CLEARING THE CLOSETS

Perhaps it's the daffodils flooding our front garden, the blue skies engulfing the grey, or the daylight peeking through the curtains that wee bit earlier in the morning, but spring is most definitely here - I can feel it in my bones! The hooks by our front door are a telling story - now featuring beach bags rather than beanies; a straw hat. the dog lead and the linen sling.

To welcome this season of renewal, I've been sweeping through our home, one room at a time, attempting to rid the cutter, the unworn, and the unused. Aside from the playroom, where contents have been mindfully minimised over the last few months {read about it here and here}, so far I've tackled my wardrobe {for the third time this year - and amazingly always end up with at least two bags to pass on}, the utensils drawer {with our pantry at the very top of my 'to-do' list}, a tiny section of the attic and the children's wardrobe.

Alby's clothing has spent fleeting time on the shelf, as he catapulted from quadruple to singular zeros in a mere five months, therefore his garments have flowed in and then out of his closet in constant, bittersweet waves.

Sage's pieces, on the other hand, have remained predominantly idle for the past six to eighteen months {mainly due to my 'letting go' hesitancies} and so, despite the occasional addition, not a whole lot has been removed

While combing through the clothing, one teeny, tiny shirt at a time, here are a few things I discovered along the way...

1.  don't discard an item purely based on its sizing label - Sage's cupboard contains many pieces labelled 18-24 months {and even a few 12-18 months} that amazingly still fit {she's 3 in January!} The cut, style and fit of an item will vary greatly from brand to brand, so if in doubt, try it out. Sage has a pair of  trousers labelled 6-12 months which, as they are elasticised at the ankles and the waist, she will wear as shorts this coming summer. And many of her size one dresses are now gorgeous, floaty tops. The longer you can hold onto a piece, the less you have to buy {and the less your heartstrings will be tugged each time you have to let go of a beloved item that no longer fits!}

2.  the clothing you sort will inevitably fall into one of three categories -
stills fits  --  place it right back where you got it from
no longer fits  --  place it in a bag for later sorting {discussed further in tip number 3}
unsure  --  place it in a basket. Then put the basket in the room that your child dresses in {for us it's the lounge room, close to the heater!}

Each morning, as Sage gets ready for the day, we choose pieces from the basket to try on. If they fit, we're good to go. If not, they are placed in the 'no longer fits' bag. If your 'unsure' basket is quite copious and you're in a hurry to see its bottom, I've found an episode of Playschool to be a good distraction while trying on multiple items in one sitting.

3.  you have three choices to make with the items in the 'no longer fits' bag - the first is to donate them or pass them on to friends, the second is to sell them {if the brand is particularly sort-after and the item is still in good condition} and the third is to hold onto just a few much-loved pieces - perhaps for sentimental reasons or the possibility of another little one in the family wearing them some day. Personally, I do a combination of all three - most are given to friends who have young children, some are set aside to sell {Sage's vintage pieces find new homes here} and others are stored in the attic, in the hopes that we may one day be blessed with another little Baby Davis!

With the wardrobe freed from the weight of unworn items, my thoughts shifted to the upcoming summer season and the inevitable addition of size three's to the shelves {*gasp!}. I always try to shop during end of season sales {buying a size larger than needed and storing them away} in order to be prepared {and save}, a year in advance. Admittedly, bringing this box down from the top of the cupboard is a little like Christmas!

Another way to score some fabulous pieces on a budget is the surge in Instagram feeds {like this one, this one, this one and this one} and Facebook pages {like this one and this one} selling popular branded, second-hand items, often in fabulous condition. And don't forget to scour your local op-shops for some sweet, pre-loved or vintage pieces - usually for no more than a couple of dollars.

How do you sort and buy for your children's wardrobes each season? Do you get all sentimental and nostalgic when letting go of favourite pieces too?!