The Kids' Clothing Sorting System That Makes Hand-Me-Downs Easier To Use

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I've learned the hard way that it pays to keep your kids' clothes as organized as possible. I had already spent money on a bunch of new items in the next size up for my daughter when I found a bag of clothes in her size in the attic that I had no idea was there. Yes, kids outgrow clothes outrageously fast, but hand-me-down piles don't have to be chaotic. It can be as simple as sorting everything into a four-pile system for each child.

Sort the first pile by current size, meaning everything that fits your child right now. These clothes can stay in their drawers and closet, so getting dressed in the morning doesn't involve shoving legs into pants that stopped fitting months ago. The second pile is the next size up of clothes; you can keep these ready to go and in a handy location so you can grab them as soon as the current-size clothes start to get tight. 

The third pile is storage. This can be clothing saved for a younger sibling, clothes a couple of sizes up, or sentimental and off-season items. You may want to sort these into their own piles as well so you can easily grab them when the holidays roll around or your younger child has a growth spurt. The final pile should be relegated to donations — anything that doesn't fit one of the above categories or you simply don't want to keep. If any piece of clothing is stained or ripped, you can discard it. Now the question becomes where to store the clothing so you don't end up like me and find a random bag of clothes in the attic after you need them.

Each pile should get its own clear container, like the HOMZ plastic storage bin, so you can easily see inside. You may even want to consider marking the tubs on both the tops and the sides using storage bin labels. This can help you know what's inside regardless of how bins are stacked. Once you've placed clothes in the containers, store them based on how soon you'll need them. For instance, the next size up can go into your child's room on the top shelf of a closet. Clothing that you won't need for a while can go in other spots away from bedrooms. However, it's important to store fabric in airtight, dry places to avoid mildew, so it's better to consider climate-controlled areas, like closets, under beds, or sealed and temperature-controlled garages, attics, or basements.

For babies, you can also consider hanging clothing in the closet using 3 Sprouts baby closet dividers, which designate specific areas on the clothing bars for pieces that go up to size 2T. As for donations, places like Goodwill and the Salvation Army both accept kids' clothes, but you can also head to local resale stores or use Facebook Marketplace if you'd like to get some money back. Another idea that some moms in your area may be doing is a traveling baby bin swap, where moms pass around bins of baby clothes labeled by size. You may even want to start this idea with your own group, as it's a great way reuse items. Plus, it frees up storage space in your home.