Need a system for how to buy kids clothes...

amother

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 1:50 am

I find it very hard to make purchases without knowing every detail of what I need, I find new seasons so overwhelming.

BH I have five wonderful children between the ages of 10 and 4. I get so overwhelmed trying to work out what to buy. I primarily buy online because in-store I just make mistakes and buy the wrong things.

Can anyone share their process for buying for a new season? Do you have a "system" for it? How do you make sure you have everything?

Ideally I would love to buy in sales for next winter too, but I've never done that before and I find it super overwhelming to think of starting...

I am in Israel if it makes a difference, I dress my kids in fairly up-to-date clothes but not super fashionable...

allsmiles

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 2:00 am

I have an excel sheet saved on my computer. Each season I start a new one (based off the old one) with a list of everything they need, how much it costs, and a short description.

That way, when I start shopping the next summer, I just look back to what I bought last year and base my shopping off that.

If I buy anything on sale the year before I add it to the excel to keep track of how many more outfits/shoes/etc I need.

Rappel

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 2:14 am

I buy all basics, and boys trousers, on Next. The multi packs are extremely budget friendly.

Shoes are a necessary evil. Twice a year, we lay out a lot of cash, and they're set.

Dresses need to be nicer than those on next, so I also purchase those at local stores. That's hit or miss

For myself? I have trouble. XD

imaima

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 2:21 am

Rappel wrote:

What do you buy then?
I was recently in frum stores and didn’t find anything nicer than next. They were all styled very rustic. I didn’t even feel like they were festive or shabbosdik.

imaima

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 2:23 am

If you see a great outfit, then look around the shop to find matching accessories.
If you see something on sale, buy it.
Next season you pull it out snd buy matching accessories full price.
I often buy multipacks of neutral socks/tights, like black/white/cream

salt

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 3:15 am

Do you hand down clothes from one kid to the next?

Now my kids are older, but I used to have bags for all different ages, genders, seasons, and at the beginning of a season (eg. before pesach) I'd take down the necessary bags, see what fits who, and what needs to be bagged away.
Then I'd see how much each kid has, and have in mind how much each kid needs.
eg. girls need 3 shabbat dresses. boys need 4 pairs of weekday pants, etc.
And from that, make a list of what needs to be bought.

eg.
child 1 - two new pairs of pants and 10 sets of underpants, and 2 new pijamas.
child 2 - new shabbat dress, 2 new skirts for school.

And then either go to buy, or order online.
With little kids you can shop without them. It gets harder when they are teens.

Don't get too stressed if you find out a couple of months later you need to order some more of something. Especially if you do it online, not so bad.

Rappel

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 3:19 am

imaima wrote:

What do you buy then?
I was recently in frum stores and didn’t find anything nicer than next. They were all styled very rustic. I didn’t even feel like they were festive or shabbosdik.

Where did you see rustic long dresses in cotton?

I'll take it!

imaima

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 3:56 am

salt wrote:

Same
Spent the entire day yesterday reorganizing all the stuff and having my kids try on all the clothes. We were all exhausted.

ray family

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 3:56 am

salt wrote:

This is what I do.
I pack the clothing away and at the start of each season I pull out the bins with the gender and sizes that I need. I check to see what I have and that’s my starting point. Based off of that I’ll fill in the gaps.

SuperWify

Tue, Apr 02 2024, 4:34 am

Step 1- go through their closet. Throw out, donate or keep. Look to see if you have any hand me downs.

Step 2- I use my notes app. I write down everything needed plus editing we already have.

For example:

Notes name: Ss24

Child 1 Chani
Shabbos
✅2 dresses last year
Need 1 dress
1 outfit

Weekday
Shoes
Underwear
Swim
Uniform

I check off as I buy plus I put in the total so I know how much I spent.

I like to shop online so I can easily pull up sizes, prices ect from my email. I start my notes as soon as I buy the first item even if it’s a year before.