The other day I noticed something that was slightly odd. I keep a lot of things that my kids have out grown for very non-sentimental reasons. And, most of the stuff I keep around I wonder how I did without it before baby showed up.
No, I am not talking about keeping baby clothes or other junk so I don't have to buy more stuff for the next brat. I am talking about the every day ordinary things we take for granted while the brats are infants, and, once they aren't, we still can find 100 uses for these 5 things to justify keeping them around.
Just a Dizzy Dad's list of 5 baby things to keep for Non-sentimental Reasons
1. Vasoline/Petroleum jelly:
This stuff is amazing, and it's not just baby bum grease. I think of it more akin to duct tape. It has more uses than I can imagine, and I am amazed that I did with out it for so long.
Just off the top off my head I love vasoline or petroleum jelly because...
-It's excellent for my scaly old man elbows
-It's a great wound cleaner. Believe it or not this stuff pulls out splinters that my tweezers miss, and it yanked out a lot of metal shavings from my hand when I sliced a finger open while changing my brakes.
-It's the original chapstick, and windburn preventative in arctic conditions
-I use it to lubricate all kinds of things from ball bearings to shed door hinges.
-It works to waterproof my boots and shoes while shining them. Just rub on a layer or two and rub it off.
Vasoline rocks!
2. Cloth Diapers
Yes, cloth diapers are dirty, rotten, stinky things when used for their intended purpose, but they're washable and when the brat no longer uses them cloth diapers may bring a smile to your face and a huge sense of relief.
They're very useful things. You can...
-Use them as shop cloths.
-Use them as hand towels. Hey, sure they more than likely were covered in poo at one time, but you laundered them and they still soak up water.
-Use them as dish towels
-I use these diapers every time I bake. Moisten them and drape them over dough that is rising.
-They may not be fancy, but they make awesome napkins, and are more environmentally friendly then paper towel.
Cloth diapers are wicked cool, and, hey, I might as well use them until they fall apart because these suckers were expensive!
3. Diaper Bag
This little gem might not have been the coolest thing to tote around when you had to, and, yeah, it seemed that no matter how you packed it you could never sift through all the crap in it to get to anything that you wanted quickly, but when it is no longer an essential part of your wardrobe it's "Da Bomb!"
Think of it this way. You spent a crap load of money on a bag so you might as well...
-use it for eternity as a toy tote
-use it to put tools in. It's got a zillion pockets and compartments. It's practically made for this purpose.
-Use it as a carry on or an over night bag.
-Use it as a laptop bag/book bag/whatever. These things are spacious, have all sorts of little pockets, and they're sturdy. Plus, they're super recognizable as a diaper bag, so who would suspect you have your expensive ass laptop in it?
I love me my re-purposed diaper bag!
4. Changing Pad
Yes, this little luxury saved your couch, carpet, car seat, or whatever from poop stains, but the fun doesn't end there.
Keep it and use it.
-It's a portable work surface you don't mind getting messy. After all, it wipes clean readily, and you already covered it in poo once or twice. So, the next time you have an outdoor project and don't want to lose little pieces in the grass slap down the changing pad.
-Some changing pads are big enough and non-absorbent enough that they make great drop cloths for oil changes or whatever. No one wants to spill oil on the floor of the garage that stuff never comes out. Changing pad will at least catch it so you can wipe it up without leaving a stain on your fashionable concrete.
-Use it as a kneeling pad to protect your clothes while gardening. Keep the dirt and grass stain to a minimum.
-Stadium "cushion." OK, so they aren't all that cushiony, but chances are you are going to have to go to a game or something outdoors at some point in your life, and it will probably be raining, and nobody really like to sit on wet bleachers. That's where the changing pad comes in handy. Spread it out, toss it down, and put your bum on it. (also comes in handy when you forget to close your car windows and it rains like hell)
5. Bottle Tote
It seems like I had one of these bad boys with me everywhere. Well, it seems like that because I did and still do, but bottle totes don't just keep bottles cold. They keep stuff warm too. You gotta love insulated liners.
And, when your brat starts going to a baby sitters, daycare, preschool, or school school you already have an insulated lunch box to send with them or use yourself. Chances are the thing is so stained and rancid looking after you're done with it that you probably couldn't even give it away, so you might as well keep it and continue to use it.
So, there they are. My list of my favorite five things to keep even after baby outgrows them. Sure, baby may not need them anymore, but it doesn't mean that I don't.
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