Transitioning your kids closets from Summer to Fall

Dec 1, 2022 | Blog

Well ladies and gents, fall has officially hit the calendar and Western Pennsylvania like a wrecking ball. It’s like Mother Nature rubbed her eyes, looked at her planner and was like “holy heck, no time to transition, summer must go NOW”. So long to the days of shorts, tank tops and flip flops. With the fall Sunflower Sprouts sale finished and packed away, now is the PERFECT TIME to start planning for spring! Wait, what?? Yes, you heard me right – long time consignor here – so I’ll repeat it – now is the PERFECT TIME to start planning for spring!

As the cooler weather hits…

Boys Swim Trunks

As the cooler weather hits, now is the time to pack away those summer items and get so much prep done for the spring that your tagging will be like one of those warm spring breezes blowing scents of lilac through your open windows.  To start, you are going to want to have three bins or large boxes to sort into.  Label these three bins as “trash/textile recycle”, “Save for Sunflower Sprouts”, and “Try on in the Spring.”   As you take all the spring/summer items out of drawers and closets, do a quick evaluation.  Does the shirt have popsicle stains, or a small tear from the playground?  Then it goes into the trash/recycle bin.  Were the shorts getting too short, or tight around the waist by your always growing toddler?  Then you know they won’t fit in the spring and they can go into the Sunflower Sprouts bin to sell.  Did the swimsuit still fit on Labor Day?  It can go into the Spring Try On bin to be reevaluated in early March.

Repeat this process for each of your kid’s closets and drawers.  One last things in the clothing department is your shoe transition.  You pretty much know that all kids’ feet grow like Jack’s beanstalk each year, so pack away those sandals and water shoes.  If they are in great condition, they go in the Sunflower Sprouts bin, if they are pretty worn, save them in a Soles For Jesus donation bag that can be dropped off at the sale. Trust me, this whole process takes like 45 minutes for each kid, and the sense of accomplishment you get from getting a BIG TASK done will have you smiling.

Now, to the maintenance part of this task…

Now, to the maintenance part of this task.  Do a couple of loads of laundry of the Sunflower Sprouts bin.  Wash, and fold all of the clothes and repack into your bin so that you are ALL READY TO TAG on some snowy, cold, yucky day in February.  Slide some hangers down the side of your bin and you will have everything ready to go.  If you have room in your laundry room, it can help to have a small “Save for Sunflower Sprouts” bin to put things that are grown out of mid-season as you find them. Raincoats, jeans, sneakers, sweatshirts can all be washed and put into this bin as you come across them this winter.

Let’s move on to the big stuff…

Let’s move on to the big stuff – and this can be very helpful. As you clean up your yard, and rake leaves and put away the outside toys – this is when you want to clean and scrub these things to have ready for spring. Because you KNOW that you do not want to be hosing mold off of your play house in a frigid March wind. Think of things like your plastic sliding board, water table, sand box, infant swing off your playset, tricycle that will be too small next year, or even your wagon. Get a warm bucket of soapy water with a little bit of bleach in it and scrub away all of the dirt and grime and rack, pack, and stack these items in your basement or garage so they are all together, all clean and ready to sell in the spring.

Now, with all of this “done and dusted”, as my Peloton instructor loves to say to mark the end of a workout, give yourself a HUGE pat on the back. Hey, you may even want to take the rest of the day off, put your feet up, tell the spouse to order in take-out, pour a glass of wine, put the kiddos to bed and ………who am I kidding, just give yourself the pat on the back and go have fun with your family. You’ve got fall memories to make!

About the Author

 

Jennifer Hill

Jennifer Hill

Jennifer Hill is a former consignment sale owner in Western Pennsylvania. She is a mom to three kids who are now in high school and college. She has a Business/Communications degree from Grove City College and resides in Volant, PA with her husband, kids and a barn full of animals. She enjoys being outdoors, reading, hanging with her tribe of fierce moms and the occasional glass of whiskey…or wine….

Get In Touch with us

 

Follow Us!

 

BeEmail