Comments on: Day 22: The annual clothes-sorting

By: jasmine

jasmine — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 02:44:20 +0000

1.78 for milk! what! I am lucky to find it for less than $3.

By: Brandi

Brandi — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:08:14 +0000

My husband had my kids do this ON THEIR OWN a couple weeks ago while I was taking a nap. I was grateful it got done, but I have no idea what they put away. The other day, my skinny 9yo dd came downstairs dressed in size 4/5 shorts! “How did these get in with my clothes, then?”, she asked. Ahh! I’ll probably have to have another go at it with me involved this time.

By: Owlhaven

Owlhaven — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:44:17 +0000

Yes, I did write about this in my book, but I do limit the quantities to keep. About 6 pr jeans, 15 short sleeve shirts, half a dozen long sleeve shirts, etc….

By: Owlhaven

Owlhaven — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:42:51 +0000

The ONLY way I got it done in a day was by getting the kids to work alongside me. My 15 year old actually sorted his own. Then I had a 14 year old and three 11 year olds hard at work the whole day right alongside me from 11AM to 6 PM, non-stop except for lunch. And the 7 and 4 year olds ran little errands for me and helped fold their own stuff.

By: Jess

Jess — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:39:50 +0000

I was just wondering what you do about holding onto clothes to pass down between kids. I WAS holding on to EVERYTHING which was a lot due to my mother being an insane shopaholic but now we have 6 people living in a 3 bedroom “renovators delight” (with internal walls on only 2 of the bedrooms and 1 “open plan” living/kitchen, and no wardrobes for the kids) I have had to cull big time. I am on the verge of getting rid of EVERYTHING we don’t wear and just buying as needed from op shops (thrift stores you call them) and new for the “good stuff” – I am pretty sure my Mum will stop buying for us when we get rid of it all and I am worried about the expense of keeping everyone clothed. How do you go clothing everyone on a budget? Do you limit the amount of clothes each person has so your laundry doesn’t, you know, EXPLODE? Hang on, you probably answered these questions in the book. OK, I will buy your book next time I have a little cash but any tips in the mean time would be MOST welcome

By: Becky

Becky — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 23:58:21 +0000

I’m with Michelle–a little jealous–and wondering how in the world you can do all that in one day!!
We are in that awkward “the-AC-is-still-running-but sometimes-it-gets-chilly-at-night” stage.
I only have an almost 3yo girl, a 15-month-old son, and another due in March (so I am storing away both their clothes, not knowing whether Little Boo is a boy/girl).
We started sorting last Thursday, but were packing & left for a church retreat Friday – Sunday. Came back, tried to get caught up on laundry, meal planning, housework, etc. . . between a couple of dr’s appts, the kids getting colds and not sleeping through the nights and my extreme pregnancy fatigue, the clothes are still out.
In fact, this morning, my husband expressed his irritation about how, in a couple more days, they will have been out for a week. Trust me, I’m more frustrated about it than he is!
I was going to get on it tonight, right after the kids went to bed, but my daughter pooped in her underwear and was filthy, so we just had an impromptu bath . . . okay, I’m going to get off the computer now. . . and go sort those clothes . . .
It’s not often that I feel a real need to vent on the internet, but you’re post completely applied to where we’re at. . . or where we’re NOT, but where we WANT to be!
I’m still wondering how on earth you did it in one day for so many people!! You’re my hero!!

By: jody

jody — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:01:11 +0000

I started our clothes sort this week too and realized about halfway through why I hate it-such a huge mess it makes until it is done!! But we are getting there-good for you for getting it done in one day, it is usually a week or so process for me, hahaha!

By: dena

dena — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:57:42 +0000

i want paul to open a store by me!! his prices are great!

By: Sue from Buffalo

Sue from Buffalo — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:29:24 +0000

The problem with sorting the clothes here is that we still have warm days ahead mixed with cool. I try to keep some clothes out for both. It’s funny because I’ll pack a lot away and then “stragglers” will start filling up more laundry baskets.

By: Owlhaven

Owlhaven — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:07:23 +0000

Hi Erin,
My book explains in much greater detail, but in general, the less often I go to the store, the more I save. Usually I plan 2 weeks worth of meals, and then do a big trip twice a month. The trips in between those big trips are teeny ones, where I just skim the best sales at a specific store, usually no more than once or twice a week. I try very hard to keep tightly to my list and avoid impulse buys. The shopping I mention in this post took 10 minutes and was combined with other errands.