Method Tips: Age & Stage Clothing Bins, for Babies and Kids
Maeve shares strategy for handling clothing for fast-growing babies and kids.
The Facts: Excess baby and toddler clothing piles up fast. Before we know it, our little ones have either outgrown onesies and outfits, or are not quite yet ready to fit into clothing we've collected for them to wear. Incorporate Age & Stage Clothing #bins into your baby or young one's room. This means, keep all clothing in the same size in the same bins, with clothing that is too large in its own bin and location, and not all mixed up with things that are currently active wear. And as you baby or child grows, have a bin for items that are 'too small' items as well.
How To Sort: Sort clothing not currently in use by age, by season or by size. Create categories that make sense to you, like 'outfits for this summer', 'winter onesies that should fit for the coming months', or 'cute outfits that no longer fit but I'd like to save or gift on'. #categories #CATY
Do The Math: When the bins get too full it's time to Do The Math. Calculate how many 6-month onesies your child can wear before they outgrow that size, or how many summer dresses your kid can wear before they transition to back to school wear. Select favorite outfits, making sure to keep numbers realistic, then release the rest (7 dresses a week, repeat outfits every three weeks, that's 21 dresses, we have 40, keep 25, release 15). It's OK to have surplus, but too much surplus isn't helpful as it merely overwhelms. So, aim to reduce excess volume by at least 10%. This will allow bins to close, and make future outfit selection easy.
Pro Tip! If you are expecting another baby, make a tub for outgrown sizes and tuck away. #dothemath
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