differently, with some charging a flat rate to rent a table, while others do the selling for you and take a cut. Ask you branch organiser for a seller's pack to check out how they operate in your area.

Make sure you think carefully about your pricing strategy. Clare Etinger, an NCT sale organiser from Wiltshire, says, Bear in mind that the better the quality, the better it sells, but there's often a ceiling on what people will pay.

Price items competitively, Claire adds, but if you don't sell them the first time at the sale, you can always reduce the price and try another time. The perk of being a seller is that you get to pick the best items from other stalls before the doors open to the hordes.

By Caroline Bruton