13 Things I Got Rid Of After Deciding I’m Done Having Kids

I’m the lucky mama to two smart, silly, special, and sweet little girls. My daughters are aged 2 and 4, and I feel grateful and lucky to be their parent. I also feel complete. For a host of personal reasons, my husband and I decided we are done having kids — and with that comes a whole lot of stuff to throw away.

Between trying to get pregnant, actually becoming so, and taking care of newborns, I’ve amassed so much stuff. For a time, I held onto much of it under the guise of “what if.” What if we decide to try for a third, what if I get pregnant unintentionally, what if I meet another mom who could use any of it. All those “what ifs” have left my bathroom, closet, and dresser overflowing.

There’s also the emotional weight, as getting rid of these things signals an end to one of the most meaningful and yearned-for periods of my life. The simple act of decluttering can feel sad and difficult. However, it also can be positive. Clinging to unused ovulation sticks and nursing ointments doesn’t allow me to focus on the present, or the future. And so, if you’re at a similar crossroads, I invite you to join me and discard the things that are piling up, and make space for the next great chapter to come.

Anyone who is trying specifically to have kids will likely lean on an ovulation tracker of some kind to up their chances of conceiving. I used ovulation sticks for all of my pregnancies, and bought more than I ended up needing. A pile of unused ones is still sitting in my bathroom and because they’re linked to a specific tracker, I couldn’t even donate them if I wanted to. I’ll never need these again, so they can go into the trash.

In addition to ovulation trackers, I bought a bunch of pregnancy tests to use every month when trying to conceive. Even after having my first child, I never tossed them out, as I knew the day would come when we would try to have a second. Now that we’re done, these only add unnecessary clutter — especially because they’re expired and I can’t give them away to fellow mamas-to-be (although I wish I could, as they’re not exactly cheap). 

I suffered with a lot of nausea in my pregnancies and required over-the-counter help. I also needed additional medications while pregnant due to my “advanced maternal age,” which I was so lovingly reminded of at every OB-GYN appointment. All of those pills and tablets are still in my medicine cabinet, and while I’m guilty of holding on to other regular, everyday medicines for far too long, I can’t foresee any situation where I’d need these specific-use medications again.

I could use a good clothing declutter session in general to rid myself of old “going out tops” or formerly trendy pieces that now induce a good deal of cringe. But even more unnecessary are my maternity clothes. There’s no scenario where I will wear full-belly-coverage leggings, hidden panel nursing tops, or under-belly drawstring linen pants.

In adolescence I was prone to stretch marks, so in pregnancy I religiously slathered on creams and oils that promised to prevent them. And while their hydration qualities in general are nice, they’re a bit heavy for everyday use and no longer what I reach for when my skin needs a drink — even on super-dry days. Out they go.

The so-called fourth trimester isn’t spoken about enough. In my opinion, it’s harder than pregnancy itself — and that’s coming from someone who spent much of her pregnancy colored green or awake at all hours with insomnia. After giving birth, in addition to caring for an infant and navigating a flood of hormonal changes, a new mom must also recover from the trauma of childbirth. My deliveries were very different, but in both instances I needed things like peri bottles, sitz baths, postpartum ice packs, special underwear, and cooling foams and pads — all of which I’ve yet to throw away.

When it comes to feeding babies, however you do it, fed is best. I personally nursed my babies and struggled a lot in the beginning. Eventually, we got into a good rhythm but only after relying on aids such as nipple shields, lanolin creams, and cooling gel pads to help my baby latch and relive my discomfort. And would you believe it? All of those items are still in my house and ready to make their way out.

Similar to above, I only wore nursing bras for years. Because they’re convenient and more comfortable than regular bras, I kept wearing them after weaning, too. But I’ve now realized these bras no longer serve or support my changed body. While I haven’t missed underwire over the past few years, I know I’m ready to go back to regular bras.

Babies grow so quickly, and the adorable onesies you so excitedly picked out, in reality, may only get two or three wears. Couple that with the fact that friends and family love to give clothes to new babies, and you’ll quickly end up with more clothes than you know what to do with. For a while, I held onto clothes for sentimental value, or to give to friends. But with bins overflowing, it’s time to bring them all to the nearest donation center.

When I was pregnant for the first time, every list of must-have baby items I read included receiving blankets. So I stocked up on a bunch, and was gifted even more. Do you know what we never used at all? Receiving blankets. I still have no fewer than 20. I previously tried to organize them, and while that helped, most of these need to go (aside from one of two that I’ll hold onto for sentimental sake).

While I’m not quite done changing diapers just yet, there are other things I no longer need that my kids used as infants. For example: baby nasal aspirators for tiny stuffy noses, gripe water for upset tummies, gas and colic relief products, and teething rings and toys.

Even though my girls were primarily breastfed, they took bottles from time to time as babies. I purchased so many kinds in the early days to see what they’d like. Now my daughters have graduated to sippy cups and straw Thermoses, and yet I still have a cabinet full of old bottles. Some are intact but too dusty to give away, while others are missing parts entirely.

There are plenty of big items we still use, like a crib or a kids’ dresser. But our bassinet stroller attachment? No longer needed. Baby bouncer? Bye bye. A baby walker? We’re done with that. Same for baby carriers, infant loungers, sit-to-stand activity centers, rattles, and tummy-time mats. And in the case of my 4-year-old, much of her aged-out stuff can’t be reused by my 2-year-old who already has her own duplicate. This includes a diaper pail and caddy, changing table top, and a rocking chair. Removing these large items will make the biggest difference to clear space in a home.