De-cluttering kids clothes - help! How many to keep?

[LilllyLovesLife]

I need to at some point soon, probably not till the end of the holidays (as once schools back DDs will be in school uniform and not use the clothes so much. Go through all their lovely clothes and at least half them. I don't want to. None is stained or tatty or too small, so all perfectly functional. But we are moving house and having a baby and they are going from having a big bedroom each to having to share an average size double bedroom. Currently DD2 has 2 double wardrobes and it's full although that does include using the shelves at the tops for toys etc. And it also includes her bedsheets etc.

DD1 currently has 1 double wardrobe and 2 large chests of draws, some small draws in her midsleeper bed and trousers and bedsheets are kept in the cupboard again within the bed.

None of this includes shoes. They have a large washing basket full of shoes each

I don't know how to do it. I KNOW They have too much. But I and they like it all and use most of it. I will get rid of most of the t-shirts and trousers as they pretty much live in dresses, but I don't know how to cut down on the rest!

Any tips/support would be good.

My DCs used to have a lot of clothes but we had clothes everywhere and the laundry was a pain, so I have now streamlined the amount they have and it is a lot easier. Both DDs are at school so I realised that actually they don't need that many clothes as they are in uniform 5 days a week.

DD1 is 14 and generally wears skinny jeans or shorts with vest tops, so she has about 4 pairs of jeans, and then maybe 10 or so vest tops, a couple of hoodies, about 5 pairs of shorts, and that's it. She did have some maxi dresses and some skirts but I've recently given them to a friend for her DD as they were unworn. DD2 is 8; her summer wardrobe this year consists of 4 dresses, a playsuit 2 pairs of denim shorts, a denim skirt, 3 short sleeved t-shirts, and 3 vest tops, oh and a couple of hoodies/cardis. This has been more than enough; in fact i took most of these items on holiday with us recently and she still didn't wear them all in a week.

I also have a 3 year old DS and I find boys' clothes so much easier as he literally has half a dozen pairs of shorts, a few pairs of trousers, 10 or so t-shirts and a couple of hoodies and that's it.

My main tips would be: focus on clothes that your DCs actually wear. As they like dresses, make these the main items of their wardrobe. Keep any neutral tops or items that could help bring an outfit together, for example long-sleeved plain t-shirt that could be worn under a summer dress with tights to make it a winter outfit. If they haven't worn it in 3 months or so, get rid.

A good place to get rid of unwanted clothes is on local FB selling pages; i often sell items for a quid or two each, the buyers collect, and it all adds up.

Hope this helps

How old are your dds? Who buys their clothes?

My DDs are 3 and 4, so have never been in school uniform before, which is why they have always had plenty of clothes.

I buy their clothes, but as I don't have much money and can't afford to buy new, I have always accepted any hand me downs, charity shop bargains etc and it went from really needing the next size up and not being able to find any (I find the bigger sizes so much harder to find second hand then when they were babies). I think because they were so hard to get at a really cheap price, I got a bit carried away when I did find some. I also told my Mum that I needed the next size and as usual she went on a mad bootsale buying spree (she loves boot sales so loves to have something to hunt for as she has more crap then anybody could ever need) so it all added up and suddenly they had loads. I should of learnt by now as it's happened with every size I think! .

I agree about the facebook selling sites, I set up my local one and I love it. It does take the time but it is a really good, cheap way to sell stuff. I am also doing the NCT sale in October so hope anything I haven't sold on facebook by then, I can take to the sale (I would always try facebook first as NCT sale take 25% on top of the £7.50 sellers fee).

I am thinking, maybe these EACH:
10 Summer Dresses
10 Winter dresses
Tights/leggings to match each one, which can go on the hanger with it.
5 long sleeve tops
5 short sleeve tops
3 pairs of trousers
Obviously knickers, vests, socks etc too which I will just keep as they don't exactly take up much space.
They only have a couple of pairs of shorts/skirts between them anyway so would probably just keep them.

Does that sound about right? Bearing in mind they are always in dresses unless we are doing something unsuitable? This isn't including uniform, which they will be wearing 5 days a week from September, and I am lucky enough that they both fit in 4-5 years so don't need stacks.

Oh and forgot Cardigans/Jumpers on the list. I think Maybe one big comfy warm jumper, one thick warm zip up one and maybe sort the pretty cardigans out so that they go with each of the dresses, then they can be stored on the hanger and I won't be left with any that don't match anything? Except maybe one or 2 spare plain white ones or something?

Does this sound about right? Think I will try and do it this week, and then store all the clothes in a box for a couple of weeks, to see how I go with less clothes. Then if it's fine and I am not missing them, I will sell them on. Maybe when the girls next go to their Dads which is the weekend after next, making the perfect time for listing in peace and quiet.

This sounds like more than enough tbh! Well done on getting things sorted!

Thanks, Had another viewing at the new house and their room is even smaller than I remembered! So going to have to be ruthless! Going to do it Saturday as the girls are going to their Dads!