question for stockpile shower gift *recipients*

[cpaige]

Basket!!! I've made so many different types of them, and all the mom's loved them!!! My favorite? I found a kids wood toy chest, unfinished for something like 4.00 (orginally it was about 30.00), stained and sealed it, and put the baby's name on the front of it w/ blue wood letters (.5 each letter), and FILLED it to the brim of baby stuff!!!! He still has his toy chest, and he's in the 5th grade now!!! Basket, or something like it !!!!!

[mminnich51207]

I have done both baskets and diaper cakes and everyone raves over the baskets. I get a nice soft blanket from babiesrus when they give out the 20% off coupon for 1 baby item. I split my orders up and use that when the blankets are on sale. Then I either ask the mother or look off the registry to see what kind of brands they prefer. I usually buy shampoo, body wash, lotion, diaper cream, bibs, spoons, bottles, booties, 1 outfit, pack of gerber onsies, towel, wash cloth, rubber ducky, travel wipe case (target has great plastic pampers travel case for $1 and the case is durable unlike the ones that come with the diaper bag). Anyway I fill the baskets...I've done three and all three mothers loved it so much they dup for other showers they had to go to. My fav shower gift for my son was a basket with handles that fold down when not carrying. I stock it with his diapers, wipes, lotion, (everything he needs for a diaper change), 1 rattle, 1 binkie...i can carry this basket from room to room and so much easier then carrying the baby back to the changing table every time. I love my basket and can't find anything like it anywhere. btw i opted not for a changing table since i got this basket...oh and you can find coupons everywhere to get all the baby stuff for free or close to it...

[sjmarsha]

I do baby showers for a living, and run a large baby shower information website. I would go with putting the items in a laundry basket or baby bath tub, personally. I do have directions for making diaper cakes and other "making cute things out of useful products" instructions, but my opinion is that practicality wins out over cuteness almost every time.

[Beana913]

I got a few gifts in plastic totes. I thought that was a great idea cause the baby stuff went right back into them after he outgrew those things. Our basement can be damp so these made storage ideal.

[sbp]

I like any form of packaging too!!!!

The baskets are great since you can always find a use for them afterwards, whether it's a pretty storage basket type or a laundry basket!

I had 2 showers with ds#1 (one at work and one with friends and family) and I received sooo many washes, lotions, shampoos that even though ds#2 came along 22 months later, I still had a huge supply of everything.

One of the girls at work that organized that shower for me made me a very adorable diaper cake, and I loved it. She made it with cloth diapers which I hadn't even planned on using cloth diapers, but they made great burp cloths so that worked out great!! There were also a lot of baby sized washcloths and a receiving blanket, and I was fine that they were open and not in a package, because I washed everything before the baby used it/wore it anyways, so that part didn't bother me at all.

[adriansmommie]

Basket:).

[nursebrittney]

a basket that can be used later is the best.
One of my baby shower gifts came in a nice ratan and cloth lined basket. It currently holds all my little boys bath stuff in the bathroom. I wish I had more of them!

[tmsmalley]

One of the nicest gifts I got with my first was like this. My girlfriend that hosted my shower filled a baby tub with one each of a variety of things- baby tylenol, thermometer, alcohol, cotton balls, a jar of baby food, washcloth, teether, rattle, etc. Then she put a baby towel over the whole thing and had it as the centerpiece on the food table. During the games, she brought it out last, took it around to each person and gave them 30 seconds to see what was in it. The person who could write down the most things correctly won the prize and I was given the tub and contents.

Some of the items in there I didn't use for months, but I did eventually use every single thing in there, plus of course the baby tub itself. Anything you can do to get multiple uses out of something is good in my book!

Tess