I spent several hours sorting children's clothing this afternoon. I have decided that this is my most dreaded job. I would rather muck out the chicken coop, stack firewood, mow the lawn or shovel the snow filled driveway (not that we have snow yet to shovel). Right off the top of my head, I can not think of a job that I dislike more than sorting through clothes.I'm sure I sound very ungrateful when we have enough clothes to actually have to sort. I'm sure there are many, many people who would love the clothes that I am viewing with dismay and discouragement. I really am grateful. We do not have to buy many clothes for our family. So many people are generous with their things and willingly share with us. It saves us so much that we have this abundance, but I came to the conclusion today that we are not passing the blessing on as well as we should but keeping so many of the clothes we are given.
I mean, realistically, how many clothes does a child need and multiply that by five children, throw in two adults and that is a lot of clothes. So, my question, how many clothes is too much? I don't know about your family, but we tend to wear the same favorites over and over. I do wash everyday, we don't need two weeks worth of clothing. We have a small house for a family of seven and there is not a lot of storage.
I'm sure this mild-aversion to having so many clothes comes from the fact that I really don't care so much for fashion or what kind of clothes I wear. It needs to be comfortable and functional. I like a bit of color and pattern, but I'm no fashion diva. I couldn't care less what folks are wearing and what is the hottest trend. I hate to shop for clothes and what clothes we have has to be very durable. No delicate cycles or cool dryers around this house.
As of today, I'm on a mission, to eliminate a huge portion of the clothing we have. I would love any advice on how you handle the clothing monster in your households.
15 comments:
Don't even get me going about clothes. My wife has filled the house with clothes no one will ever wear again, including stuff the kids wore over 20 years ago. I have to pile my clothes on the floor behind my compute chair. The spare bedroom has a narrow path between piles and boxes of clothes and the old house still has some left in the attic. If I could sell each piece for a nickle I'd be set for early retirement.
Wow, I could have written this entry! :) I can definitely identify with what you are saying. I have also wondered how much is enough. You are so right that we all tend to wear what we like over and over while many things just lay unused in the drawers. A large portion of a room in our basement is devoted solely to storing clothes for hand-me-downs. If you get any great suggestions, please pass them on to me!
Lois from the Prairie Family Chronicles
I know exactly how you feel! I did get rid of a lot of STUFF when we moved this summer and it felt so good at the time. I was looking in my daughters closet last week and asked, "Where did all this come from? I thought we got rid of a lot of STUFF a couple of months ago." Of course, she had no idea!:) I think clothes, shoes, and toys multiply during the night around here!!!!
Kayla Brazzel
Debbie,
I have one kid that has way too many clothes also. Last year it seemed everytime I looked at him he was wearing this totally ugly Spongebob shirt. I started rotating his clothes in the drawer. When I did laundry I put his shirts in a rubbermaid until the drawers were empty, so he would wear everything. Ofcourse I know this wouldn't work with five kids, but at least he wasn't outgrowing clothes that he had hardly worn.
Tammy
Debbie,
I have one kid that has way too many clothes also. Last year it seemed everytime I looked at him he was wearing this totally ugly Spongebob shirt. I started rotating his clothes in the drawer. When I did laundry I put his shirts in a rubbermaid until the drawers were empty, so he would wear everything. Ofcourse I know this wouldn't work with five kids, but at least he wasn't outgrowing clothes that he had hardly worn.
Tammy
The title to this post made me laugh. :)
For us, the clothes mountain shrank after my kids started getting taller than those that were passing on their clothes to us. lol.
And Luke helps keep our laundry down by changing only twice a week unless I force him to more often.
It's so easy to hold on to more than we need. I agree it'd work great to keep your favorites and pass on the rest to bless someone else.
Too bad we don't live closer. I'd gladly sort your clothes for you and you could come muck my chicken coop. If I had a chicken coop.
I just sorted clothes today. Ugh. I'm so right there with you. I've started letting go of more. Although, we just finished up the shed so now I have plenty of room to store totes full of clothes. I just don't want to have to sort them! ;-)
Girl, you are crackin' me up! This is my life! I wonder how seven people can manufacture so much laundry when I see them wearing the same stuff everyday! I despise the clothing dilemma. Wish I had grand advice. I muddle through it all......
There are only 4 of us, but my kids have a lot of clothing, as do I. Some of what I have is hold-over from my "real life" days when I worked a job that didn't require capri pants and a t-shirt...of course, I COULD wear all those nice things, but I'm not Mrs. Ward, you know.
And my kids are well-loved by family members and receive a lot of clothing. I tend to buy cute stuff...more than needed as well. But I do make sure it gets worn regularly. And if it doesn't fit anymore, or it's worn beyond repair, then it goes into a bag to give away, or the garbage (unless the fabric is conducive to rags). Because we are moving soon, I've been culling out the wardrobes here, and it's been a bear. I hate looking into the clothing diva's closet and wondering if she still fits that size 6 skirt (even though she's almost 8) because I KNOW she does, I just want to get rid of it, lol!
Wish I could offer more for you...
Debbie, I need to come here more often to enjoy the blessings of those kids. Piles of laundry that I can't even imagine and you still shine.
LOL! The dreaded job... Looks like a nice neat little pile in the picture >VBG>!
This is something I have struggled with since Justin was a baby. We had so much given to us for him. At one point I think he had 30 pair of jeans! (that didn't count the dress pants). I have a friend who gave me all of her son's outgrown items. She has now stopped but I had kept everything for Kaden. I finally realized that the boys always choose the same favorite clothes. I started sorting (which like you I hate because I get so overwhelmed). Now that Justin no longer gets clothes given to him, he has much less. Just the expense is overwhelming. I had to buy him a complete summer wardrobe and recenlty had to buy him a winter one. He currently has four pair of play jeans (he is very hard on his clothes) two pair of dress pants, 2 dress shirts, and about 6 play shirts, 2 sweatshirts, one winter coat and snowpants, and three pair of sweat pants. That is it. I do shop the thrift stores and goodwill before I buy new for him. Kaden still has too much, but I am still using clothes that were Justin's. I did just donate two bags of clothes that fit Kaden. He was in two sizes at once and I decided to pretty much get rid of the smaller size. We are slowly sorting and donating what we really don't need/wear.
I think the same thing about clothes and laundry for just 2 of us! Why do we have so many clothes? And laundry is one of those jobs that is NEVER FINISHED!
Periodically a Vietnam veterans group will send me a bag asking for donations of used clothing and household items. I'm glad when I can fill that bag for their pick-up and Goodwill has been a beneficiary of my overflowing closets and drawers too.
I have no answers for you. I need to go through my younger boys clothes. They have some things which I like but they nver wear, it's silly to keep those items.
You must have posted an internet photo, not your real laundry basket. Even my laundry for four doesn't look that neat, lol!
Older kids can do their own laundry, middle kids can fold socks, and everyone can put their own stuff away. I had my kids fooled, and they looked forward to laundry races. They'd come in my room to pick their stuff up, having to make several trips, and racing back and forth down the hallway.
Now they are smart.
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