According to market research, new parents are expected to spend approximately $60 every month on clothing alone during the first year of their child’s life. This means they’ll pay a total of $720 for clothing items the little one may never wear again once they’ve outgrown them, no matter how adorable these clothes may be.
As babies grow older, these costs go down a little bit. From ages two to four years old, parents may have to spend an estimated $150 per season or $600 every year. This, of course, does not include the expenses you’ll have to incur to replace lost items such as socks, hats, and mittens.
So, because most baby clothes here in Phoenix do not come cheap, many parents need to find many ways to extend the lives of these clothing pieces for their children. You can get one more extra season out of that cute pair of leggings.
But if your child just isn’t ready to let go of their favorite sequined sweater, here are some ways you can keep those clothes wearable for as long as possible:
Sew them up
You only need some threads, needles, and basic sewing skills to salvage many clothes your child has worn. Patch those holes in their favorite socks, replace any lost or broken buttons, or fix torn seams even if you don’t have or don’t know how to use a sewing machine.
Most baby clothes come with extra buttons for easy replacement, so make sure to not toss them away in case you’ll need them in the future. But, if you’ve already lost them, don’t worry. You can go to a local craft store and find some fun and cute replacement buttons that can also change up the style of your baby’s clothing.
Be creative
Sometimes it can be really difficult to let go of your little one’s clothing, especially those that have special meanings for you as a new parent. So, turn those pieces into an even more meaningful item by creating a memory quilt or pillow made with the materials from your child’s old but favorite outfits.
To make a single-size quilt, you’ll need around three bags filled with old clothing pieces. Then, grab some scissors and cut all the interesting designs, textures, and pieces from the clothes that you’d like to have in your quilt.
To make sure you won’t distort the quilt’s shape, get some non-stretch fabrics that can back all the stretch materials you’ll use. By creating a quilt, you won’t only have a keepsake, but you’ll also be able to have fun snuggling up to your precious memories with your child.
Here’s another great option for you: donate your baby’s old clothing to charity. Most of these charities work by distributing the clothing pieces who may need them for their newborns. There are many charities available online that accept, sort, clean, sterilize and check used baby clothes and nursery equipment for safety before they find new owners.
Then, they work with local hospitals and support agencies to reach out to families and distribute the items that passed their quality check.
