Our clients with children tell us how quickly children grow and change. They often struggle with the accumulation of clothes and shoes – much of it is hardly worn because it is outgrown so quickly. Keeping ahead of the clutter can be challenging with kids so we’ve provided some advice on how decluttering kids’ clothing can help you manage the mess.

Get Kids Involved

Even toddlers are old enough to know which clothes are comfortable and which ones are itchy and scratchy. The important thing is to make decluttering fun. Schedule a “fashion show” where they can “strut their stuff” up and down the hallway and in front of a mirror. Keep in mind that children have short attention spans and may only try on a few outfits at a time. You may need to have daily “fashion shows” for a few weeks to get through all of the outfits in the closet.

Ask questions as the children are performing in their fashion show.

• Does it fit properly? Too tight? Too baggy? Is it comfortable?
• Do you like it? Does it make you feel good?
• Are there any coordinating pieces for this outfit? E.g. Do you always wear your flowered shirt with your brown trousers?

It is tempting for parents and caregivers to declutter without input from the children. But this can make them less likely to part with any type of clutter because the decisions were made for them. However, adults can streamline the “fashion show” process by grouping clothing by size and season. They can also group together all clothes that are worn out, ripped, torn, or stained and those that are definitely the wrong size. Then, you and your child can “approve” of the decision to let all of those clothes go. Bear in mind that this is a ‘teachable moment’ where you can weave in the conversation of charity and Purge with Purpose.

Once the parents and children have completed the “fashion shows,” decide on how many articles of clothing should be kept. There is no hard and fast rule about how many of each item to keep. Consider the child’s preferences and activity level, available storage space, and the family’s laundry schedule. One family might need 10 t-shirts per child, another might only need three.

Handling Hand-Me-Downs

Saving hand-me-downs for younger family members is a good idea. Just make sure they are segregated from the clothes that currently fit your children. Keep them separated by storing them in bins or vacuum-seal bags. Be sure to label the contents with the season and size, for example, Winter Coats Sizes 3-5.  Often when your kids grow to the hand-me-down size, it might be in the wrong season, which is the perfect time to decide to donate or consign.

Sentimental Items

Parents and caregivers sometimes have a stronger sentimental attachment to clothing items than children. When a child decides to discard a certain item of clothing, resist the urge to tell them to keep it based on your fond memories. However, feel free to explain why the outfit brings back happy memories. Take a picture – even hug the clothing if you need to, but then let it go. By doing this you are showing that your feelings are stronger for the child than the things. And you are validating the child’s decision.

The Leftovers

There are several options available to deal with all the clothes you have decluttered and no longer need.

Giveaway: Family and friends are often happy recipients of gently used hand-me-down clothes. Parent-tot and community groups could organize a clothing exchange. Freecycle and Buy Nothing groups (often on Facebook) are also places to offer items for free.

Donate: There are several places to donate gently used children’s clothing in the Vancouver area. Many accept most clothing and footwear and provide essential baby items including gear and diapers to families in need. Some centres accept maternity wear and other small household items. You could also check with houses of worship and community groups to see if they sponsor families in need.

Consignment: Local Vancouver retailers accept children’s clothing on consignment. This is a great option for high-end clothing that has hardly been used such as the outfit for Aunt Betty’s wedding that was worn for only three hours. In order to consign clothing, you must make an appointment with the consignment store. Take in your clean, neatly folded clothes and polished shoes and the staff will evaluate your items to see if they have resale value.

Recycle: Sometimes children’s clothing is just not suitable for giving away. It is too worn or stained. Don’t toss it in the trash. Check our list of places to recycle all sorts of items.

For more information on helping kids stay organized, read our top twelve tips. Check out our additional resources for donations and consignments.

If you need a little help decluttering kids’ clothing, we offer home organizing services. For more information contact Out of Chaos.

Image by Christiane Klieve from Pixabay