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Original poster

Really silly question but how do you cope with the transition from winter to summer clothes ?

29 replies

Blossomhill · 17/05/2006 20:32

I just find it so stressful. Have to start bringing down all summer clothes from last year, checking what fits etc. Then go through winter stuff and pack away. Agggghhhhhhhhhh I hate it. Am buried under a sea of clothes :(
Rewash all summer stuff and iron (even though it was washed and ironed when packed away)
Am I doing something wrong with my method?

OP posts:
bran · 17/05/2006 20:37

I'm impressed at your organisation. DS summer clothes never left his wardrobe, and his winter clothes probably won't either (but then we don't have a loft). If I put something on him and it's too small then I drop it into small plastic crate at the bottom of his wardrobe. When the crate is full I transfer to a box under his cot and start looking for someone to hand things on to. I have never, ever ironed anything of his. Blush

[bran slopes off feeling slightly inadequate]

Original poster
Blossomhill · 17/05/2006 20:40

bran - i am impressed. i just wish i knew how people didn't iron. if i didn't would resemble crisp packets!

OP posts:
TheLadyVanishes · 17/05/2006 20:41

I chuck jumpers in the cupboard and then go out and buy myself new clothes Grin

I do a cleanout every once in a while and if I've not worn clothes for a year then the charity shop gets them

FrannytheGazelle · 17/05/2006 20:43

Blossomhill, just take the stuf out of the washing machine straight away, smooth it if necessary and hang it up. When dry put away on hangers - voila - no ironing

Oh, if you buy shirts make sure they are that crinkly sort :)

(I don't know where our iron is Shock)

expatinscotland · 17/05/2006 20:44

It's always cold here, so no worries there.

Original poster
Blossomhill · 17/05/2006 20:46

OMG I am shocked. I must do 3 hours ironing minimum a week!

OP posts:
littlerach · 17/05/2006 20:48

I do iron clothes, but don't put out of season things away.

Both girls have a box in their wardrobes whichi is for too small stuff, then that in tun goes into storage bags when full.

The idea is then that I'll do a NCT sale, or car boot, or find soemone to pass it onto, but often they just stay there for yonks.

TinyGang · 17/05/2006 20:50

I HATE that job too - especially the children's clothes. I get all mixed up with it and end up sitting in the middle of an unholy mess of clothes wishing I'd never ever started. It's awful. You've reminded me it needs doingSad

I get horribly confused with my two dd's clothes. One is 7 and one is 4. I like to pass on the older ones clothes to the younger one, but the younger one is larger than the older one was at the same age...aarrghh!!!

Then there's ds - you'd think that'd be easier, but dh was getting dressed the other morning and held up a miniature pair of boys pants with Noddy on the front that I'd accidentally put in his drawer. He said 'Do you think these'll fit me and should I wear them to work??'Grin

I spend my life sorting out piles of clothes it seemsSad

Original poster
Blossomhill · 17/05/2006 20:51

Tiny gang - snap. So sick of clothes everywhere. BUT I do buy way too much Blush

OP posts:
nicnack2 · 17/05/2006 20:52

Hi
Winter clothes become summer clothes by cuting trousers to become shorts?! Have same system as bran boxes everwear full of ' just in case' Not bad weather last week up here expat but that could well be our summer :)

TinyGang · 17/05/2006 20:55

I but too much as well actuallyBlush

I'm a stickler for irorning too. God knows why, I'm the only one out of the five of us who seems to care. It's all self imposed misery, but I can't help it - my mum always irons tons too.

I even have a press, they're very good if you're a sad ironing martyr!

TinyGang · 17/05/2006 20:56

Buy not 'but'!

Bozza · 17/05/2006 20:58

Well I go through my kids clothes at the end of the season and only put in the loft the stuff that I am sure will not fit them the next year. I put that in the loft in nappy boxes labelled by size and then give away as and when. I currently have 17 Shock nappy boxes full of stuff that my children have outgrown. And I have given away virtually all the boy's stuff up to age 2.

The other stuff either goes in the top drawers of his chest (DS) or in the top of the wardrobe (DD) and comes back down the next year.

The sizes do get a bit complicated though. DD is 2 but still wearing mostly 12-18 with a few 18-24 stuff. DS is 5 and his shorts (where the length doesn't matter) range from age 2-3 to age 5-6. I am also thinking that if DD comes out of nappies some of her shorts that I put away will actually be OK.

Original poster
Blossomhill · 17/05/2006 21:01

Just thinking, when do children stop growning Grin

Solve many problems!

OP posts:
Original poster
Blossomhill · 17/05/2006 21:01

growing and growning lol

OP posts:
nutcracker · 17/05/2006 21:03

I don't, amd having a right stress about it at the mo, too many kids and not enough clothes lol.

puff · 17/05/2006 21:07

I did the swap a couple of weeks ago when we has a burst of hot weather. I have long storage boxes under our bed - dragged out last years summer stuff, bagged up stuff too small for ds2 for charity shop, checked what fitted ds1 and 2 then ordered some new stuff for ds1, then went to shoeshop and got sandals.

bran · 17/05/2006 21:12

I've just re-read your first post BH and realised that you weren't necessarily just talking about your childrens' clothes. I find myself ashamed to admit that dh and I don't have specific summer and winter wardrobes. Blush I have a few jumpers that get put in the usual drawer and a few summer only trousers that also stay in their usual place but because I'm a very hot person I find that I wear very light-weight tops all year round and put a coat on in winter. I also usually wear jersy/t-shirt type things and never iron. The only things that gets ironed in this house are dh's suit shirts, and he does them himself.

I probably do look a bit crumpled, but tbh it matches well with the non-blow-dried hair and the un-made-up face. Grin

2shoes · 17/05/2006 21:28

have you noticed though that clothes shrink when stored over winter:o

LoveMyGirls · 17/05/2006 21:32

u make it sound so easy!! i just bag things up and put them in the attic - have been doing for years now, its alla bout to come crashing down around me though - quite literally as we're having insulation put in in a few weeks so we need to clear the attic - then what will i do with it all!

zaphod · 17/05/2006 21:47

Coincidentally, I have just spent ALL DAY sorting the childrens summer clothes/putting the winter clothes away. There is an old clothes collection tomorrow so I wanted to get the stuff that was too worn all bagged up and ready.

My problem is that I get clothes from 2 sisters in law (for my 12 year old, and 4 year old), and from friends (for my 2 year old, and my dd), so all that stuff has to be sorted, and then my sister buys stuff for them all too.

To complicate matters further no-one is the size they are supposed to be for their age. My four year old is betwee a 5 and 6 year size, my 12 year old between a 10 and 11, and so on, so EVERYTHING has to be tried on.

And because there are so many children, clothes have to be kept, so they can be passed on. I absolutely hate it.

And you have to keep trousers and jumpers on hand as well because it can be so bloody cold here in the summer too. There just isn't room. AAAAAHHHHH. THanks for letting me get that off my chest.

Original poster
Blossomhill · 18/05/2006 10:15

Still surronded by piles and piles of clothes :(

Hate it

OP posts:
charliecat · 18/05/2006 10:22

Same as you blossomhill WITHOUT the rewashing and ironing of it...just put them in the drawers, the kids and you will be fine.
I did mine about a week ago when it was scorching, now we are back to chilly wind and the poor kids have only skimpy summery stuff to wearGrin
Not going up the attic again!

Kelly1978 · 18/05/2006 10:34

Out of season clothes just get stored in the bottom of their wardrobes. I swap it over, hang it all up and leave it at that. It was ironed before putting away so it's only a bit creased. It will get ironed properly next time it's washed. I try the smallest things on and go by that to decide what will fit. half hour job.

themoon66 · 18/05/2006 12:46

Its a nightmare. Every spring and autumn I have to get my DS out of one set of clothes into another. Come spring, he will not give up his warm long trousers, fleeces, etc and spends the first few weeks of summer sweating. Come autumn I'll have just about persuaded him into shorts and t-shirts when the weather turns cold and he is the only kid at school in sandals and shorts.

Last year we went on holiday at May half term to spain. DS was ON THE BEACH in jeans, thick socks and boots, long sleeved double thickness t-shirt... all the clothes he'd left home in. Refused to change into the shorts I'd packed. Me and DH were in swimwear, soaking up the sun.

This coming half-term we are off to the Red Sea in Egypt where its gonna be even hotter. I will have to steal his warm clothes on the first night, while he is in bed, and send them to hotel laundry with instructions to keep them till we check out!!