The parents' guide to renting everything for your kids
As any parent will tell you, little people seem to require a disproportionately huge amount of stuff. Not only does it take over your home, but kitting your kids out with clothing and other clobber can cost a small fortune - and all those new products take their toll on the environment, too.
Now, a growing number of companies are offering a greener, money-saving alternative to buying new by default and taking the hassle out of finding a new home for items that kids no longer need.
Rent... Kids' clothes
Thelittleloop is a 'clothing library' for children up to 12, set up by Charlotte Morley. 'Kids' clothes are often outgrown well before they're worn out,' she says. 'Our research shows there's enough stored in UK cupboards to clothe all our kids again. Circularity keeps those items in use and means we don't have to keep buying new clothes that use precious resources to produce.'
Membership costs from £18 a month for credits to swap clothes as often as you like (that's around £165 worth of clothes monthly, says the company).
Thelittleloop now also sells preloved kids' clothes from brands including Boden, Frugi and JoJo Maman Bebe, plus high street brands, such as John Lewis & Partners, Monsoon and Marks & Spencer, for a fraction of the price of new. We found a Frugi fleece-lined coat for £18 (£52 new) and a Stella McCartney sweater for £14 (£40 new).
Next time you declutter, order a thelittleloop 'clear-out' bag (£2 for two) to fill with children's clothes from any brand. You'll earn £5 credit to spend with thelittleloop per full bag returned (more for items that can be resold). Or trade in clothes that your kids have grown out of from 10 partner brands in return for credit to spend with any of them.
Rent... Maternity wear
For The Creators provides mums-to-be and new mums with maternity wear for a stylish pregnancy and beyond. 'As a first-time mum, I felt there was a lack of maternity ranges that made me still feel like me, says founder and CEO Lyndsay Mason.
There's a huge throwaway culture with maternity wear - the rental idea benefits both the mother's finances and the planet.
Memberships range from £60 a month (borrow two items a month) to £150 a month (six items), plus you can rent occasionwear from maternity labels including Seraphine, Nine The Label and Hatch and bump-friendly styles from the likes of Rixo, Whistles and Sézane.
Rent... Toys and bikes
Depending on age, buying a kids' bike can set you back several hundred pounds. Bike Club allows you to rent one instead, then trade up when your child's outgrown it. Renting a Frog Tadpole Mini balance bike (suitable for one to two years) costs £7.99 a month (that's just under £96 a year) compared with paying £185 to buy one new. A Forme Kinder 20 bike for five- to seven-year-olds costs £13.99 a month to rent compared with paying £399.99 new.
Renting toys and books means little ones will have a steady stream of things to keep them entertained. Subscriptions to toy library Whirli start from £10.79 a month (if you pay yearly), plus £3.49 per standard delivery or return, or £7.99 a month for unlimited delivery and returns.
This basic package lets you borrow £80 worth of toys, books, ride-ons, dressing-up sets - even play tents - at a time, from brands such as Le Toy Van, Melissa & Doug and LeapFrog.
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