Buying and Organizing Kids Clothes :: with free printables

Awhile back I posted about stocking up on kids clothes. I've done it for Blake every since before he was born, so you can bet your bottom dollar that when I found out we were having a girl, I jumped right on into it for her!

Organizing her clothes was a bit more of a challenge, considering that I have an AMAZING sister in law that kindly handed down clothes from her 1 year old!

This was just one of the times we brought stuff home from her house! here's been more! Can you say Jackpot!?

I was SO incredibly excited to bring home all these clothes, but as I got sorting, I began to realize that I needed some sort of system, or this was going to get out of control really fast!

This is what I came up with...

Quinn's closet is big enough to hold the size she is currently in, as well as most of the next size up. So currently I have her 3-6 month within easy reach, and then the 6-9 month clothes (or most of them) at the very right side (behind the wall) Keep in mind, pants/skirts/bloomers are in a dresser on the other side of the room.

Then, you'll notice the 3 totes, there are actually 4, but one is behind the wall on the right. Those totes are divided into 3 categories 6-9 mo. (the stuff that wont fit in the closet) 12-18 mo and 2T and up.

Pretty simple, right? That's what I thought.

It's pretty obvious, but as she reaches the next size, I pack up the old clothes into a tote, and pull the next size forward or out of a tote and hang them up.

Naturally, the closer she gets to 2T and 3T and up clothes, I'll move those into separate bins, but for now, they all fit in one.

Here are a few printables that I used. You can also use these for clothes that are in storage after your child outgrows them!

 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Now, I wanted to share a few tips that I've learned about buying children's clothes!

This pile is a culmination of a couple different shopping trips! For example... I hit a killer sale at Osh Kosh not too long ago! 

1. Look for the signs. No, not 'signs from above'. Clearance signs. Those Big yellow clearance signs at target are my best friend. Stickers are another buddy of mine. Most are red, so watch for them!

2. But don't be tricked. Always make sure it's really a good deal. There may be a sign, but if it's only like 10% off, it's usually not worth stocking up on. I usually watch for 50-75% off to stock up. Now I'm not saying don't buy things that are 10% off, but that's just not a great stock up sale. Most likely you will be able to find a better deal later on.

3. Track the sales. This one takes time, but it's usually worth it. When you find an AMAZING sale, write it down somewhere you wont lose it, that way next year you will know when to start watching. Stores usually Clearance their items towards the end of the season, like right now most places have  summer clothes on clearance because school is starting, and most people are looking for fall-ish clothes.

4. When in doubt... buy it. If it's a super super SUPER great deal, I say get it. I've noticed that the bigger Blake gets, the longer he is in his clothes. So I feel pretty safe now, buying clothes that are 2T and above. I can pretty much count on getting my use out of them! 

5. Make sure you have room. I am lucky enough to have a spare room and an extra dresser for just such things, but really, if you don't have room for 50 extra items of clothing... don't buy it. This is where your labels come in handy. I used to have a dresser devoted to clothes for Blake in the future... but now that dresser is being used, so I had to switch to bins. The labels make them so much easier to navigate.

 

What are YOUR favorite ways to save on kids clothes? And how do YOU organize them!?