Posts Tagged ‘Toddler’
Update 6/22/2012: RIP Plum! Too soon… Good article here on why it failed. I’m keeping this post up, because I still believe in the idea. Interesting perspective in the article on why ThredUP works, too.
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Original Post Follows:
Here’s an interesting notion for parents wanting to live simply yet still deck their kids out in boutique clothing: rent it.
Plum is a new company that calls itself “Netflix for baby clothes.” Subscribers pay a monthly fee to receive bundles of two, four, or seven outfits at a time by mail, sending them back when finished for a fresh set. Bundles are packed in a resealable envelope for easy returns, and the subscription supports one free exchange per month.
Does this pencil out over buying new? Pretty much – at least for the brands they’re touting (Tea Collection, Petit Bateau, Kate Quinn Organics…) Let’s say you were dressing an infant for exactly three months, and could live with Plum’s seven outfit bundle on top of all the stuff you were gifted by friends and family. That’s a $49/month subscription – about $150 for the 3 months. By contrast, Tea Collection or Kate Quinn layette separates run about $30-35 a piece – which would total about $210-$245 for seven outfits if purchased new.
Plum’s no-hassle stain policy (no worries – they just donate it to charity) helps make the service an overall good value, especially if you’re just having one child of a particular gender (finally – a girl after three boys!), or are not the type to do the legwork of keeping stuff pristine for resale. Parents of multiples can use it to supplement what they already have in the house, maybe giving that little girl four sweet outfits “of her own” each month (for $29) on top of the more gender-neutral stuff she can reuse from her brothers. It’s also a fun gift for relatives or friends to consider – either one time, or recurring.
Plum is in a public beta at the moment, with a waitlist for new members. But if it interests you, definitely sign up and keep your eyes on it. A similar service is ThredUP, where families nation-wide swap used baby clothing for $15.95 a box. ThredUP is a great idea for the mass market, but with brands tending to be a lot more mainstream – Carter’s, Old Navy, that sort of thing – the lack of selection can be frustrating to folks who prefer (and would post up in exchange) the kinds of brands that Plum is carrying.
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Editor’s Note: ThredUP has since added a Concierge service which helps get higher-end swappers into the game.
Photo Credit: gilt.com
This pirate ship deluxe set from KidKraft really is kind of arrr-some and totally puts the plastic stuff to shame. It has 28 different parts and about 35 screws for assembly (took us about an hour, with kids “helping”) but the directions are straightforward, and the pieces build on each other so you kind of get excited about doing it as you go. (Kind of.)
Unlike some playhouses, this Pirate Deluxe kit comes with 4 pirate figures, cannons, a treasure chest, a “gilded” throne and coffin, two sharks, palm trees, a rowboat and other accessories. All pieces are of good quality. The peg-legged Pirate (who our daughter dubbed “Sharkey”) doesn’t stand so well out of the box, but if you bend his upper body forward, you can get him reasonably stable. Characters are scaled so as to fit with other KidKraft sets – we also have a pink princess castle sort of thing, so our kids now like to play Pirates and Princesses.
If you’re not yet a member of higher-end discount aggregator Gilt Groupe, by all means use our referral link so we get credit! KidKraft items are on sale for a limited time starting today 8/3, with the Pirate Set going for $90 (sugg.retail $159.99) and “Aye!” it’s worth every penny. If you miss the sale at Gilt, ToysR’Us carries it regularly online for $129.99.
Here’s something you won’t see on the chi chi baby gear blogs…
We recently had to get out of dodge quickly after our dishwasher caught fire and filled the house with smoke. It was my first time flying with both toddlers, and I tried to pack light, but was not going to get caught with my pants down! I am a professional. Which meant, while hastily salvaging a half dozen belongings from our basement that didn’t smell like burnt plastic and electrical soot, I grabbed my giant carabiner and said a prayer.
I wish someone had taken our picture at the airport. I had Z’s car seat over one shoulder, Z himself in the Bugaboo Bee, diaper bag stuffed in the stroller basket, Sister H walking, and another backpack with the crucial DVD player and snacks hanging off the back with the carabiner. Without Z in the seat, the whole thing tipped backward. But with everyone in place, it was a thing of beauty.
We somehow made it through security, after which Z decided he’d stay shoeless. So shoes (thanks to their little ankle loops) were added to the carabiner. Ten minutes later, a hoodie came off. Looped onto our friend with the shoes. Down the gangway, time to gate check the stroller and board the plane – quick and easy, since the carabiner kept stray items in check. And no little shoes lost on the plane – added Sister’s to the mix and kept ’em all together, no worries. Changing planes, same deal – don’t want to carry it? Just clip it on.
Fancy strollers and diaper bags sell “valet clips” – but really, don’t you just need a giant carabiner – or two? I think I got mine at the Fred Meyer checkout as an impulse buy in place of mints. Dare I suggest this as an offbeat baby shower gift? They should cost about $8 a piece, and you want at least 7″ x 3″ to fit around most stroller tubing.
Someday perhaps you’ll take up rock climbing. But in the meantime, you’ll just rock.
GaGaGear 