How to spring clean your child’s wardrobe

There is nothing like the fresh feeling of renewal that comes after a serious bout of spring cleaning your home. When it comes to your child’s wardrobe, however, we are often reluctant to throw away even the smallest of pieces, no matter how threadbare or washed out it looks. Nevertheless, once you see the many benefits of streamlining your child’s wardrobe, you will be wondering why you have never done this before.

The three pile system

Start by emptying out your child’s cupboards completely. Next, divide their clothes into three piles: one pile of clothes you want to keep, one pile that you can donate, and one pile of clothes that can no longer be worn, by anyone! Be honest with yourself when deciding what belongs where. It may be hard to let go of that cute little romper that used to fit your tot, but it really is doing no good sitting in your child’s cupboard hogging valuable space.

Pile 1: It’s a keeper!

This pile is for the keepers: those items that your child wears on a regular basis, fit your child, and still have some life in them. This pile might also be home to some items that just need a little TLC. Use your refreshed attitude as the impetus to finally go to a tailor to hem those pants or take in that top. Refresh older items with clothing dye or by adding bows, ribbons, and sequins. Remove the bobbles off clothing with a clothing defuzzer.

Pile 2: One child’s trash is another child’s treasure

This pile is for clothes that your child does not or cannot wear any longer. Clothes that do not fit or that your child refuses to wear should belong in this pile. Clothes that are dated and old can also go here. The great thing about this pile is that even though your child is not going to get any use out of these items, someone else definitely will.

Hand them down If you have friends or family with children, why not ask them what items their child may need or want before donating your child’s used clothes to charity. Another option is to simply donate the clothes to a homeless person you see on your drive to work. Otherwise, many churches have a clothing donation system.

Pile 3: Scraps

The third pile is for clothing that no children would ever wear. By this, we mean clothing with massive holes and huge stains. The old mindset would be to throw these items away, but in a world plagued by an overload of pollution and waste, we suggest recycling. Save yourself some money and use these scraps of material as cloths to clean up around your house and help with the rest of your spring cleaning efforts.