Clothes Inventory

Before we go shopping for school clothes, we always take an inventory of what clothes my children still have and what they will need for the next year.  This will vary from family to family, but with five kids, we only buy what we need. 

  Taking an inventory of your clothes is really helpful when you dont want to spend more than you need to or you are working on a tight budget.  Its also helpful when you are trying to cut down on the amount of clothes that your child has.  Im sure every family has one child that empties their dresser drawers on the floor looking for a particular shirt.  Minimizing their clothing helps them to be more organized and you have less waste.
Our inventory begins with a fashion show, where the kids can try on all their clothes and make sure they have shirts that match everything that still fits.  I keep track of what they have and what they will need.  You can have a fashion show be as simple or as fancy as you want.  As you have your children try on their clothes, make sure they still fit and are not worn out.

When you are going through their clothes, dont forget to pay attention to belts and accessories that they need for their outfits.  I also look for shirts and pants that can be mixed to make different outfits. 
We decide how many pants and shirts each person needs.  My youngest daughter always has more clothes than everyone else.  When my kids dont need anything, I let them pick out one new outfit and a few new shirts.
Taking inventory is a great help in finding a beginning spot when you go shopping.  It lets you know what your children have and the essentials that you need to make sure to pick up.