How to Let Go of Children’s Baby Clothes – Seven Useful Tips

Decluttering, organizing, minimizing…the struggle is real. This is part of my Simple Living Journey. I have held on to certain items for way too long and it’s time to let go. Are you struggling to let go of your children’s baby clothes? Below, I have listed the strategies that have helped me the most when conquering this task.

“You really can’t take anything with you, so maybe it is better to try not to own it all.”

Margareta Magnusson

Why Do We Wait So Long To Let Go?

Come to find out, after having two children, I tend to get attached to their baby items. For me, I believe it is the memories attached to these items and the fact that these stages of their lives are over. That is what got to me the most and thus has been hard for me to give the items away. Until now…..

I wish I would have tackled this huge stack of baby/toddler clothing bins a lot earlier. I planned to do it six years ago before we moved to a new state, but it didn’t quite happen and we put everything in moving boxes and brought it with us. Now, it has been sitting in our basement since we arrived. I kept putting it off and telling myself I would do it later. Sound familiar?

I must say, however, that waiting this long has made it a little easier on me when making the decisions of what I really need to keep. It was much harder when they were still young and just outgrowing those items.

But thinking back, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this technique. It creates unnecessary piles of clothing that will take up space somewhere in your house with the potential of creating unwanted stress knowing something needs to be done with it. At the same time, these items could be sold or given to others in need and they are just sitting in the house.

“Minimalism isn’t about removing things you love. It’s about removing the things that distract you from the things you love.”

Joshua Becker

Seven Tips to Let Go of Children’s Baby Clothes

Here is the strategy I used to help me let go of our children’s baby clothes, declutter, and conquer this task:

1. Determine your why.

Think about life and what happens in the end. Where do all of our possessions go? Who will have to make that decision once we are gone, whenever that may be? Should it be their responsibility? Why are you holding onto your children’s baby clothes? Why do you want to let them go? Do you want the peace of mind knowing everything has a place in your home? Do you want to stop constantly thinking that you need to get it done? What is your why?

My why is to lead a more simple sustainable life that allows for more calm quiet moments for myself and to spend with family. More time to connect with nature and more time to work on tasks and projects I enjoy doing. I look forward to the moments where I do not constantly need to think about what needs to be done or worry about what my house looks like when someone comes over. Moments where I can live, breathe, and feel the present moment.

I suggest writing down your why in a journal or on a piece of paper kept somewhere safe. Keep it accessible so you can go back and reread it when things start to get stressful and overwhelming. This will help ground you, clear your mind, and remind you what you are doing this for.

2. Read books and watch documentaries. 

I have read a few books and watched documentaries/videos about minimizing wardrobes. I am sure most of you know about the KonMari method. I really liked watching her videos. Her strategies seemed to help a lot of people. I feel, in the case of the children’s clothes, it is too easy to find joy in all of my kid’s clothing items, so I did not use her method exactly, but I did find myself expressing gratitude and thanking some of the items one last time before I let them go.

But none compared to the audiobook I listened to called The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, by Margareta Magnusson. This book isn’t only for those who are preparing their homes in older age, but it has great information for all.

There is one line that really resonated with me, “You really can’t take anything with you, so maybe it is better to try not to own it all.” It has helped me so much through my decluttering journey. The author has many great stories to tell about her life and death cleaning journey, as well as, her time helping others death clean. It is a great read. I would definitely recommend it.

3. Organize clothing into three piles.

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I like to separate the clothing by age if I know I will be giving the items to people I have in mind, depending on how old their child/children are.

Go through items by age, if needed, and make 3 piles: a keep pile, a maybe pile, and a giveaway pile. Once you have your piles made, place the giveaway items in a bag or box, and put your maybe pile to the side to go through later. Place your keep items in your bin/container for storage. 

Don’t feel upset if you have too many clothes in your “Maybe Pile”. It is ok to put some items aside to go through them again later. This helps me when making decisions on tough items.

Once you get going, it will start to get easier to let items go. Be sure to revisit your “Maybe Pile” when you are done sorting. I have a feeling many of these items will be given away as well. 

4. Donate or sell clothing that is no longer needed.

Decide whether you want to sell or donate your items. Where will you donate them? Will you donate to Goodwill or take to a local children’s hospital? Will you sell items online or to your local Kid to Kid?

There is a donation store near me that will take children’s used socks and underwear. I make a separate bag/box for that. Label boxes or bags with the donation center and age range of the clothing items, if you are separating the clothes by age.

Once you are ready, make that first trip to the donation center. It will be hard at first and you may second guess yourself, but in my experience, it feels really good knowing you can donate clothing for others to use rather than collecting dust sitting in the home. 

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5. Re-use Clothing Items That Are Not Able To Be Donated

If the clothing has a stain, for example, or if some items are meaningful to you and you aren’t ready to part with them, find another use for them.

Any stained clothes can be made into rags for cleaning, removing makeup, or used as handkerchiefs. If your children are old enough, involve them in this process and have them help you repurpose these items.

My kids get holiday pajamas every year from their Grandmother. I have decided to save all of their pajamas and make them each their own Christmas jammies memory quilt. Shhhhh! Don’t tell my kids. I haven’t started it yet and want it to be a surprise.

You can do this with any piece of clothing. Turn it into a memory quilt for your family. Use items that may have stains or holes. Something your kids wore a lot and you have great memories of them in. Use old blankets, bibs, onesies, etc.

6. Create a small memory box for your children. 

You could include only baby items or add items to it throughout the years. I am sure this box would be treasured for years to come.

Add notes and pictures with the items explaining where it came from, why it is special or even how old they were when it was most important to them.

Less is more. Our children will appreciate a small memory box filled with special treasures much more than huge boxes filled with toys and clothes. Make it more about meaning rather than stuff. Stuff you think they will want in the future, stuff you think your grandkids may want someday.

7. Take small steps and stay consistent.

Take small steps and breaks when needed. When I am lucky enough to have a good chunk of the day to spend decluttering and going through the kid’s clothing, I tend to start to feel overwhelmed after a while and need to take a break or stop and come back to it another day. I catch myself overthinking and when I do, I tend to put more items in my keep pile than I would like.

It is ok to take your time, but make sure you stay consistent and work on it a little every day. When I do feel overwhelmed, I take a much-needed yoga/meditation break.

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Again, there is no rush, but it will feel great when everything is taken care of and has a place in your home. Make sure you have the space for the items you plan to keep. Otherwise, it’s time to go through those piles again.

Final Thoughts and Words of Encouragement

I would like to wish you all the best when going through this process to let go of your children’s baby clothes. I know it is hard and a process that may take some time. 

When you start to feel overwhelmed or begin to second guess yourself, go back to your why. Think about your why and give yourself a moment to think of any positive affirmations that will help you along the way.  

“What I know for sure is that when you declutter — whether it’s your home, your head, or your heart — it is astounding what will flow into that space that will enrich you, your life, and your family.”

Peter Walsh

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You CAN handle this. You ARE doing the right thing. You ARE making the right decisions. YOU’VE GOT THIS! 

Be grateful. Be grateful to be here. Be grateful to have these items. Be grateful to give these items to others. Give what no longer serves your needs. Keep a small memory box of special items and LET THE REST GO. 

Please visit our article Embrace the Quiet: 8 Simple Ways for Mamas to Create Calm. In it I include minimal living as a way to create more calm and quiet in your life. Let’s go on this simple living journey together. One step at a time. I can’t wait for the next one!

Have you had success with decluttering and letting go of your children’s baby clothes? If so, comment below, and please let us know what helped you the most.