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maddiemom6

A bold move

maddiemom6
18 years ago

As a part of my new plan to pare down what we own I started with laundry!.. I got ALL the clothes in the house washed and then cleaned out what was left ( unworn, ripped etc.) Today I took the kids shopping for new Spring/Summer clothes. Each of the kids has a budget of $100-$150 per trip.. this makes them very careful shoppers. So .. I took all 5 of them today and bought them clothes for the season. For the little boys I bought them each 5 short sleeve button up shirts and matching shorts. 7 pairs of underware and sandals. This is IT.. besides keeping one pair of kaki's and a pair of jeans and a swim suit out everything else is getting bagged up to see if we can make it.

The next challange is my wardrobe!

Maddiemom

Comments (11)

  • talley_sue_nyc
    18 years ago

    no pull-over-the-head T-shirts?

    My family's about at this point, too.

    DD has clothes that she might be able to wear from last year, but I think DS is out completely. Certain on shirts he is.

    And DH and I are both getting to the point where everything is wearing out.

    I can't imagine having enough time to take my DS shopping--though I think he'd make fast work of it. So does DD, actually--as least, in the past, she's ready to leave about 15 minutes after she walks in the store.

  • maddiemom6
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    nope... no t-shirts. I know this will sound odd but I just don't like the way my little boys look in them. Odd yes, but I figure that as long as they don't object then it's not a big deal. Ooooppps... I lied.. I did let them each pick one theme shirt to wear in the house but NOT out in public. The little guy pick Power Rangers ( which is funny since we don not watch it) and amost 8 year old picked out a sweat wicking gym shirt.

    Now that I am working again ( for now..but hopefully just through the Summer) I needed a few more dress up things.. and then I need 3-5 VERY dressy things since we go to a lot of chairty functions. Oddly enough those are not the hard part.. it's the every day wear that gets me and I want to limit to 10 pieces... so the hunt goes on.

    Maddiemom

  • Julie_MI_Z5
    18 years ago

    My boys always wore t-shirts, but they were also very active (which means sweaty, LOL). T-shirts were cheaper and more comfy for running around, plus they started sports at age 5.

    Once they hit the teenaged years, they switched to t-shirts as undershirts, which looks nice but doubles the laundry!

    I'm going to need a few new spring suits for work, but otherwise I should be OK. The boys aren't getting a thing until they clean out their closets.

    P.S. DS says he needs new socks because his are holey (this is true). He doesn't get the new ones (hidden away!) until he brings me the holey ones and trades them in. LOL

  • quiltglo
    18 years ago

    Interesting that we all like different fabrics, styles, etc.

    I think the key of limiting the amount of clothing is what has kept me sane. Thankfully, we don't have much concern with seasonal items. The clothing is pretty much the same summer and winter, with just the winter outer gear needing to be stored and evaluated every fall.

    It's pretty much the same attitude I've come to for most of the house. Only "XXX" amount of space will be devoted for items and when we start exceeding the space limit, it's time to take a look and see what's happening.

    Gloria

  • maddiemom6
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Oh have there be no doubt my little ones are very active and get very messy... but I find that woven material seems to give up the stains and dirt better than knit material.. I have No idea why... so the boys just look tidier. They are just hell on knit shirts~ The Children's Place and Target both do short sleeve button downs in seesucker and plaid for $7... can't beat that!

    Maddiemom

  • intherain
    18 years ago

    Now that my boys are teens, ALL they where are cotton tee-shirts! They refuse to wear long-sleeve in even the dead of winter. So, basically, they are wearing the same shirts year-round. They'll switch from jeans to shorts in the summer, but that's quite awhile from now. We, too, have learned that "less is best". This means the washing machine is humming daily, but it works for us. DD does have more clothing than the boys - yes, I admit we spoil her a bit more being the girl after having 2 boys. Her grandma (who only had boys) LOVES to take her shopping! But even she has a rather simplified wardrobe.

    Sheryl

  • Julie_MI_Z5
    18 years ago

    The mean mom (that's me!) finally insisted on receiving a pile of holey socks last from a teen son night in exchange for the new socks. LOL I actually stood there as he searched for them in his drawer, and as a bonus got a pile of boxers that he says are too small.

    Another bonus: His underwear drawer now closes and boxers are folded neatly (like THAT will last past this morning!).

    He says he "needs" new clothes (must be a new girl in the picture?) but I'm holding fast that THIS time he'll eliminate old clothes from his room first, THEN we'll go replace them. He hates shopping, so I imagine we could eliminate a lot and replace it with just a little.

  • Adella Bedella
    18 years ago

    I can understand where you are coming from on the clothes. I haven't limited clothes yet, but I'm getting there. I've asked the aunts, uncles, and grandparents to buy clothes instead of junk for presents so now the closets are filling up.

    My almost six yo wears more button up shirts than t-shirts to school. I buy them in themes he likes like frogs, trains, etc. They look nicer than a t-shirt that says something sarcastic. I do allow themed t-shirts like Spiderman, but no tacky sayings. For summer wear, I'm looking for light weight, long sleeved t-shirts to protect the kids from the sun.

  • talley_sue_nyc
    18 years ago

    My MIL used to pick up extra clothes--"it was so cheap, even if he wears it once, what's the harm?"

    I almost had to scream at her, "the harm is, I can't close the dresser drawer!"

    I think I've finally broken her of it--mostly by insisting that anything she buys, STAYS at her house.

    Now I need to break her of buying them these stupid chocolates that have animal stickers. I throw the animal stickers out every chance I get--I keep waiting for them to wonder where they went to.

    I need so badly to convince everyone I own never to buy my kids anything.Nothing, ever. Nada. Zip. And that includes clothes!

    And no more handmedowns--there's a lady at church that uses me as her Goodwill. Last time, I got 3 nice white shirts out of the deal, but most of this stuff is just in the way--it becomes another chore. And her kids are really quite a bit older than mine, so it's not like my kids will grow into those clothes anytime soon.

  • Julie_MI_Z5
    18 years ago

    Wow, am I jealous! I always wished for hand-me-down clothes for our boys. It would have saved me a ton of money over the years!

  • krustytopp
    18 years ago

    Would this work on husbands?

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