House of Order- Storing Kid Clothes

Tips on Storing Kid Clothes

1.  CONTAINERS- I love matching HEAVY DUTY Rubbermaid containers.  You want them BIG, and you want them stack able.  We don't have a lot of storage options, but these Rubbermaid totes work great stacked to the ceiling in the garage. 

2. Group by SIZE- Make a sheet of paper for every size you are sorting.  Girls 0-3 months, Boys 0-3 months, etc.  Start by just sorting according to size.  Don't think about each item of clothing... just sort them into piles.  Even if you think a 3-6 month outfit looks small and might fit a 0-3 month baby, don't think about it.  Put it with the 3-6 month clothes.  When you take the clothes out of storage you will still have a brain.  Out objective-- just sort it.  Only put obvious stuff in your Goodwill pile.  You will have time to decide on Goodwill later... first sort FAST.

3.  Decide on GROUPING- Don't group too many sizes together.  For girls- I grouped all my misc baby stuff with my 0-3 month clothes.  I have another container of 3-6 and 6-12, another container of 12-18, 18-24, another container of 2T, 3T, 4T, a size 5 and 6,  and a size 7 and 8.  For boys I only have a 0-4T box.  

4.  Purge by SIZE- Now that you have piles by size, take one pile and look through it.  Put into your goodwill pile anything that you wouldn't put your child in today if they would fit in it.  I usually have one or two "sentimental" outfits that I keep per child, I especially like handmade items.  Although, I imagine that someday I will have a daughter-in-law that might not appreciate my thoughtful saving.  You know I have a lot of kids, and I'm not done having kids.  But, when I have a new baby, I don't love putting them in yucky, puke stained clothes.  I would rather have 3 new things than 30 old things.  So, I don't keep a lot.  Only things I love.  My boys are 10 and 11 years old.  I have ONE BOX of baby boy stuff.  It is very sentimental to me and everything in it is in good condition (pull on the waist bands... old elastic doesn't store well).  I used to keep everything.  But then, I felt guilty when I pulled out my clothes and saw things that were really cute and someone else could have used, but I knew that 6 years later my kids would never wear those outfits.  So, be picky.  Think-- "I'm giving this to another child."  Not, "I'm throwing this away."  If you are finished having kids-- GET RID OF EVERYTHING.  I have one gallon-sized bag per child of sentimental outfits that are unique to them.  And, I have a blessing outfit for each of my kids... to pass down.  Yup, I bought a new blessing dress for each of my girls.  I had to.  I didn't want them to feel bad when they got older that only Anna got to keep the blessing dress.  Everything else I would happily pass on to someone I love.

Goodwill Pile...

5. PACK it- Start with biggest on the bottom, and try to lay things as flat as you can.  When I opened my old boxes, I loved the shirts that were just folded in half and laid flat on the bottom of the boxes... So I tried to fold less and make clothes flat in the box.  I put a paper labeling each stack on top of each size.  And, I put the shoes on the top... so they wouldn't wrinkle the clothes.  If you REALLY want to be organized... print out an inventory sheets and do a quick write up of things you have. I would put this inventory sheet on top of your box, or in your file cabinet... to help when you are shopping clearance.  But, I kind of know what I have just by sorting... so I didn't do inventory sheets this time.

not mine... but don't these bins look great?!

6.  Label--  My favorite labels are just paper (index card sized) with clear packers tape on it.  I always print out TWO labels per box... on for each long side.  I started with address labels, but I didn't like them.  They were too small and peeled off way to easily.  I LOVE my paper labels that I taped on.

Here's How it Worked for ME...

I have a lot of children and a lot of Kid Clothes of different sizes.  So, for many years I have had to purge their drawers at the beginning of each season and store sizes for the next child or the next season.

I sort of had a system.  But always this was a dreaded task.  And, it was always somewhat of a grand discovery what I had when a new season came around.  I have Tupperware on top of each closet that says "Too Small" for stuff that they grow out of and another "Next Season" for stuff that I buy off season but they can't fit in yet.   I always HATE it when my too small box gets full and I have to figure out the attic.  My things were sort of organized, but a bit painful to navigate. 



BEFORE

I can honestly say that the #1 thing I have learned after the past few days of organizing is this...

Home Organization is almost 100% MENTAL.



When I decided to do a project- like organize all my kids clothes, my hands sweat, my brain gets dizzy, i do ANYTHING to avoid the project at hand.  If my husband makes one off-hand comment like "What are you doing that for?"  I want to blame him for my years of dis-order.   "I just need your support!" Is my common mantra.  But really, I don't need support, I just need to DO IT!!!

BEFORE

With my kids clothes, I didn't panic until I started sorting the boxes.  

This is how my brain works.

I pick up a baby sleeper.  I find what size it is.  I wonder if my baby will be able to wear it in the summer since my last 3 girls were born in the summer and wore most small things in fall.  I wonder if I should give it to Goodwill or put it in a pile.  I put it in a pile.  I forget if that pile was 6-12 months or 1-9 months.  I try to figure out if 3 months is 0-3 or 3-6 months.  My mind is swirling and my floor is a mess of piles.  Then, I call someone.  Because I think best when I'm distracted.

my disorganized piles...

While I'm having an uplifting conversation about homeschooling, organization, Christmas traditions, and how we are turning into weird mothers... i have an idea. 

I pull out some moving paper... I mark it 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-12 months.  12-18 months, 18-24 months, 2T, 3T, 4T.  And, I just sort.  Quickly.  Not thinking, not deciding if I should send something to Goodwill, or worrying about seasons... just putting everything into piles.  It takes 20 minutes, and my mind is happy.   

Then I look at my piles and decide my containers.  I decided to put 0-3months with all my baby blankets and bottles and things I will need right when my baby is born.  I put 3-6 and 6-12 months in the same container.  Biggest on the bottom, with the paper I used to sort separating the sections.  Later, when I would find a random 6-12 month that I needed to stick in, I loved the papers... I just dug down to the paper and stuck the outfit under it. I put all the shoes on the top. 

Even though I have girls that are wearing 2T and 4T, I still had sections of 2T and 4T.  In those sections I have clothes that would fit them but they can't wear right now because it is summer.  My inspiration-- pack it by SIZE, like a store.  Don't think about when your kid will wear it or what season it will be.  Pack by size.  Take out what you need when you need it.  DUH!  Why has it taken me so many years to figure that out?

I mean, this is how I did it... I just thought too much about it.  

I am LOVING my new House of Order.  

After I finished all my girls' clothes, i tackled my girls TOYS.  Yup, all in one day.  I'm so excited to show you their new improved closet.  I honestly re-organize that closet every other week.  But, I think I've hit a new mile-stone.  It helps that we are moving and I'm nesting...  wait till you see their closet!  I believe I am finally going to stop their WAVE of order... mess, clean, mess, clean, mess, clean... we may have hit Nirvana.  I'll give it a few more days before I make any rash claims.  :)  

Happy Sorting!