Kids outgrow things faster than anyone can keep up with. One year the nursery is full, and the next you have a crib nobody sleeps in, a car seat in the garage, a stroller behind the basement stairs and a high chair that has not been used since the toddler started sitting at the table. For Bridgeville families, the hard part usually is not deciding to let it go. It is figuring out what can be passed on, what has to be thrown away and how to get the bulky pieces out of the house.
Iron Bear & Co. is a family-owned, local junk removal company, established in 2015 (formerly Richie’s Hauling). We clear nurseries, playrooms, basements and garages across Bridgeville, Collier, South Fayette and the South Hills, and outgrown baby gear comes up in a lot of the cleanouts we do.
Start with safety: not everything should be passed on
Baby gear is different from most household items, because some of it cannot legally be sold or given away once it is outdated or recalled. Before you post anything online or drop it at a donation center, sort it with these rules in mind.
Cribs
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), federal crib safety standards have applied to all full-size and non-full-size cribs, new or used, since June 28, 2011. Cribs made before that date, and drop-side cribs, are likely not compliant and should not be resold or donated. The CPSC’s guidance for nursery products that do not meet current standards is to take them out of use, and its general advice is simple: when in doubt, throw it out.
Car seats
Car seats have an expiration date, usually printed on a label on the side or base of the seat. Many expire about six years after they were made, but the label on your seat is what counts. Safety agencies also advise against reusing a seat that has been in a moderate or severe crash. If a seat is expired, has been in a crash, is missing parts or has a recall you cannot resolve, it should be thrown away rather than passed on. Many people cut the straps before disposal so nobody pulls it from the curb and uses it.
Recalled products
The CPSC states it is illegal to sell recalled products. Before you sell or donate a stroller, bassinet, play yard, high chair or bouncer, look up the brand and model on the CPSC recall site. If it has an open recall, follow the manufacturer’s remedy or dispose of it.
What can usually be donated or handed down
Plenty of baby and toddler items still have years of use left. Clean, complete, non-recalled items that are often welcome at donation centers or with friends and family include:
- Strollers and wagons in working condition
- High chairs and booster seats with all straps and trays
- Toddler beds, dressers and changing tables in good shape
- Toys, books and clothing
Every donation center sets its own rules, and many will not take cribs or car seats at all, so call ahead. For more on what holds up well for donation, see our guide on what items to donate during a cleanout.
What Bridgeville’s trash pickup will and will not take
Bridgeville Borough’s residential trash is collected on Fridays by County Hauling, according to the borough. Trash can go out after 6 PM the night before or by 6 AM on collection day. The borough’s posted rules allow up to 10 bags per week, each under 40 pounds, plus 2 bulk items per week, placed within 5 feet of the curb. When a holiday falls in the collection week, pickup moves to Saturday.
That works for a single crib or one high chair. It gets harder when a nursery, a playroom and a garage full of outgrown gear all need to go at once. Two bulk items a week can stretch a cleanout over a month, and heavy dressers and toddler beds still have to be carried to the curb. Check the borough’s trash and recycling page for current rules before you set anything out.
Electronics in the nursery
Baby monitors, sound machines, night lights, bottle warmers and battery-powered swings contain electronics and batteries. Batteries and circuit boards are better kept out of the trash, and Pennsylvania already bans items like TVs, computers and tablets from household garbage, so it makes sense to send nursery electronics to a recycler along with them. Our e-waste removal service handles these items along with old TVs, computers and other household electronics.
When it makes sense to have it hauled
A pickup is usually the easier route when:
- You are converting a nursery into a big-kid room or a home office
- Gear from more than one child has piled up in the basement or garage
- You are getting ready to move or list the house
- Heavy furniture needs to come down stairs or through tight doorways
Our crew does the lifting and loading, and we sort as we go so usable items get donated, electronics get recycled and only what has to be thrown away goes to disposal. You can read more about where your junk goes after pickup. We handle furniture removal for cribs, dressers and changing tables, and our residential junk removal covers everything else. If the whole basement needs attention, our Bridgeville basement cleanout guide is a good place to start.
Frequently asked questions
Can I donate an old crib in Pennsylvania?
Only if it meets the federal crib standards that took effect June 28, 2011 and has no open recall. Older cribs and drop-side cribs should be taken out of use rather than donated.
How do I get rid of an expired car seat?
Check whether a local retailer or safety program is running a car seat collection event. Otherwise, remove the fabric and straps, cut the harness and dispose of it so it cannot be reused. We can also take it as part of a pickup.
Do you take baby gear along with other junk?
Yes. Cribs, strollers, high chairs, toys and nursery furniture can go in the same pickup as the rest of a basement, garage or spare room cleanout.
Do you serve Bridgeville?
Yes. We work throughout Bridgeville, Collier, South Fayette, Canonsburg and the South Hills. See our Bridgeville junk removal page for details.
Book your pickup
Iron Bear & Co. is a family-owned, white-glove junk removal team. We protect your floors and doorways, load everything ourselves and leave the space swept. We won’t leave your doorstep until you’re satisfied.
Call (724) 809-3998 or contact us online for a no-obligation estimate.