How much clothing does a preschooler need? Does anyone have a list of how many of each item they have? Like how many jeans, how many shorts, how many tops etc...

I just went through all of the kids' clothes (current and future seasons/sizes). I took out all that were borrowed and have packaged them up to be returned and made a list of the few things that they will need for the next few seasons. (I still feel like I have a few too much of a few things)

I found that I bought way too much for this winter when the stores had their mega clearances last year. My neighbor just gave me 4 sets of pj's for dd for next winter so I can cross them off my list as well!

I feel so liberated knowing what they have and also not having anything that was borrowed to worry about!

I also have an inventory so I don't overbuy. I stock up during yard sale season and have overbought many times. Now that I have the list, I know what I need. I would say that they need 10 outfits, socks, undies, 2 jackets per season, 5 nightgowns or PJs, 2-3 dressy dresses for church. For summer, I have about 6 swimsuits each and lots of t-shirts because they end up getting them wet or sticky so much faster.

It really depends on your lifestyle, how often you do laundry, where you live etc What do you need as a bare minimum? Hard to say...I don't think there is any 'right' answer.

My kids usually have 4-6 pairs of jeans, 4-6 pairs of khakis/cargos and lots of long sleeve and short sleeve t shirts. My older son doesn't like polo shirts, so he just have a few for church or when he wants to look a little bit 'nicer'. My younger son loves polos, so he has a TON! LOL! My kids have a lot of underwear and socks...I couldn't even guess how much. Same for PJ's. As for shorts...hmmm...my guys probably have 6-8 pairs of shorts. They both have to have at least two 'nice' outfits for weddings, funerals and other events. So for us, that means a pair of nice khakis and then a pair of slacks, a blazer, two button down shirts, neckties, a nice belt and leather tie shoes.

We live in NE Ohio, so the weather can be weird - so they have heavy jackets for cold weather and then also for skiing. Then they have a variety of lighter jackets in fleece, wool or leather. It really just depends on what they want to wear.

My younger son always has more items, just because he's wearing new things and then also things that my older son has grown out of...

I keep a list so we don't over buy. We all have fairly simple (but nice) wardrobes. I would rather have nicer things but less of them. I also do laundry about every 3 days which helps.

ds (age 9)
2 pairs of jeans
1 pair of khaki / cargo pants
1 pair of navy blue cargo pants
6 long sleeve shirts
3 button down shirts ~ he wears these on top of the long sleeve shirts
2 sweatshirts (which he hardly wears ~ I could go down to one)
1 pair of pajamas (which he only wears for sleepovers ~ he wears boxers to bed)
7 pairs of underwear
7 pairs of socks
4 boxers (I'm waiting for a sale to bring it up to 7)
2 swimsuits (he needs two for camp)
4 pairs of shorts
7 short sleeve shirts (that coordinate with the shorts)
2 pairs of shoes (one running for school, one running but darker and dressier for home and church)
1 rain boots
1 rain coat
1 spring coat
1 winter coat with snow pants

dd (age 7)
2 pairs of jeans (one light / one dark)
1 cargo pant
1 yoga pant (girls sweatpants)
6 long sleeve shirts
3 sweatshirts (she use to be cold all the time but she doesn't wear these anymore so I won't replace them once they are grown out)
4 pairs of jammies (two long sleeve / long pants, two short)
7 pairs of underwear (I need to get a few more as she likes to wear a 'fresh' pair to bed at night)
7 pairs of socks
3 pairs of tights
2 swimsuits
4 pairs of of shorts or skorts
2 dresses
7 short sleeve shirts (to cordinate with the shorts, skorts, skirts)
3 pairs of shoes (one running for school, running for home, and mary janes for dress up)
1 rain boots
1 rain coat
1 spring coat
1 winter coat with snow pants, hats (1), mitts (3), scarf (1), etc

Dh and I have a lot less but we don't get dirty near as quickly.

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Mom to dd (age 9) and ds (age 11)
blogging daily about purpose and personal identity

I will tell you what...I have been thinking about this alot. I mainly get DD things on clearance but man! how many shirts does one girl need?
I need to start taking inventory in what she has. I am starting to think I have a small clearance shopping addiction for her!

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Jenifer M

For each season (Fall/Winter or Spring/Summer) I try to get the following for my daughter (age 3) She is not in preschool this year, but hopefully she will be next year. This is my guideline.. dd has been very blessed though, and she has many more clothes that listed below.

From hand-me-downs or garage sales:
3-4 play outfits
1-2 play dresses

From anywhere I can find clothes that *look* new:
1-3 nice outfits
1-2 "church outfits" (this includes a fancy dress for Christmas or Easter)

2-3 pairs of Pjs

Accessories:
one pair of sneakers (usually hand-me-down or garage sale)
one pair of nicer shoes
one pair of fancy shoes specifically for her "fancy dress"

Tights. Enough that she has at least one pair for each outfit with a skirt.
Socks, I buy white athletic socks.. I let grandmas buy "fun ones" Trying to have 7-14pair
fancy socks (the ones that have the cuff and a little lace, for when she doesn't want to wear tights w/ her fancy shoes (1-3 pairs)
7-14 pairs of undies (she still has accidents)

One every day coat, and one rain coat.

My ds, when he was a preschooler (not going to preschool)
3-5 play outfits
1-3 nice outfits
1-2 "church outfits" (Usually black pants for winter & Tan pants for summer, with appropriate shirts for the season)
2-3 pairs of Pjs

Accessories:
one pair of sneakers (usually hand-me-down or garage sale)
one pair of nicer shoes (leather style)
Socks, I buy white athletic socks.. Trying to have 7-14pair
Socks to go with the nicer shoes 2-3 pairs
7-14 pairs of undies

One every day coat, and one rain coat.



When my kids end up going to school I start the school year with 3-5 "nice" outfits. Ds, now 7, started the school year w/ 3 pairs of new jeans. He had a ton of nice t-shirts as most of them were hand-me-downs. So, I had him change his pants into play pants when he got home from school... for 2 reasons. Minimizing the "holey knee factor" and 2, keeping them somewhat clean so he could wear them 2 days (w/ a different shirt each day). For Christmas his wardrobe was rounded out to have 6 pairs of jeans, I still have him wear them 2 days sometimes because he has 2x the number of shirts that he can wear to school.

Edited to Add:
My weekly laundry schedule for my family of 4 looks something like this: (one load a day)
Sunday: Sheets (my bed)
Monday: Lights (pulled from everyone)
Tuesdau: Towels
Wednesday: ds's Darks
thursday: Whites (pulled from everyone) or dd's Darks (she has so many clothes I can easily go 10 days between washings
Friday: Sheets (both kids bed's)
Satiurday: Darks (adult clothes, and anything the kids NEED washed)

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-Sarah

My "Forget the Joneses" Blog: Click Here

I used to have WAY too much clothing for my kids, especially my daughter, because I'd find it at garage sales and rationalize I could re-sell it when I was done to recoup my money. That was true, but it is a lot of work to maintain a large wardrobe!

Now my kids' wardrobes are very minimal. I operate on a "just in time" inventory system (to borrow an accounting phrase). I figure we can always go out and buy more if we find we need it. We replace things as they wear out or no longer fit. I have saved so much following this strategy instead of stocking up on deals when I see them. I still do "stock up" occasionally when I see a year-end clearance sale, but I usually buy less than I think I'll need, knowing there are always deals to be had.

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OMGoddess!! I am reading all your lists and I think I have WAY WAY too much!!Emmy has AT least 20 pairs of pants, around 30 shirts, about 16 dresses and 3 nice winter coats and another 8 that are sweatsuit materal anf fleece a jean jacket, 2 pairs of boots,4 pairs of shoes, 2 pairs sneekers, about 14 footie sip up PJ's and 4 nightgowns! Socks.. she must have 30, tights I just bought her 6 different colors!!! AND.. I just got her 3 more dresses and a pant set on Kizoodle!!
I won't EVEN talk about mine!!!
I LIKE clothes!! And purses!!
I have at LEAST 70 pocketbooks (purses)!!!
I think I need HELP to stop buying these things!!!!

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If you tell your secrets to the wind... Don't be mad if it tell's the trees.

We have too many clothes for my girls and DH- I on the other hand have just a little "too much" (especially after Christmas!). I just got rid of 2 trash bag size of clothes from my oldest and 1 for my youngest (I actually sold that for $30 !) and they still have too many! In a way I truly want to pair down what they have- but my oldest loves clothes (she will organize her clothes by colors help me do her laundry and so on!) and she is at the "age" where clothing matters- my youngest is rough on clothes so I have a lot for her as well. I am in a clothing cul de sac !

When my daughter was born we went overboard on the clothes and we did this for almost four years! When she outgrew the clothing I just put it in a tote down in our basement to wait for our yard sell. We moved this past spring (and I still haven't had that yard sell yet) but do you know how many totes of clothing that we have! I don't know as I am afraid to count them. But it has been an eye opening experience and I've cut down her clothing a lot! As for my son, he's not getting as much and he's getting a lot of 2nd hand clothing as well. On the other hand I didn't feel as bad this weekend when I spent more than I normally would have on a Polo jump suit for my six month old! He looks so cute in this outfit and blue is his color! Not to mention it is warm and there is a lot of quality in this outfit!