Back to School shopping can seem like a marathon of money spending madness without the right preparation. It should be fun to go shopping with the kids and see the latest trends on childrens clothes hangers, and a little extra planning can make it less stressful and more affordable.
Take the time to look through your childrens hangers and drawers to weed out those articles that are worn out or have permanent stains. This simple task will usually free up a good amount of space. Try to get your kids to point out clothes that are too small or maybe they just don’t want to wear anymore. This can go in hand-me-down boxes or to a charitable organization. It is never to early to start the idea sharing. The end of the summer is usually a good time to go through all of their clothes (fall, winter, spring, and summer) to get more organized for the coming year. This will also help you know what you need to look for as the season progresses.
Keeping some sort of written log that keeps track of each garment is an extremely organized approach, but if you do not feel like being this detailed, at least write down a few numbers. For example, maybe there are two light jackets, one heavy jacket, and four pull-over sweaters. Having this general figure written down will help you narrow down your shopping needs for cold weather clothes.
Once you have an accurate list of what you kids already have, it will then be simple to make a checklist of what you need to buy when you go shopping. You should consider factors like dress code, climate, activities, and seasonal changes when making this list. If you have just moved from a different climate region or if your child is changing schools, this will be especially important. Try to think of every situation your kids will experience so that you can be prepared and get what they will need in one or two trips. Simply cutting down on shopping time will alleviate a great deal of stress.
Once you have made your back to school wardrobe list, make a run to the stores early on, while the summer sales are still going on. You will be surprised how many things you come across at great prices before the back to school season hits. This is a great time to stock up on short-sleeved T-shirts, underwear, socks, and jeans. These are things kids need in every season. Look for clothes that might work well with fall layering or as winter undergarments. Dresses work great for little girls between seasons.
When back to school clothes hit the racks, try to choose a low traffic day to go shopping, even if you must take a day off of work. You will be glad you did. Removing a little of the crowded chaos factor of back to school shopping is immediately 50% better. There will also be fewer distractions so that you and your kids can concentrate on having fun trying on new clothes. Make sure you talk with you kids about what kinds of things they want before you go and set some guidelines to avoid arguments in dressing room stalls. Everybody remembers how exciting school clothes are, as they well should be. So take the time to get organized and enjoy the time.
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