Yesterday I went through three huge bins of children's clothes. Clothes that my boys wore as babies, all three of them as well as clothes that my daughter wore as a baby. I was really just getting out the summer clothes and putting away the winter clothes, but my husband convinced me to purge and get rid of stuff that might not ever be worn again. By the time we have another baby, we will probably be able to get some new things.
So purge I did. Everything that was between 12 months and 3T for boys, I put into piles for my two brothers who each have a baby boy. Everything smaller than 12 months, if it looked really nice still, went into a pile to hopefully sell to a kids clothing shop here. Everything else went into a pile to donate to charity. For the girls clothes, all of it that my daughter couldn't wear anymore that I didn't want to keep in hopes of another daughter went into the two piles--one for the kids clothing store and one to charity. Most of her clothes were brand names and in really good condition--Old Navy, Baby Gap, Gymboree, Children's Place, etc.
I purged enough that out of the three huge bins, we now have one-and-a-half, and half of that is winter clothes that we just put away for our 5-year-old and 3-year-old to wear next year.
When we took the baskets full of clothes to the children's clothing store to hopefully sell, I was absolutely disappointed at how little they took. Most of it went back in a basket to go to charity. Tons of 0-12 month baby girl and boy clothes that were barely used and so cute! And some of it they wouldn't take because it was made in 2004 instead of 2005. Or they wouldn't take it because it is the wrong season, even though they stock all seasons on their shelves most of the time. I left feeling rejected and sad about the clothes that didn't make it, almost missing those clothes. The funny thing is that I put some really good clothes in the pile for charity too, but I don't feel that way about those. And they all went to charity, so why does it even matter to me?
Why is getting rid of clothing your children have worn as babies so difficult? I am not a sentimental person generally, so my feelings of loss surprised me. I know they are just clothes. But I guess where they have been means so much to me that it's hard to be rejected that way.
6 comments:
I'm with you on that, I have a hard time getting rid of clothes that my kids have had. I like to get rid of them and am usually happy once I do but for some reason it's hard. That's good to know that they don't take a lot, because I have thought of trying to sell there also.
Ask me about the boxes of dresses that I have kept. I know if I have another baby, it will probably be a boy. I just can't get rid of those girl clothes. Maybe in 5 years or so. . . .
Swedemom, that is funny about the dresses because out of all of my girl's clothes that I got rid of, I kept the dresses. They were just too cute to get rid of. I will probably just have more boys too, but there's always a hope. Maybe when she is much older and I'm definitely done I will get rid of them. Or keep a few still. My mom gave me a few dresses for my daughter that I had worn as a baby that she'd been holding onto all those years.
I am going through stuff right now too in preparation for a move and it's been hard! It almost physically hurts to give away these sweet little clothes that clothed my sweet little babies. So sad! Money would make me feel a little better though. Haha!
I should add I didn't feel bad about getting rid of my boys' clothes. They had gone through 3 babies and it was time for them to go. It was so fun to buy new clothes for my youngest baby.
I actually agree with that mostly--my boys' clothes were not so hard to get rid of. Only the matching tuxedos I bought them for my brother's wedding (which the clothing store actually took!) and a really cute little Snoopy outfit that had a onesie, sweatpants and a sleeper that all went together that only my youngest boy wore. That was our favorite, and maybe I should have just kept it. Oh well.
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