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Least Used Baby Items...Post Yours!

Mara

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
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31,003
i was cleaning up a bunch of baby stuff today, trying to 'spring clean' and organize as our small house feels cluttered if we keep too much crap around... and have come across a handful of things we never used or rarely used. which led me to think....gee we have that awesome thread on best finds ever but what about all the stuff you get suckered into buying, or people give you that just gathers dust while your kid grows up??? and for some reason i thought we had a thread like this, but i couldn't find it. or maybe i just dreamed about it. mommy brain.

here's mine..and i know some of this stuff people LOVE and used all the time, but for some reason we just never used it or it just didn't work for us. maybe some of this will help new moms too as i know it was so overwhelming to me when i was trying to figure out what we 'needed' vs what was nice to have or unnecessary.

--bottle warmer. thought we'd use it, we have the night and day and someone gave it to us. genius idea. keeps cold bottles cold, warms them when you need them. except we never got around to opening it and we just warmed bottles using hot water dispenser on our alhambra into a mug and putting bottle in there. genius for when you are feeding at 2am. finally opened up bottle warmer box at oh...2.5 months to be totally confused by the contraption and again not wanting to deal with it. i am regifting it to a preggo friend, maybe she'll have better luck.

--milkies 'milk saver'. saw this at a boutique and thought, genius! you put it on your boob and it captures any leaky milk from the unused breast when you pump or feed. i thought i'd be capturing like 30oz in that sucker. umm not so much. the first time i used it i captured like 3 drops. the second time maybe 5. granted i used to leak more in the first 4-6 weeks after birth while my supply was regulating and bbs' were figuring things out. i guess i got it too late? anyway, used 2x, never used again. $30. stupidest purchase EVER.

--razzberry teething pacifier. i know cdt's baby loved this (i think it was cdt) but J seems to just hate it so far! i bought 2 and haven't even opened the 2nd one. genius idea, a pacifier with nubs on it to help teething babies. but for whatever reason our kid hates it.

(note a pattern here, everything is genius idea til you don't use it)...

--plush blankets. it's almost always been too warm here to use them. we got about 5-7 as gifts. he has used one so far (the cream one with no crazy patterns or animals on it). on the same note, plush stuffed animals. you can't put them in the crib and he has no interest in them so far. again we got about 10 of these suckers. i am hesitant to regift them to any mom because i know chances are very good she wouldn't use them either!!

--snap n'go stroller. i am thankful we borrowed this because we used it only about a handful of times. i hated the way it pushed, it wasn't easy to close. as a result i just carted the carseat with me into stores or in shopping carts and/or put the kid in the bjorn til we got the permanent stroller we have now. funny cuz i know some moms just loved SNG but it just never worked well for me.

--johnson n' johnson baby bath/gift packs. i registered for this thinking...GENIUS. all the bath and baby care stuff in one container, no brainer for me. except you aren't supposed to use lotions in the beginning. and you aren't supposed to use baby powder anymore. and then i read that the aveeno oatmeal bath stuff was highly recommended by moms. so we have two of these gift packs just sitting there, unsued, unopened. again i want to regift but i don't want some other mom to find the same thing that i did. it could be like the gift that keeps on regifting.

other things we didn't get and i don't have regrets:

wipe warmer. didn't want him to get used to warm wipes on his bottom.
diaper genie. we use a little rattan plastic lined trash can and G just changes it out daily. so far kid is 5 months and no issues with smell.
laundry hamper. we use a wide low basket that i used elsewhere in the house for holding magazines, and just toss his clothes in there.
 

Hudson_Hawk

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
10,541
Mara, thanks for starting this thread, it''s really interesting to read. Quite a few of these things are on my registry. The good news is you have a good supply of stuff to regift, sell on CL or donate to the salvation army!
 

Tacori E-ring

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 15, 2005
Messages
20,041
Bottle/food warmer, don''t think I ever used it.

Changing table, floor or bed worked better.

Bedding set, never used the bumper or quilt.

onesies after 9 months, too wiggly and a PITA to keep snapped

Sleepers with buttons

I am sure there is more but that''s all I can think of right now.
 

somethingshiny

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 22, 2007
Messages
6,746
button sleepers
onesies
Diaper Genie

Sleepers with buttons--In fact, a friend just gave us some clothes and I went through them to remove those sleepers before the baby is even here! Such a PITA.

With JT, we didn''t use onesies ever. However, this baby will be a summer baby and will probably live in them.

Diaper Genie--just gross, the giant poop snake is truly frightening. We are just doing a small garbage can with a scented bag that will be changed daily.


Things I didn''t have and didn''t miss--also didn''t get for this baby:

wipes warmer
bottle warmer
swaddlers (we just used a blanket)
 

fieryred33143

Ideal_Rock
Joined
May 18, 2008
Messages
6,689
-bottle warmer
-baby robes (I mean seriously, why I thought this would get used I have no idea)
-diaper genie
-bouncer
-changing pad that went on dresser (we use it but the floor and on top of her crib with a protective pad under is much better for me)
-floor mat/tummy time mat: don't get me wrong, these things are cute. But it's just as eay to put a blanket (which you'll receive a million of) on the ground and lay them there with a toy in front. The whole point of a tummy mat is tummy time so the toys hanging up top don't do much to help with that.
-baby shoes: they outgrow the shoes really quickly and they can't walk anyway. There are some really cute socks out there that will dress up an outfit and last much longer than buying shoes that will fit for a week.


I know there are more but can't think of it right now.

Re sleepers with buttons-do you ladies mean buttons or snaps? I think the pjs with the snaps are awesome!
 

curlygirl

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 9, 2005
Messages
2,637
Wipes warmer - what's the point?! Regifted it.

Blankets x10000!-- why does everybody give blankets as gifts?!

Burp cloths - neither one of my kids really spit up much so we have tons of these plus cloth diapers to use as burp cloths.

Swing - never even opened the box! I had registered for it but since we don't have much extra space, I held off on opening it until I was sure we would need it and we never did. At least I got a big store credit for it!

Newborn or 0-3 size clothing - I bought all big sizes but it seems like the majority of gifts we received were in the teeny tiny sizes. I always recommend buying larger as gifts--they grow too fast and so much of it is never used. Both girls lived in just onesies for the first few months.

Stuffed animals/plush toys - another gift that people LOVE to give. We have millions, we don't need anymore and they can't play with them as babies anyway.

I'm sure there are many, many more but those were the first that came to mind.

Mara, it was my Lily who liked the Razzberry teether! It took her a while to figure it out but then she liked it because I think it really helped her when she was teething. We would keep it in the fridge as well--the cold plus the nubs might have added to the appeal!
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Tacori E-ring

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Aug 15, 2005
Messages
20,041
Thought of another, I only used the sling once. She hated it. I feel like there is already a thread on this.
 

curlygirl

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 9, 2005
Messages
2,637
Date: 6/25/2010 3:50:48 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
Thought of another, I only used the sling once. She hated it. I feel like there is already a thread on this.
Tacori, I remember a thread like this too but I can''t remember what it was called.
 

iluvcarats

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 17, 2008
Messages
2,855
The Diaper Genie
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Cut out the middleman and throw those suckers straight into the outside garbage. There''s really no need to ripen dirty diapers for a few days in a diaper genie
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MustangGal

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jun 18, 2004
Messages
2,029
The mesh bag food thingy. Tried it once and Kyle didn''t like the way the mesh tasted.

Travel swing. I only registered for one of the small ones, which he didn''t like since it only layed down.

Sling, put him in it once and he threw a fit and it didn''t feel comfortable (I think they''re pretty much off the market now due to recalls).

Onesies after 9 months, although I do use them now for PJs in the summer.

Overalls. I hate overalls
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.

The nighgowns with the elastic bottoms. Sounded like a good idea, but we had him swaddled the whole time he fit in those.

The million blankets. Even with a winter baby I only used 2-3 of the stash. I''ve re-gifted several. But I guess that just continues the overabundance of baby blankets!
 

steph72276

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 16, 2005
Messages
4,212
Diaper Genie
Wipes warmer
bouncer
velcro swaddler (E always escaped)
boppy...I guess I am too tall for it, pillows stacked up worked better
socks (always fell off)

eta: This is why things are so baby specific. We use a bottle warmer for every bottle. We also LOVED our travel swing, I take it from living room to my bedroom and we even took it on vacation with us and he sat outside in it when we were hanging out.
 

fieryred33143

Ideal_Rock
Joined
May 18, 2008
Messages
6,689
Thought of another: bumbo. By the time she was able to use it, she was also sitting pretty well on her own and she hated being in it. We used it for 2 weeks.
 

Mara

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
31,003
tacori i thought so too but couldn't find it!

bumbo... J hates his most of the time but sometimes he likes it. our friend lent it to us so we can give it back, perfect.

another one for us...

socks..!! J *hated* anything on his feet even though he was a winter baby. people gave us like 40 pairs of socks i kid you not. plus he had giant feet so they only fit for a little bit.

on the same note, SHOES for babies. we have about 5 pairs from friends and family. i don't really believe in shoes on babies if they can't even use their feet so we never put newborn ones on and now the ones that should fit him now are too small. too bad because his dad gave us some really cute little converse sneakers but i think they are too small! plus again--why does he need sneakers? and now its summer anyway.

sleepers with buttons, totally agree. love the ones with snaps or zippers.

disliked anything that didn't have snaps down the front or zippers for at least the first 2-3 months... i hated putting stuff over his head and wasn't very good at it.

fiery...the tummy time mat with toys, J loves it. he lays on his back and tries to use his feet to pull the toys down to him. i will roll him over and have him do tummytime on it too--there are crinkly paper ears and other things for him to play with on tummy. that said...i do also just place him on a big quilt for tummy time or for rolling practice.

totally agree that a lot of this is kid specific!

curly... that's right! i am going to keep trying it, maybe one day he'll get it hehe. the other one i figure i'll regift..maybe another mom will have better luck.
 

MustangGal

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jun 18, 2004
Messages
2,029
I must be the only one that actually uses a diaper genie
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. 16 months and still shoving them in there. We don''t twist after each diaper anymore, so it''s basically a fancy looking lidded trash can. We empty it twice a week.

And Kyle LOVED his bumbo. Started at 2.5 months until 5 months, and used it to feed him in until around 8 months. It is a limited use item, but works really well for that short time! Mine has been through 2 babies since Kyle and will soon be given to a third.
 

fieryred33143

Ideal_Rock
Joined
May 18, 2008
Messages
6,689
MG-I should probably add a disclaimer that Sophia has really big legs and she would get stuck in the bumbo
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.
 

lknvrb4

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 1, 2009
Messages
3,738
Diaper Genie
Wipe Warmer
Swing-my 2nd and 3rd never liked it
Bumper pad for crib-too much of a danger
 

MustangGal

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jun 18, 2004
Messages
2,029
Date: 6/25/2010 5:30:05 PM
Author: fiery
MG-I should probably add a disclaimer that Sophia has really big legs and she would get stuck in the bumbo
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.
Kyle has chicken legs, he still fits in it!
 

Pandora II

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 3, 2006
Messages
9,613
Diaper Genie - nightmare thing, small bin is much better.
Bouncer - Daisy hated hers
Bumbo - Ditto
BabyBjorn sling - Very uncomfortable for me and D wasn''t that keen, plus hangs them from the crotch which isn''t a good idea. Moved to a Mei Tai and LOVE it, if I was doing it over I''d get a Moby for the first few months and then move to the Mei Tai.
Teethers - D had no interest at all.
Burp Cloths - Terry nappies are 1000x better. Muslins are crap at soaking things up... but are great for keeping the sun off in the stroller when she''s asleep.
Socks - I nearly always use tights.

Things I didn''t have and didn''t miss:
Wipe Warmer
Bottle Warmer

Bassinet for the stroller - the Xplory had the option and I was so glad I didn''t get it, even though the stroller seat had a lie-flat option, Daisy went nuts if she wasn''t propped up enough to see out.
Snap N Go - we had carseat issues as it was, so the chances of D staying a second longer than legally necessary was slim. The Xplory takes the carseat and I''ve used it when taking the train to my parents as they have no carseat, but it''s not a great success in Daisy''s eyes!

Shoes - I''m very picky about shoes and will only let Daisy wear Startrite shoes for actually walking in. I was given a pair of very soft leather Star Baby pram shoes and she did wear them, but I''d never let her have any of the other sorts, especially the ones made for when they can walk like cutesy sandals etc as they don''t bend the right way and it''s so easy to damage babies feet.
 

Kaleigh

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 18, 2004
Messages
29,571
And here I thought that I really missed out on some things. Never had a diaper genie, nor a wipe warmer. I am glad to hear, I didn''t miss out on too much!!!!
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cellososweet

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Feb 12, 2006
Messages
876
I returned the wipes warmer as it just seemed like a fire hazard since I didn''t have a good place to put it and it would be on all the time.

Stuffed animals (especially since I run an organic stuffed animal business on etsy. The poor kid is over-run. Haha)

Outfits in the wrong size for the season never got worn. I had a january baby so don''t ask me why people thought short and tee sets in newborn size were a good idea. He basically wore a onesie or kimono top with a blanket for the first 2 months.

He hated the swaddling sleep sacks with the velcro and I wasn''t too keen on them either (they look like straight jackets for baby)

He actually doesn''t like sleep sacks at all.

Anything to do with crib sleeping was a waste because we ended up bedsharing. So all the cute sheets, sheet savers, etc. are still folded in the drawer. They''ll be useful eventually I guess :)

My most useful:
waffle-weave swaddling blankets
diapers
wipes
onesies (especially side snap)
any pajamas that snap down
plain white noggin caps (that''s what I call baby beanies)
wash cloths/towels
carseat
stroller
MOBY WRAP!! (My MOST useful purchase, hands down)
 

KimberlyH

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jun 15, 2006
Messages
7,485
pandora, why is the way the bjorn holds the baby bad? i need something other than the bjorn at some point but think the mai tei looks too complicated.

eta: we were minimalists when it came to baby crap. the one thing we haven't used is slings. i had baby right when all the warnings came out about the suffocation risks for newborns, so i haven't touched them, but they're usable for older babies/toddlers so i will at some point, probably, as i carry her a lot.
 

DivaDiamond007

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
1,828
Had but didn''t use:

Swing. James hated it and would scream every time we put him in it.
J&J bath sets. I kept all of the baby washes and gave away the powders and lotions.
Newborn sized robe. It was a cute gift but James never wore it.
Baby shoes. Again, they are cute in theory but James didn''t wear shoes until he could walk at 13 months.
Bumbo. I had to have one. Hubby went out and got it and we only used it a handful of times.


Didn''t have and didn''t miss:

Diaper Genie. We put pee diapers in the trash and put poop ones in a plastic grocery bag and then toss it.
Bottle warmer. We just ran them under hot water.
Wipers warmer. No where to keep it to have it on and we always just changed James in the living room.
Changing station. The living room was ideal and we''ve always changed diapers on the floor.
Swaddling blanket. James hated being swaddled and started sleeping on his tummy early on (with pedi''s blessing).


Must haves:

Onesies. James wore them until he was too tall to.
Cloth diapers for burp cloths. James spit up. A lot. Often.
Dr. Brown''s bottles. Totally helped with spit up issues although the parts are a pain to wash if you don''t have a dishwasher.
Standard baby gear: car seat, stroller, crib, diapers, wipes and footie jammies that zip.
 

Blenheim

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Feb 27, 2006
Messages
3,136
I''m glad that we never got most of the things listed on this thread! We''ve been fairly minimalist for the most part.

I know that a properly adjusted ring sling is supposed to distribute weight well and feel fine on your back, but I just couldn''t really get into either sling I tried. I liked the Ergo until I tried the Mei Tai, and I never use the Ergo anymore. It presses on my waist band and gives me saggy jean butt, and I don''t have that problem with the Mei Tai. Love love love the BabyHawk.

We got about 25 baby blankets as shower gifts, and at one point I mentioned to my mom how absurd that seemed. We returned a bunch of them and then never used some of the ones we kept. And then, at a baby shower that we both attended about a month or two ago, my mom gave the expectant mom about five baby blankets and told her that I told her that we had so many of them and needed every single one, so she knew they would be very useful for her. Um, what?

Hooded towels... I can see how they cuold be useful, but we just grab the closest towel which is inevitably a regular one.

I know this is heresy here, but we didn''t like the snap and go or Maclaren. They just didn''t work with when we want to use strollers, I guess.

Kimberly - hanging from the crotch like that isn''t great for their hip and back development. You ideally want something that holds their legs in a froggy leg position for newborns and supports the way that their back naturally rounds, and a splayed position for older babies/toddlers - think about how an older baby kind of splays their legs around around your hips when you hold them. Ring slings, wraps, mei tais, podagis, and some soft structured carriers (Ergo, Beco, some others) all do this. There were days that George spent hours in the BabyHawk or Moby as he just wanted to be held and I just wanted to use my hands, and so I am definitely glad that I had something that I felt okay leaving him in for a while. The mei tai is a little bit complicated the first few times, but it gets a ton easier with practice and I love mine.
 

anchor31

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Oct 18, 2005
Messages
7,074
Stuff we have but don''t/barely use:
- Blankets. I guess people give them because they''re cute, but they''re totally useless.
- Swaddler. I did enjoy it... for 2 weeks. Then he would break free of it, so we stopped swaddling.
- Onesies/shirts with turtlenecks. Sure, he was a winter baby and it''s cold over here, but I never even attempted to put them on him, I''m sure he would have hated them!
- Plush toys. BIL keeps buying them. Useless!
- Sling. Jacob stopped enjoying it at about 2 months, plus he got kind of heavy to carry.
- Shoes. ???

Something I used but only because I''d bought it:
- Manual breastpump. If you plan to pump, buy a double electric, otherwise it way too much work.

Stuff that was posted as useless for others but use and love:
- Swing. He LOVES it.
- Activity mat. Again, Jacob loves it.
- Snap''n Go. Perfect for a winter baby in a cold country!
 

fieryred33143

Ideal_Rock
Joined
May 18, 2008
Messages
6,689
Date: 6/25/2010 8:11:46 PM
Author: KimberlyH
pandora, why is the way the bjorn holds the baby bad? i need something other than the bjorn at some point but think the mai tei looks too complicated.


eta: we were minimalists when it came to baby crap. the one thing we haven''t used is slings. i had baby right when all the warnings came out about the suffocation risks for newborns, so i haven''t touched them, but they''re usable for older babies/toddlers so i will at some point, probably, as i carry her a lot.

With the bjorn, the dangle. Don''t know how else to describe it. But they''re basically hanging from their middle area :p so it messes with their circulation. With other wraps they''re sitting.

We couldn''t use the bjorn. Her legs would turn purple each time.
 

TravelingGal

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
Messages
17,193
My understanding is that some bjorns are better than others, but I never used one so can''t say for sure.

We were very minimalist so I can''t say we didn''t care for much. The bumbo was borrowed and I thought that was a waste.

Teething rings. She didn''t care to put anything in her mouth. Amelia went through teething with no relief...gels, tablets, whatever. All her baby teeth are in!

Dresses. They are just a pain.

Ergo infant insert. It was just to hot to stuff a tiny infant in that ergo. I love the ergo, but the infant insert was a waste.

I''m sure there''s more, but I''ve already forgotten. Steph, we loved our bottle warmer too, which we borrowed.
 

Mara

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
31,003
i believe with the Bjorn only the facing out position is questionable... the facing in gives them more support. facing out dangles them from their crotch. J has loved the Bjorn from day one and he loves facing out. i did get the Ergo so we'll move to that soon, we only wear him in the Bjorn maybe once every few weeks so we feel fine about it.

almost forgot, i bought a peanut shell fabric sling and we tried it 2x and he hated it both times and i didn't like how it felt either.

anchor, lol i had to laugh at the thought of onesies with turtlenecks on a newborn!!

hooded towels, we love them!! J hates if his head is exposed after a bath so we always use them. the ones from PBK are my favorite, they are the thickest i have found.

ditto not liking little 'burp cloths'.. they are too small and the fabric usually means the spitup runs off them. we use cloth diapers and they are fabulous.

changing table.. I didn't get one and just figured we'd change him wherever but G had a fit when he realized that (he is really particular about 'designated' areas...hehe) so three days in I ordered one off Amazon and it was delivered the next day. surprisingly enough, since it's in our living room (I figured for 5-6 months we could deal) by a window, he just loves it. and it has high sides so i could leave him there and wash dishes within sight of him, make bottles, etc... he would just hang out and talk to himself and look out the window at the trees. it's one of his favorite places. and it has open sides and shelves so when we're done we'll put it in his closet (it just barely fits) for storage.

oh one more useless item for us..footed PJ's. since our kid is turning into jack the beanstalk, i can't buy anything else with feet as it constrains him when the rest of the garment is still wearable. and so many cute sleepers have feet.
 

lizzyann

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 23, 2009
Messages
2,435
definitely didn''t need a swing, bath robe, or a bundle me for the car seat (it was too warm out to need it), oh and stuffed animals. I hate when people give me those things. DS bites them and the fur comes off in his mouth. Eww.

And for some reason, I still haven''t even opened his Chicco umbrella stroller. We always use his regular stroller. For people that use umbrella strollers, when and where do you use them? I don''t like that there is no storage underneath them, which is why I don''t use it. I might return it. I still haven''t even opened it. I need to get a jogging stroller though!
 

KimberlyH

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jun 15, 2006
Messages
7,485
thanks for the info. i don''t wear j in a sling a ton, usually twice or three times a week for an hour or two, so i''m not too concerned, but it does hurt my back so i''m going to need an alternative as she continues to get bigger. i have an eb peanut sling that converts to a hip carrier, she''s too small for that right now, but the sling part might work, she''ll hate it for walks though, she wants to see everything.
 

Ninna

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Feb 16, 2010
Messages
303
Date: 6/25/2010 5:30:05 PM
Author: fiery
I should probably add a disclaimer that Sophia has really big legs and she would get stuck in the bumbo
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.
LOL so true, size matters
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When you have a giant like mine there's no way Hooded towels, receiving blankets, new born clothes nor 0-3 will work.
Hand Mittens received tons, never had luck with, they would come off so quickly, it was ridiculous.
The Genie DID keep the poo spell out, until you opened the darn thing
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Crib bedding it was a mall fortune and all we could really use when our baby was asleep was the sheet BUT the rest looked great when the baby wasn't in bed.
Baby swing my baby hated it!
Baby Einstein got a set as a gift hmmm... you can teach them 7-8 words on your own, just play good music in the home.
Shoes are so cute, much cheaper to loose a sock than a shoe.
Shopping Cart Protectors I'm not averse to having a clean environment, but this is one is silly, ALL stores provide free disinfectant wipes. Those things aren't even cute and must be washed.
Walker got two of those, still in the box.
 
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