How long to save clothes for?

amother

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 8:12 pm

Here's the situation: my oldest is a girl, and she has a few younger brothers beneath her. I've saved her baby clothes (because in theory every younger sibling could have been a girl), but have been giving away mostly everything else because we live in an apartment.

I'm not sure what about to do about uniforms/school sweatshirts in good shape...they were quite expensive (she is in a new-ish school without a robust gemach, so I bought new). On the one hand, it would be great to have all these items if they were needed again, on the other hand...it would be at least seven years until someone would use them again! I also have some coats/dresses saved which I know I should donate (I have a friend whose oldest daughter is a year younger than mine), but I'm having a hard time letting them go (it's practically new! you paid so much for it!)

What do you do? Do you save for a mythical same-gender sibling or do you give away everything now? (when it's in good shape and still in style).

amother

Cobalt

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 8:35 pm

When I had this question my mother said “let someone else use it in the meantime and when you’ll need it the Eybishter will see to it that you get what you need.”

I like to say that giving away one gender’s clothes is a segulah for having another child of that gender, just as giving away your maternity clothes is a segulah for conceiving. Neither of these is a real segulah but there’s Murphy’s law to consider. If you want another dd, give away the girl clothes. And if you want another ds, give them away anyway so that someone in need NOW can use them.

amother

Wine

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 8:41 pm

amother [ Cobalt ] wrote:

I never new it was a sequlah to give away youre maternity clothes to have another child but
I had a hard time having my first so I thought I wouldnt get pregnant again so I gave away all my maternity clothing to ISreal and then when my child was a month old I conceived twins !

amother

Chartreuse

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 8:50 pm

I had unexplained secondary infertility after my first son. After 5 years I just decided to let go and let God. I gave away alll his clothes and got pregnant 2 weeks later. It was amazing. BH I got sooooooo much clothes as gifts and amazing hand me downs I'm swimming in everything I need.
Give it away. It will feel sooooo good.

SingALong

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 9:10 pm

I keep newborn clothing of each gender till size 12 months. About 6 stretchies each size. Those are classic don’t go out of style. And baby undershirts, hats, blankets, etc. After that size I give it all away. I have 2 shallow boxes on top of my baby closet one for boys and one for girls. Each box has a couple of neutral gender stretchies. That way I have what I need for right when I get home from the hospital and don’t need to shop right away. My youngest girl is 9. I still kept basic girl stretchies.

My big boys I kept only nice shabbos sweaters and basic pants, their younger brother is 3 years younger so he’ll use those soon. For my 9 yr old I give away everything. Even if I have a girl next well let’s say I’d rather the free shelf space then take up room with clothes that may or may not work. Better someone else can enjoy it

amother

Plum

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 10:00 pm

amother [ Wine ] wrote:

Wow you conceived 4 weeks after birth?

dankbar

Tue, Jan 28 2020, 11:27 pm

I give my matching boys stuff away right when they finish using it. My sil has two boys a year younger than mine.
Then I have two girls. Right now my baby is using everything from my girl before. It's a 4 yr gap.
With my oldest boy I was saving his stuff in hopes to have another one fast. After seven years I gave everything away when I realized even basics I won't be able to use because all rubbers from pajamas & underwear crumbled from sitting.

I have to get rid of my boy stuff, that is still sitting here, from their younger selves. My youngest boy is seven.

My q is, do I keep baby/toddler stuff for when grandkids will be by bubbys house & need extra clothes to change into? As for a regular wardrobe my son won't want my shmattes for his kids.

For myself I probably won't need anymore as I am getting older.

agreer

Wed, Jan 29 2020, 3:25 am

dankbar wrote:

I give my matching boys stuff away right when they finish using it. My sil has two boys a year younger than mine.
Then I have two girls. Right now my baby is using everything from my girl before. It's a 4 yr gap.
With my oldest boy I was saving his stuff in hopes to have another one fast. After seven years I gave everything away when I realized even basics I won't be able to use because all rubbers from pajamas & underwear crumbled from sitting.

I have to get rid of my boy stuff, that is still sitting here, from their younger selves. My youngest boy is seven.

[b] My q is, do I keep baby/toddler stuff for when grandkids will be by bubbys house & need extra clothes to change into? As for a regular wardrobe my son won't want my shmattes for his kids. [b]

For myself I probably won't need anymore as I am getting older.

No! Your kids and esp DILs will not want 20 year old clothing! Toys, yes. Clothes? No!

One of the joys of bubbyhood is buying new clothes for the grandkids!

salt

Wed, Jan 29 2020, 3:58 am

dankbar wrote:

Wow someone else who thinks about saving hand-me-downs for grandchildren.
We have lots of space in high up closets so I do keep a lot of clothes. My youngest is 10, and I still have some of their old clothes - I'm slowly throwing or giving away the ones that are not in perfect conditions.
I always have in mind that I will give my favourite handme-downs to my grandkids (don't have any yet, this is all theoretical).

My kids make fun of me - they act out me speaking to my imaginary grandson something like "here darling, these are grandpa's pyjamas, would you like them? They probably fit you now." LOL

Mayflower

Wed, Jan 29 2020, 4:26 am

I'm in the exact same situation, except that my DD is a few years older than yours. I started giving things away when she was about 7... It made me sad because I so much would love her to have a sister and giving away her clothing made me feel like I was giving up on the hope for that to happen any time soon...

But by now I realize that even if I do have another baby girl (davening every day for it to happen!), the clothing would be too old already. I prefer someone else to enjoy my DD nice outfits while they are still nice.