Any tips on how to deal with others buying your kids gifts?  We usually have just about everything we need (I am grateful for this) and he doesn't need seven hundred plastic toys or 65 outfits. 

What Paleo Dude said.  Also, once grandma or grandpa has seen the kid in the outfit once, you can throw it out if you don't like it.

I think you also have to acknowledge that people want to buy gifts and that's important. You can control what kinds of gifts if you are tactful, you can encourage people to ask you what he needs or wants and let people know that you plan to 'recycle' the toys because that's a good thing for your child to learn.

When a bit older, you can ask for plants to grow, stuff to use for making cards and small gifts so that your child gives the stuff back again. Being able to keep some toys in the cupboard for 'special' is really useful.

The baby clothes and soft toys die out of their own accord after a bit.

My wife still has plush toys that she got when she was a toddler....

Me too Warren! Just one, and I refuse to ever part with it.

It's hard when they're little little - I agree with the others, if it's from the grandparents you've gotta keep it for a while.  Things like art supplies, books and usually clothes are always welcome in our house for all of our children.  My oldest is now 4.5 and we ask for non-material gifts like a gift certs to the hockey rink so he can go to free-skate, or passes to the bounce place, swimming lessons at the Y etc...  When they're younger it's definitely harder to send the message that you can only have so much crap in your house!