I love when kids hit the 24 month clothing mark.  It means I don’t need to swap out clothes every three months!

When I finally realize that their clothes are getting small, here is how I swap them out.  I follow the same process for seasonal changes.

1.  Clear out closet.

I clear out the closet of the wrong size/season first.  Why?  Because those items aren’t worn as much and it feels like I accomplish more :).  Everything (minus outerwear & swimsuits), goes into the tote for that size.

2.  Wash the outerwear.

In our home, we have a family closet.  The kids keep their coats, shoes and sweatshirts in there since our “main” door is the patio door in our kitchen.  Since I pulled everything out of the closet, I throw all the outerwear in the washer.  Right away, if I have enough for a load.

3. Empty the dresser.

I empty the dresser of the wrong season/size and place those in my tote.  Usually at this point it’s overflowing because I’ve added a few new things and not gotten rid of any.

4.  Evaluate socks & shoes.

I take this time to check how their shoes fit.  EVEN if I just got out a new size.  My oldest went through four shoe sizes in one (northern!) summer one year.  No joke!

If they need new shoes, I make a note to get out the next size or purchase some if necessary.  I also check to see how their socks fit.  Kid socks are my nemesis.  Hate them.  Really really.  In the spring, I get everyone new socks in their Easter baskets, but in the Fall when they start wearing socks again, I need to check.

5.  Put new clothes away.

With the dresser & closet empty I can put away the new season/size of clothes.  And I only have one size out at a time.  Some clothes will be big or small, but I keep like sizes together.  If its REALLY off, I change the size on the tag with a sharpie & put it with the “right” size.  It might seem like a waste, but its way easier.   I try to do this the day before laundry day because next I…

6.  Do laundry.

And if they haven’t worn any of the new stuff that I just put in the closet, I don’t have to look at it when it’s done.  It can go straight into the tote.  Keep it handy for at least another week because there will be some stragglers.  And if you are doing this for a small baby or child who just started to potty train, don’t forget the change of clothes in your diaper bag/purse/car or wherever.

How do you handle kids socks?   Do you hate it as much as I do?

 

 

This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday @ We Are THAT Family.

1 Comment on How to Efficiently Swap Kids (Seasonal) Clothing

  1. Teresa
    13 December 2012 at 2:04 PM (11 years ago)

    Great post! My kids’ clothes can definitely get out of hand if we don’t take stock at the end of every season! With my youngest I have been getting a lot of smocked clothing so they can wear it across many seasons by adding leggings or a sweater to the outfit.

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