4 year age gap...no hand me downs..?

[faithfulbird20]

I don't have any or want to keep anything because I buy less to start with and it gets worn out by the time they've outgrown it..maybe I have 1-2 pair of shoes but that's about it...,anyone else not keep hand me down between siblings? Why?

@hulahoopqueen

we'll have about 5 years between DSS and our first born, and i've kept most of his stuff as he didn't wear most of it very often, due to only being with us 30-40% of the time, so it didn't get a chance to get gross. DSIL has already asked for her favourite bits as her and DBIL are having a baby this year... not too impressed tbh, my own child hasn't had a chance to wear those clothes yet!!

Bloody hell, tell her no, cf.

Have two 20 months apart and I keep pretty much everything to hand down to the youngest. He has his own new stuff too so doesn’t constantly live in hand me downs but yeah, I’ve kept all of the older one’s wellies, trainers, coats, clothing in boxes in the loft.

DH jokes about me being a bit of a hoarder, our loft is filled with all sorts of nostalgic things so that probably plays a part. I’ve also kept some small baby clothes even though we definitely won’t be having another purely for nostalgic purposes.

I don't think the age gap makes any difference to passing on clothes unless they are born so many years apart that stuff from DC1 looks dated.

In the baby stages everything that wasn't horrifically stained made it to DC2 (95%). Of DC2's stuff about 90% was passed on or sold. Each size is worn for such a short time it lasted well.
Toddler years saw holes in knees as well as stains, but about 80% of that went to DC2, with around half of that moving on again to another owner afterwards.
They are now 6 and 4yo. DC1 looks after her clothes and most goes straight into DC2's wardrobe after DC1 has had 12-24 months of wear from it (95%). About 75% of that is passed on again once DC2 has outgrown it.

I think the brands you buy and your skill/willingness to stain remove and repair makes a huge difference. I buy decent brands cheap in the sales or second hand, I make every effort to remove stains, and if something develops a small hole/button comes loose then I fix it up. The items least likely to make it through both DCS are supermarket T-shirts, as I find they become misshapen and tatty very quickly, followed by leggings of any brand which are prone to hole-y knees.

There will be five years between DD1 and DD2 (due imminently), I got the big vacuum bag of clothes down from the loft last week. I’ve kept enough age 1-3 stuff to fill DD2’s wardrobe, but from 3 upwards there’s much less as it gets worn out more. I try to avoid overbuying for financial and ethical reasons, so it’s much more limited, and that’s fine. There are plenty of places to buy secondhand clothes to replace anything that got worn out, so I’m not worried.

I've got just under 3 years between mine and my oldest is a very active girl so is VERY hard on the knees of her clothing. Girls' clothes don't patch well and she runs warm so more robust stuff doesn't get worn.

Loads of baby stuff got handed down although food stains kicked in around 6 months so some stuff didn't survive. Crawling and running (falling) destroys most clothes from 18 months until 4 ish and the destruction ratio reduces until they get older.

I'm about to run into size overlap between a willowy girl and a stocky boy for things like coats, although I've tended to size up to get better lengths.

We had bigger gaps than that and kept hand me downs, to save both money and the effort of having to shop. In primary I bought majority of stuff secondhand anyway for environmental reasons. The only thing I didn't pass down really was shoes as they got trashed.

Girls' clothes don't patch well disagree with this I have got very into visible mending and think it looks great! They love it and get to choose how I do it so they pick good colour combinations etc. Sometimes I patch with a favourite picture/pattern from a small t-shirt etc.

I’ve got 6 yrs between mine , I’ve never kept anything to hand down , everything got passed on or thrown out as applicable . The only thing they had in common except some toys was the very nice cot bed that we got for the first one . We had new travel systems etc for both . Half the fun of having a baby was buying stuff .

When the kids upside I go through it. Stains (hold stuff up to the light to check for hidden stains) goes for rags. Same as lightly damaged. Anything too bad would go in bin.

Best stuff from DS is kept for twins. Rest is charity shop. Best stuff from twins is sold. The rest is charity shopped.

I wouldn't keep stained clothes from DS to pass on to the twins but I don't necessarily throw away something they stain immediately

Supermarket/Primark girls' leggings don't patch well. I spent ages patching one pair, next wear the stitches were stronger than the fabric of the leggings.

Primark were the least bad fit on my leggy 5 year old (who can still wear age 2-3 shorts while needing 6-7 for length)

4 years between DC and as they were different sexes not much to pass on anyway. I think one or two jumpers made it.

I keep stuff and mine aren’t the same sex. Most of it is just for messy play, but DD is in hand me downs from my cousins who is 11 years older than her.

I have 6 years between my girls. I tend to keep basics such as t-shirts and nightwear. They have very different tastes so a lot of what my eldest wore, my youngest doesn't like.

Depends on ages I guess. We are keeping Ds stuff, it’s fairly unisex and in good condition.

I think things like coats, good quality jumpers, toys and books, hats/coats/gloves are always worth keeping.

Ds is 1 year. He’s wearing some bits mil kept from dh. Dh is late 30s! All great condition and stuff that didn’t really date.

I have a t shirt that was given to us from a cousin which will soon be used for my 7th son, previously used by all his brothers, so been threw 8 little boys Its not immaculate but dark colors and has held its shape well so still going strong:)

I keep anything thats reusable - not very stained and no holes. Why would you not? I will only have to buy school shoes and polos for DS2 for his new school which is probably saving me about £75.

1.9 gap and 3.4 gap, I kept my favourites and sent the rest to charity. Good clothes like Sarah Louise, Rachel Riley etc are perfect after all 3 have worn.

I have two DC of the same sex with a four year age gap. I have kept coats, shoes, wellies, jeans, sweatshirts, some t shirts and school uniform. The uniform is great because provided the children go to the same schools, you know that you will need it. DC2 gets lots of new clothes too though.

3 daughters. Keep hand me downs but I'm brutal and don't keep anything unless I love it and it's in great condition. I've sort of learned from experience what keeps well and buy stuff that I know will
Look great after many washes. It may help that I bought enough clothes for triplets with my first daughter!!

2.5 years between my two (both boys). I kept everything in great condition but anything with holes/stains/stretching/fading went (but then I tend to bin it as soon as those things appear anyway). It's nice to go shopping again for a new baby anyway so you don't want a complete wardrobe!

The other thing is seasons, too. My first was a winter baby and the second was a summer baby so a lot of things weren't usable.

I only keep the odd thing, something I particularly love or is in fantastic condition still. I tend to mainly kit DS (age 3) in cheap clothes anyway (mainly Asda George, primark or second-hand) and he wears things out so quickly, they either look faded, scruffy or stained by the time he’s finished with them, so I’m not keeping them for future children. Obviously when he was smaller and the clothes were only worn for a short time before he out grew them they didn’t get so faded etc so I’ve kept more of them.

I am expecting my 3rd and have just taken out my unisex baby clothes ( both dd and ds have worn them). I buy good brands in the sales as they tend to wash better and last longer. I passed on some jeans and t shirts from dd to ds. I have lots of party dresses and lovely coats from dd for this baby girl to have. She keeps her clothes nice whereas my ds wears out clothes at the knees or elbows. I have no issues in passing clothes between my children. I haven't kept anything stained or bobbly.

Keep things you love or that are in v good nick & get rid of the rest or keep one or two worn bits for mucky play like painting...then you don't mind it getting wrecked.

The only thing I have kept is football boots.

Other than that it wouldnt be worth savinfg DS1's clothes as most would be fairly worn out by the time he grows out of them.