With spring in the air and a recent warm weather streak, I’ve spent the past week or so transitioning my children’s clothing. As I’ve been pulling out hand-me-downs for the boys (we are so thankful for generous friends and family), I’ve noticed that they have a ton of clothes already!
Since they honestly have more than they need, I’ve been determining what items we’ll actually keep and what can be donated, lent out to someone else, or sold at our local consignment sale. Needless to say, I feel like piles are everywhere! We don’t get as many hand-me-downs for my daughter anymore, so I buy most of her wardrobe. But whether I’m buying or just sorting through what they already have, I’ve realized the importance of knowing what my children actually need.
Without a plan, I know we will end up spending too much or with more than we need. We have limited space anyway, and I know that only keeping what we need will help me maintain a neater and tidier home. I’m a minimalist at heart, although I’m still working on execution. 🙂
Over the years, I’ve come to realize what works for us and try to stick to this basic list for each child. This is a guide and is not a one-size fits all list. The weather where you live might be totally different and you may not need dressy clothes for your children. The quantities I mentioned can also be adjusted to suit the needs of your family and/or your clothing budget. You might be able to do fine with fewer outfits, but I think the higher quantities are helpful. My kids get messy and have accidents, so we like to have spare outfits if I get behind on laundry.
Everyday
5 casual outfits for play (pieces can be interchangeable)
2-3 nicer casual outfits
Dressy
4 dressy outfits (dresses/skirts for girls, button ups/polos/dress pants/dress shorts for boys)
Sleepwear
5-7 pairs of pajamas
Undergarments
5-7 pairs of underwear
5-7 pairs of socks
leggings (for girls to wear with tunics or in cooler temps)
lightweight tights (for girls)
bike shorts (for girls to wear under dresses)
Shoes
1 pair of tennis shoes
1 pair of sandals (Crocs* or flip-flops)
1 pair of dress shoes
Spring/Summer Seasonal Items
lightweight jacket
1-2 swimsuits
Optional:
raincoat
beach cover up
casual hat or sun hat
sunglasses
holiday themed outfits (St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Patriotic, etc.)
Since you may be in the thick of determining what your kids actually need too, I created a FREE printable that might help with your brainstorming. I listed the main categories that I use to plan my children’s wardrobes. There is room for you to write specific items and quantities in each box as you plan.
Click here to download the FREE Clothing Essentials printable
I hope you will find it helpful as you begin to transition your children’s wardrobes!
