Kids clothes: WWAMD (What Would A Minimalist Do?)

One thing you have TONS of when you have kids, besides a TON of plastic toys, is clothes. You do need more than the "normal adult range" obviously, with mess, play dough, paint, spillage etc. But you also don't need triple built-in wardrobes in their rooms to stock all their stuff!!

This is, what I think, is a good amount for my kids. If you have younger kids, you might need a few extra.

2 year old girl:

6 tops
6 bottoms
4 jackets
4 dresses
10 undies
6 singlets
6 socks & 3 stockings
2 pyjamas (plus warm suit for cold winter nights)
1 swimmers
3 hats
3 shoes

I have a very generous friend who has three daughters. She gives me all her stuff. And I have a few friends with daughters 6 months younger than Miss M. So the clothes keep getting passed on. Awesome! For my pocket and for the environment. Double win.

It IS nice to buy NEW quality clothing for kids, but at the end of the day, for me, mess is more important to make (in learning, in playing, in trying new things), than looking good and clean in new clothes. And I think I would fuss way more if they had expensive clothes :)

So my personal preference is good quality second hand clothes.

5 year old boy:

6 tops
6 bottoms
4 jackets
10 undies
10 socks
4 singlets
2 pyjamas
1 swimmers
2 hats
3 shoes

All of this fits into a small set of drawers I picked up at Vinnies for $20. If I had time, I would paint it and paint the insides of the drawers in bright colours. e.g. your socks go in the red drawer, your shirts in the yellow drawer.

But at the moment, I'm embracing the "shabby chic (eco)" look.