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Forum -> Household Management -> Organizing
How much clothes do we need?



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amother
Ginger


 

Post Tue, Nov 10 2015, 7:35 pm
Hi,
I'm really trying to organize our clothes, bag up the old ones to pass down to the younger kids, get rid of clothes that are not in good condition and so on. I'm really not good at this. Even clothes that are imperfect, or really bad looking, I'll keep, "just in case." Also, what if it's just a bit faded? Another problem is my kids just have A LOT of clothes. We get hand-me-downs and my mil shops for them, and somehow we've accumulated A LOT. So, how much of each type of clothing is needed? I'm all for "the more the merrier," but it's really getting out of hand.

We have school pants and school shirts (long and shirt), Shabbos clothes - shirts long and short, pants, sweaters, Sunday/summer, pants, shorts, shirts - long and short, bathing suits, top and bottom, underwear, socks, tzitzis and pajamas - winter and summer.

Help with numbers please! Also, how to manage with not doing laundry that often but also, not having so much? Thanks!
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zaq




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 11 2015, 1:47 pm
Enough for a week and a half's worth of outfits per kid, no more. Three outfits for Shabbos in case of three-day YomTovim. One disreputable outfit per kid for really messy activities like mud wresting. For very young or exceptionally messy kids, add 2-3 more outfits. That's IT unless you use a laundromat and can go only once in two-three weeks. If you have your own machine and a big family, you can get away with fewer outfits per person because you can wash more often.

For numbers, get a packing list from a summer sleepaway camp. They usually know what they're doing. But keep in mind that the kids need to have two weeks' worth of clothes in camp because laundry is delivered a week after it's picked up. Your own stuff can be ready for use the day you wash it.
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WastingTime




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 11 2015, 2:04 pm
4-8 weekday outfits per season. They say 2-4 Shabbos outfits but I can't manage with that. My boys need often 2 or 3 Shabbos shirts on one shabbos- what about 3 day one? Or Sunday Siyum/ Fri Rosh Chodesh?
This is the kids- my clothes is another story...
PJ's 2 per child unless they wet often or maybe 2- 3 yr old where they spill milky cereal on their pajamas. I also use undershirts when I need more PJS

Good luck!
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hinenimuchan




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 11 2015, 2:18 pm
On a light note, sounds like you only have boys right now. That makes it easier, already!
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Yiddis




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 11 2015, 2:54 pm
Organization is really important to me so I really try to limit the amount of clothes my boys have per season.

I like to have 4 or 5 different outfits for everyday, even 6...and not more than 2 shabbos outfits (I have time to wash that throughout the week until the next shabbos)

I personally HATE it when I open that closet to see what looks like the sale rack in Filene's Basement, packed tightly from end to end that you can barely see what you have.

Organization means keeping it down to a minimum. Keep it short and simple and clean.

As a bonus you get tospend less on clothes.

I wash laundry very often. you may not find that very appealing,but you'll see that you have smaller load when you do it more often.

In fact, we both do the same amount of laundry wheather done every day or only once in two weeks. That's because we basically make the same amount of clothes dirty.
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zaq




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 11 2015, 3:12 pm
OP, try this: select a certain number of every day and Shabbos outfits per person. It makes no diff if it's 4 or 14. Pack up everything else, and I do mean everything. Use giant trash bags if need be, and stash it all somewhere inconvenient to access. Try living for one month on the number of outfits you selected. If it works, great. If you still feel there are too many, pull out and sequester the excess. If it's not working, go to your hidden stash and retrieve another 2 or 4 or however many more you think you need. Evaluate again after two or 3 weeks. When you have the number you feel works best, sell, lend or give the rest away.
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SingALong




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 11 2015, 3:38 pm
My girls have uniforms for school so they have 3 for throughout the week. Then they have 2-3 Sunday outfits, 1 casual 1 nicer. 2 shabbos outfits each. My toddler has about 10 pants and 10+ shirts that mix and match, since he gets so dirty I sometimes change him 2-3 times a day. 3 year old son has about 8 tshirts, 2 weekday sweaters, 6 casual pants, 1 shabbos pants and 1 shabbos sweater, and 1 nice weekday outfit.

Me, a whole bunch of stuff, mostly weekday. I have 3 dressy shabbos for sim has, 3-4 casual shabbos tops for being home that I wear with a long black skirt. 3 really nice weekday outfits, and a few casual tops and skirts for walking, baking, etc.

I put away clothing after each season, giving away what I don't pass down and what I want to keep for next kid storing in boxes till next kid grows into it. If it's winter I have no summer in the closet and vice versa. If you have a storage area, maybe start by getting some big plastic bins, 1 per size and gender, and put in there the summer things. That way at least you'll have more space in your closet for winter stuff and you can then more easily decide what you'll keep for winter what to store and what to throw away.
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lizard8




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Nov 11 2015, 4:01 pm
I only keep the clothing that my kids will be wearing in their dressers/closets. After Pesach and Sukkos I do the 'switch'. It makes it so much easier to open the drawer and be able to pick anything out. You can also keep track of when the laundry must be done.

There is no need for short sleeve tops in the winter, even if it will still fit next season. The same goes with sweaters, they take up so much space and are unnecessary in the summer (except a sweatshirt).

Basically, before buying for the new season I take out the old clothes and check what will fit. Over y't I usually have both seasons, because the weather is always changing. After y't I put away last seasons clothing and have neat, organized closets.
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