Organizing this stuff takes some work, but I believe when we keep our kids' environments organized, it benefits them and makes life easier in the day to day.
Today I'd like to talk about clothes.
This problem starts as soon as soon as you have that baby shower. Who can resist the tiny little socks, slippers, bonnets, pjs, pantsuits and bibs? If you are fortunate enough to have a traditional baby shower or any friend who has older kids you will end up with probably more clothes than you actually need just because they are so darn cute. If it's your first child, you don't really know what you need so you always have more.
I can safely say you only need one "baby's first" bib for each major holiday.
I can safely say you only need one "baby's first" bib for each major holiday.
This keeps on going even when you have them and they have a billion things already. Who can resist a miniature size shirt that says Chick Magnet with a big yellow chick on it?
How many times have you gone to Target just to buy toilet paper and you just had to buy that shirt/bib/onesie/hat?
Kids clothes, though they are small, can pile up before you know it. Add in gifts from family and friends and donations from friends, and the fact that they keep growing, and things can get unmanageable pretty quick.
Custom Nursery Closet by Kristin Bythewood Interiors
Here are some ideas for getting your kids clothing in order:
Here are some ideas for getting your kids clothing in order:
- Keep a realistic quantity of clothing for each season.
The clothes that are in your kids dressers or hanging up in the closet should only be the things they are wearing and using right now. I generally keep seven days worth of clothing as a baseline. This is supplemented by extra socks, underwear, pjs, a few nicer outfits for special occasions or church, a swim outfit, and maybe a few extra shirts or onesies for littler ones that throw up or make a mess daily. This gives you enough stuff for your kids to wear for a week.
Keeping a smaller amount of clothing overall makes you actually use and wear everything they have that actually fits. This is true for adults too!
Keeping a smaller amount of clothing overall makes you actually use and wear everything they have that actually fits. This is true for adults too!
- Only keep clothes that actually fit in the bedroom.
Anything hanging in that closet is fair game to be worn if your house is like mine. If I don't take things out, without fail, my son ends up wearing the one thing that doesn't fit.
Gradually put too small clothes into a bag until you are ready to do a total swap out. Then take all of them out and replace them with the things you have stored in that next size up bin. Then you'll be able to see how much you already have, and if you need to get more, you'll know what you still need and can go to the store with a plan. Just like the grocery store it is all too easy to get enticed by additional items you don't really need.
- Keep kids laundry separate.
Consider doing laundry by room, not by color or type of thing. You may do more loads per week but you will stay on op of it and not get to that point where someone "has nothing clean to wear". One kid can generate a significant load of laundry as you know. Avoid heaping overwhelming piles in you laundry room by keeping kids laundry in their own basket in their room until you are ready to throw it in the wash. If kids share a room, put two baskets in there, or combine if it's easier.
My son has his own little laundry basket in his closet. When the basket is full, he helps me put it in the wash, then I add in some bibs, the highchair cover, anything else that belongs to him that needs washing and do it all in one load. It gets dried, tossed back in the basket, and is put away before he goes to bed.
This keeps laundry in my house manageable and saves time since I am not sorting out adult underwear from baby socks. This also allows my son to take some ownership and help me with his stuff as he is able. It keeps things from piling up in my laundry room and spilling over. Who wants to look at a pile of laundry in a mountain? Not me. Hide it in the closet and shut the door. All of my closet designs typically include a location for a hamper or laundry basket of some sort. There are so many cute ones these days in fun colors and sizes.
Having a system for your kids clothes can help you maintain a reasonable amount of clothing, keep life manageable, rooms cleaner, and laundry loads lighter. Who doesn't want that?
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