Like Carrie Bradsaw, I, too, “like my money right where I can see it; hanging in my closet.”
Which is why I was kind of excited that I’d continue to get more than my fair share of the clothing allowance as I married into a family that “only made boys.” I was TOTALLY fine with having two boys…just like my mother-in-law…and her mother-in-law…and, well, you get the picture.
So, on May 29, 2011, when a tiny, little 7 pound boy popped out, I wasn’t the least bit surprised. I had so much fun dressing him up in little smocked outfits {which, as you can imagine, my husband LOVED!}, cute little colored Keds and adorable monogrammed belts. And, more clothes for the mama!
I had the “boy clothes” thing DOWN.
Then, January 25, 2013, our world turned {unexpectedly} PINK!
Side note: we are among the growing group of parents who waited until the big “birth day” to find out whether our bundle would be wrapped in pink or blue. I maintain that it’s the best kind of surprise and — while I’d have to be bribed with duffel bags full of cash and diamonds to have a third kid – I’d do it again!
So, back to January 25th…it took me WEEKS to really process that I had a baby girl {and that I’d soon be sharing my clothing budget}. I was totally prepared to meet the little brother!
And here we are, two years later…and SEVERAL thousand dollars poorer. And it’s so darn fun! It’s almost like a sickness. I shop and shop {and, as Chris will tell you, shop some more}!
My biggest problem has been finding a way to organize all the adorable frocks I find. I am in the process of a transitioning Princess Emmy’s – her words, not mine – room into a big girl paradise. One of the first steps I had to complete, though, was digging through the mounds and mounds of clothes she has outgrown.
As I’ve worked to put her room back together, I’ve come up with some ideas that will hopefully help me avoid these sorts of major demolition projects every time the seasons change. Which is, sometimes, twice in a day in Knoxville.
- Know what you have. I was TERRIBLE at this at first. Immediately postpartum, I suffered from a tragic affliction called “Online Shopping While Exhausted” – or, OSWE, for short. Those wee-hour feeding sessions were a great time for my baby and me to bond over some super adorable Etsy shops and Facebook flash sale pages. Every trip to the mailbox was a surprise. It was AMAZING! BUT, what wasn’t amazing was when I forgot about all those cute little packages I tossed up into the basket in her already-overflowing closet. Too many times she outgrew something before she ever got a chance to wear it.
- Hang up everything you can. I tend to be a “get dressed from the top of the stack” kind of person. Which means that my kids are, too. If I can’t see all my choices, I’ll keep on keepin’ on with the same four outfits. This also helps the drawers close a bit easier {not that I’d ever have a problem with that}! I then sort by type of outfit – dress, bubble, top and bloomers, etc.
- A place for everything, and everything in its place. We have a drawer for socks/tights, a drawer for swimsuits, one for PJs, and a couple for “play clothes”. Outfits with two pieces are hung up on the same hanger. This way, I don’t spend an hour looking for the bloomers that go with the top.
- Shoes go in the shoe basket. This one is for my own sanity. We don’t keep the kids’ shoes in their rooms. Usually, they’re flung off within moments of coming inside and they {mostly} all live in a basket right inside our garage door. This way we don’t have to make yet another last minute trip up the stairs before we can get out of the house.
- Have a spot for the “grow intos.” As I mentioned previously, in an effort to “buy ahead,” I would lose track of all the cuteness that was shoved in the top of the closet. Now, everything is either hung up at the far end of the closet, or in a fabric bin up top. That way, I can pull from there at the start of each season.
- Have a spot for the “grew out ofs.” Until recently, we were literally drowning in clothes that were too small. What started as one Tupperware bin in the bottom of the closet turned into numerous diaper boxes. When those diaper boxes were full, I was just cracking the door open, throwing the clothes inside and praying the door would close. The worst part of yanking all that mess out of the closet was having to sort into keep, donate and sell piles. Then I had a bit of an epiphany – DUH! You know those laundry sorters? Yes, the ones with the three sections! Tada!
What I’ve learned is that once you get everything organized, there’s even room for some fun stuff…like this super cute dress-up spot we put together!
