Q. "What's your method for clothing storage & seasonal change?"
A. Seasonal clothing switch out is probably most daunting of tasks in a family of our size! But with a little thought and organization much stress can be prevented!
I keep one Rubbermaid bin per child in their closets with clothes that might fit them when that season roles around again. That way we don't have to wash out the attic smell and they can also access them if the weather is off-season.
For clothes that will definitely not fit them, they go to bins in the attic (each is labeled, ex., "boys 2-3 years"). I put a cheap-o bar soap a few inches down in each bin, the clothes won't smell so "attic-y" when we bring them down for the next child.
We also have a winter boot bin and snow bib bin. Since we are warm weather folk, boots are hard to find. When I find them at a consignment sale for cheap, I purchase them and throw them in those bins. When it snows, we raid those bins.
We also have shoe bins separated by gender. We rubber-band the shoes together and just raid those bins at change of season or when someone grows!
When we switch seasons, in our family it is a long process. The older children and I go through the bins, one-by-one, determining what is too old/dated, which does or doesn't fit said child and which need to be donated or trashed. We also look for outfit matches and figure out what is needed for the season and I make a list. I print out this list and take them to church consignment sales and get what a we need!
It's a process for sure, but it saves lots of money!
Hope that helps!
Lisa Metzger
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