Oh, shoes…you are the worst. No, not really but as a parent, kid’s shoes, and clothes for that matter, are such a pain. Making sure you have both of them and they still fit is such a struggle with small children. Can anyone else relate? (Sorry for the picture quality. I had trouble stitching the photos together)
While working on this mudroom we found that most of the stuff could be moved elsewhere. We sorted their winter clothes and boots by size to see what could be saved for the next kid and what could be donated. We pack up the kid’s shoes & clothing to be used for next year which leaves space for things that are currently being used. (Having seasons is great and all, but you basically have to have two complete wardrobes for kids who are growing so quickly that they barely wear stuff, ugh!
**Ok, enough complaining.**
Limit What You have Accessible
Limiting the number of items each kid can leave out can really help to curb the chaos. In our house with 5 kids, we try to only have items currently in use available. That means in the summer the boots, mittens, and heavy coats are moved out of our coat closet and packed away. When winter comes we pack up the sandals, swim toys, beach towels, and light coats. We have a tiny closet so it’s necessary. But I also recommend this to clients who have lots of space. The less you have access to, the less mess can be created.
In a perfect world, my kids would have only one pair of sandals and one pair of shoes in our coat closet in the summer and only one coat and pair of boots per kid, but it doesn’t usually end up that way. I often have to go through and have certain children take their extra stuff back to their room.
Rotating Kids’ Clothes
Figuring out a system for rotating kids’ clothes is essential. Whether you schedule a time to go through clothes when the season changes or keep a box somewhere and add clothes & shoes to it as you see that they are getting too small, or a combination of the two, it doesn’t matter. Figure out what works best for you and stick to it.
Let’s help each other out. Comment below how you deal with kids growing out of clothes and dealing with seasonal needs for clothes. Read more about how to organize with your kids Organizing With Teens and Organizing Papers and Toys with an 8-year-old.
If you want one-on-one help organizing a space, call Colleen at 208.736.3306 for a free consultation. I’d love to help you on your organizational journey. Virtual options are also available