As we get older, it seems that the seasons change quicker and quicker. There is one season I will never get used to, and that’s transitioning my children’s clothes. I can still remember holding up my daughter’s onesies out of the dryer after my baby shower. She was still in my belly, and I couldn’t believe how tiny the clothes were and that soon I’d be holding an actual human that size. But then before I knew it, I was moving her newborn clothes out of the closet to add 3-month sizes. In a blink of an eye, I now have size 10 and size 8 in my hands while folding the laundry.
Although it never seems to get easier when you realize your kids’ clothes are too small and you need to take them out of their closet, there are ways to make the transition a little softer on your heart. I think it’s ok to save your favorite outfits because these are memories that are a part of you. My plan for my children is to take my favorite outfits, which I’ve been saving since their births, and make a blanket for their high school graduation. I’ve pulled these favorites each time I transition their closets and store them in a bin in our attic. I highly suggest Rubbermaid or plastic bins instead of bags. This will ensure their safety from unwanted visitors like bugs and any tiny creatures that may be lurking in your storage spaces. By knowing these sweet clothes are still in my possession, it makes adding bigger clothes a little easier.
If I’m not saving their clothes (and please don’t save ALL of them – choose your very favorites), I donate the others to either the Salvation Army or give them to a friend who has a child that will be entering that size. I think it’s important to pass it on, and by knowing they’re going to a good home, saying goodbye to the tiny clothes makes it a little easier. Baby and toddler clothes are also popular sellers at yard sales, but if you tend to hold on to clutter with the intent to have a yard sale but five years later everything is still in your garage, then please just give them away!
When it’s time to transition their clothes, I find it’s best for me personally to set aside an hour or so to go through all of their items in their closets. If I know for a fact that they don’t fit, I put them in either “get rid of” or “keep” piles. I try to do this when my kids are close by because sometimes they say something fits but I need them to try it on just to be sure. They hate this task, but it helps them see that their favorite shirt isn’t covering their bellies anymore. They know about my keep pile, so I also let them add to this if they have a goodie of their own.
Once you have your “keep” items ready to store, I like to label the bin with the gender and size. For instance, I have a Rubbermaid bin that says “Girls NB” (newborn) and then under it, I add what sizes I put in. I do this so when the time comes for me to use these pieces, I can go through them easier. I don’t plan on using the whole piece for the quilt, but I like some patterns that I’d like to use as borders of the quilt.
When our kids grow up, they’re not the only ones going through transitions. We as parents have to also transition with them by giving them more freedom and accepting that what used to be a tiny ball in our arms is now or will someday soon be a pre-teen running around with friends. It’s ok to keep some physical memories of their babyhood, but spread the joy to others when you can by giving away items you don’t want. Your old memories will be the start for another new mama.
