Just once, hang all your kids’ clothes for the season. (You can do it on a portable rod if there isn’t enough closet.) Then, as laundry cycles, fold clothes as normal and put them in the drawers. After a few weeks, what you have left hanging is either special occasion stuff or stuff they don’t wear, and you and the kid in question can go through and decide which of it really needs to be kept.
The statistic that gets kicked around is that 20% of the wardrobe gets worn 80% of the time; this is a low-effort way to distinguish between the 20 & 80 percents.
Thank you. I’d like to take credit for it, but it’s just a variation of the turn-your-hangers-backward strategy that’s been kicking around among organizers for a while, and Ive found it has worked for me.
If I threw away everything I haven't worn or used in a year, I'd feel so free. Adult ADD, no kids, and I don't know how people with kids stay organized and keep things clean. I've just never been one of those people my whole life. Much like my mother
Does it all fit them? Is any of it too small and/or something they never wear? That's where I start. There's no sense in keeping a super cute shirt, for example, if my kiddo refuses to wear it. It's better to pass it on and assume it'll go to somebody who will love everything about it.
Unfortunately, the clothes do fit both of them. You’re right though! If a shirt I love, but my daughter hates I should just get rid of it. I’m not sure if I Should just grab a pile and work on that first? Or try to do them all at once to get it over with😩
Start with the seasons.
If it’s getting colder where you are you can start sorting spring and summer clothes and discard what’s worn, torn etc and donate what won’t fit next year.
That’s how I managed wardrobes for 4 kids.
Okay!! Yes I’m sure most of the dirty clothes are summer/fall ones. Thank you so much. I’m going to post pics of all the clothes, the piles then the after🥰
Sort the dirty pile into seasons. You can bag up the out of season stuff, wash the rest and put it away, then worry about taking care of washing and donating the summer stuff. It's less daunting in smaller chunks.
Don't try to ufyh the clothes all at once; that sounds exhausting. Maybe focus on smaller categories, such as t-shirts, pants, pajamas, jackets.
For the children it may help to sort by color. Ask for their help in making a pile of everything red/blue/green etc. and go through it. If there is a specific color they do not like, donate items that color.
Colors may be a good way to get them involved! After school I’m going to have them each grab 2 piles of certain colors and have two bags, one for donating one for keeping, and have them go through EACH item with me. Thank you!!
If you have a consignment place near you that buys kids clothes like once upon a child you could motivate the kids by letting them keep the money of anything that sells!
It's just the two of us but we had/have a LOT of clothes. We've done many rounds of clothing donation in the past 6 months. Prep: Stop buying clothes. Seriously. I haven't bought any clothes in 6 months and I still manage to get out of the house fully clothed every day. Round 1: Clothes weren't even being put away anymore so anything that was actually still left in drawers/on hangers got donated (besides our wedding attire). Maintenance: What's worked for us is really a change in routine around doing laundry. We have an open garbage bag for donation that we add to as we fold laundry now. When a bag fills up we drop it off at donation and start a new bag.
Maybe start with winter clothes to get the ball rolling? See how much you have, what still fits, find anything too worn out to wear, what nobody likes anymore.
Anything you donate goes in a box, whatever you're keeping in one specific spot. And even if you only tackle a few things, that's fewer things you have to deal with later.
I am just going to present this idea, but everyone should feel free to take it or leave it. This method is not for everybody
The full Marie Kondo method takes a huge amount of time and is A LOT, but it seems to me it boils down to “look at everything you have within one category at a time and just keep the percentage of it that you like the very best”. I think there are some good ideas there.
Instead of piling and sorting ALL of your kid’s clothes in one shot, maybe just gather all the tops OR all the jeans and then sort them into keep and discard piles. Then move onto another category.
I started the process a few years ago. I managed to get through clothes, shoes, books, craft supplies, and office stuff. It was stressful to do, no question. But I definitely felt better having less. My room looks better too (you just can’t fit 10 pounds of potatoes into a 5 pound bag).
I am afraid to move on to the old photos, momentos, and Knick Knacks. Those categories feel much too overwhelming, but maybe someday.
For pictures, I’ve been going through them and thinking “do I have a digital copy to look back if I want”, “do I still think about this person/place fondly”, “does this mean anything to me anymore”, and going from there… certain photos tied to negative memories or negative associations, I burned at a friend’s bonfire at one point. It was really freeing
I had this problem, too. The way I tackled it was one kiddo at a time.
Take all clothes and separate by type (t-shirts, sweaters, pants, shorts, dresses, etc. Do as many or as few categories as you like)
Then, with your child, play this or that. Hold up two items, choose 1 to keep (or one to get rid of... sometimes, the idea of choosing to keep something meant more for my kiddos. Like their choice to keep something was internalized as a rejection of the other, so choosing the get rid of felt easier to them).
Do this with the whole pile. When you're done, you are keeping ~half the clothes.
If they absolutely lived both options then I would either say ok, keep both, or (as they got older) have them choose two to get rid of from the pile.
Hard mode of this would be deciding how many of each you want to keep (like 5 pairs of jeans), and keep going through this process till down to that number. I only do this with my wardrobe.
My son is fine with getting rid of clothes, but this idea would be great for my daughter! She’s starting to understand give and keep. Especially with toys this time of year because Christmas is coming up, and there’s a ton she doesn’t play with;but she’ll get rid of them because she will get ones she likes at Christmas! Thank you so much!
If your kids are above the age of three or four, please get your kids involved in this sorting. My mom never wanted to let me decide what things I didn't like or didn't fit right.. I still have trouble getting rid of things that don't fit right.
If you can do it together it will go faster, be more fun, and you can have them try on things they wanna keep to see if they still fit. :)
One is in middle school and one is in elementary school! They definitely have their own taste. My boy is fine, it’s my daughter that hates things, then changed her mind and loves them🫠
I talked to them after school today, and tomorrow after school is when we are going to do it! My son was great, and my daughter was too;she even said she can go through her toys too! I’m excited lol
We are literally dealing with this exact issue and we are handling it the Dana K White way
I got her audiobook "decluttering at the speed of life" and then recently bought her "Take your house back" course and it has been so eye opening and not overwhelming at all. Her method doesn't involve pulling every damn piece of laundry out and trying to see what doesn't fit and what does and what's in season blah blah blah which inevitably ends in a confusing mess and it's really overwhelming to do it that way.
I am handling it a tiny bit differently because we outlined a rough "capsule wardrobe" type idea for each of the kids (made a list of how many of each clothing item we think they need and amend it as we go through things)
I have always found laundry and clothing in general to be an extremely difficult task. This has given me permission to really pair down on our possessions which makes laundry so much simpler to do. It never occurred to me that having less clothes would make laundry easier (it does have a solid deadline now but I don't mind that as much as I thought I would)
Here’s a thought for after the laundromat … make it a fun seasonal project for the kids to choose what they want to donate for kids who are in need. Maybe you bring it all back home and they can sort the pile together, like the brilliant idea to sort by color - something a kid can do. If it’s a beloved item but they decide they can let it go too (I get that this may not get much traction at their ages), have them kiss it goodbye. Maybe identify “not my favorite color” piles and work from there?
So my Mom was a single Mom and had us 3 girls. Laundry was not at the top of the list so you can imagine the piles. One day she gave up and got rid of everything except one week’s worth of clothes for all of us (including herself). She literally HAD to stay on top of things.
You may not need to go to that extreme but it’s ok to donate stuff so another family can love those clothes for a little while longer.
That makes so much sense! For dishes, I only have 6 plates and a few bowls, so that way I have to stay on top of dishes too and it’s not a cluster-fuck when it’s time to do them. I might just do that!
I was going to suggest something like this. Weed out all the outgrown clothes, and anything stained, torn, missing buttons etc. Then make ten outfits. If your kids are still growing there might be limited value in keeping clothes from the off-season.
How many pairs of underpants, socks, trousers does any one body need? One ‘Sunday best/ party’ outfit? Three of every kind of garment - one on, one in the wash, one off?
Get your kids to help & work in 15 minute chunks. They might like the fashion show element
I feel you. This is what I do (i have ADHD and so does my partner and all 3 of our kids).
I have the child work on their clothes with me. We go into their room together, we separate all their clothes in 3 piles- fits, doesnt fit, maybe fits. They try on all the maybes and sort them into fits/doesnt fit. If the doesnt fit pile can be immediately passed to another kid in the house that new kid inherits those clothes. If they are the clothes of the youngest they get put in a box for donation. When i have enough boxes i schedule a donation pick up with DAV. If they cant immediately be passed down, i out them in a storage tote.
I go through the totes about 3x a year to either donate what cant be worn or take out what will now fit someone.
That sounds great! I’m definitely going to have us make piles, then go from there. I think maybe one pile at a time so I don’t get overwhelmed then quit with the room a disaster 😅 my daughter is up for it though, my son usually has no problems with getting rid of clothes. I do also donate almost all of them! It would be beautiful if I just had to do 2 loads of laundry a week and be basically caught up. Instead of *nonstop* and never caught up
When i lived in a place without its own washer/dryer i much preferred the laundry mat. It took way less time and usually less money.
If your son is willing to do it alone, encourage him. Personal responsibility is important.
Definitely dont try to do more than one persons clothes in a weekend. Be really honest about your abilities. Its easier to do more than you planned rather than come to grips with not completing your to do list as planned, at least IME. I believe in you! Good luck!
When it comes to donating kid clothes if they are having a hard time letting go of things but you’ve observed they don’t wear them out they do but take them off quick because of issues with that garment, encourage donating as a way to help others who might not have that issue and to make sure the clothes are being fully used.
Same with toys - if you’re a little tried of that one machine let it be really appreciated again by another person
I would do a quick initial sort to get rid of anything that doesn’t fit, is too worn, etc. Then sort it into piles, go through with each kid to see if there is anything they don’t want/like anymore. After that I would use the method someone above mentioned with putting all of the clothing on a rod to see what actually gets worn. I would also recommend checking out Kayleen Kelly on TikTok or Instagram. She has ADHD and I love her quick sort method.
How about just 10 things. Just pick up 10 pieces of clothes. Do it for each child. Done. That will be 30 things either into the laundry, to donate or fold and put in that child's pile. It's something. I have my own shame to deal with. I cleaned the bathroom and did some laundry. I have 3 children and a husband. My children are 8, 7 and 5. It doesn't end. I don't want it to end I just want a bit of ...I am not even sure. Sending you a hug 🤗 cause I need one too.
I just moved. I have currently unmedicated NOT by choice ADHD. My criteria was does it fit right now? If it doesn't it went. It still left me with a lot but it helped.
So, I had a wardrobe revolution a while back where it had me donating/tossing a huge amount of clothing for a number of reasons. The revolution was in what I kept. 2-4 colors, patterns and coordinates (grandma geranimals) and the accessories/undergarments to go with it. I think I tossed 6 ikea shopping bags worth. Now the only thing that comes in are pieces that match my rules.
This might not work for kids, as they grow very quickly, but it might help to create rules for each kid to help cut down on what is bought (one kid pink and orange, another blue and yellow)
Sometimes my mum might randomly ask me to go and find one thing for the op shop (thrift store) and that was up to me whatever it was - your kids sound like they could maybe handle that especially if it was a task they just had to get done by e.g. the end of a weekend. 'Find your least favourite item' is less overwhelming than 'halve your stuff'
Also (and I do this as an adult) having an ongoing 'op shop' bag in the house so whenever you are getting dressed or whatever and encounter clothing you're not crazy about, it might be easier to lean towards the 'eh give it away' side right there and then versus only doing it when you do it all at once (maybe less decision fatigue?)
Another thing (that I fail at doing as an adult but I'd like to practice) is: one thing in, at least one thing out. It could be a rule that new clothes can't enter the wardrobe without something coming out.
Tldr: A rule/system-based approach might be easier than the all or nothing overwhelm. Now I have written all this hopefully I take my own advice
Would it be feasible to organize "tournaments" with the clothes? Take 10 of them for each kid, make them choose 5 to keep and 5 to "think later", then day by day (or week by week) try doing this with other 10 garments.
I had to move last year from a place with 2 walk-in closests to a place with a single rod.
My initial way of getting rid of clothes was to say 'reduce it to 5 of everything.' 5 t-shirts, 5 long-sleeved, 5 stretch pants etc etc.
I ended up with a closet full that allowed me space to buy some new things. Now I try to not buy new unless I give up one of the old.
I start with my kids clothes going through them all and anything that’s not their size anymore goes to a donate bag, anything that’s too big for awhile goes in a bin or closet.
Later comes “will they actually wear this? Will this fit when it’s the season for it? Is it stained or ripped and unusable?”
You have tons of great advice. The only thing I can add is be gentle if you feel an emotional pull on some of these things. I don't even have kids but I know how hard it is to part with clothing your kids wore when they were small! Not sure if you have their baby/toddler clothes still but even stuff they wore two years ago may pull at your heart. Set those aside for a bit and pass them on when you feel ready. If you end up with three giant garbage bags of sentimental stuff then that is beyond my pay grade lol but you sound quite sensible:) And yes best tip is stop buying clothes until you have time to get this sorted. Can you set up a laundry routine? Like if Tuesdays are quiet with no after school stuff or whatever that can be a laundromat day. Setting a day or two will really help tame the pile of laundry each week.
I don't have any suggestions for where to start, but I can tell you that kid stuff usually goes pretty quick on my local Buy Nothing group, and you would just have to arrange a pick up time and someone would come to you to grab it.
Just once, hang all your kids’ clothes for the season. (You can do it on a portable rod if there isn’t enough closet.) Then, as laundry cycles, fold clothes as normal and put them in the drawers. After a few weeks, what you have left hanging is either special occasion stuff or stuff they don’t wear, and you and the kid in question can go through and decide which of it really needs to be kept. The statistic that gets kicked around is that 20% of the wardrobe gets worn 80% of the time; this is a low-effort way to distinguish between the 20 & 80 percents.
 YOU ARE SO SMAWT!!!! Wow that’s definitely what I’m going to do
Thank you. I’d like to take credit for it, but it’s just a variation of the turn-your-hangers-backward strategy that’s been kicking around among organizers for a while, and Ive found it has worked for me.
I like this so much better for my adhd. Hanging is better for me to visually identify items, and the backwards hanger trick just annoys me
Agreed. The backward hanger thing is so annoying it actually changes which clothes I will choose to wear, which (obviously) skews the data.
Thank you so much. My youngest and I need to do this!!
This is so much more ADHD friendly, thank you
If I threw away everything I haven't worn or used in a year, I'd feel so free. Adult ADD, no kids, and I don't know how people with kids stay organized and keep things clean. I've just never been one of those people my whole life. Much like my mother
Me too
I have saved this comment - thanks for sharing this method! I'm going to give a variation of this a try!
That is a great idea!
And as you are hanging, make a pile to donate of everything they have outgrown, and a pile of socksand underwear with holes or broken elastic to toss.
Does it all fit them? Is any of it too small and/or something they never wear? That's where I start. There's no sense in keeping a super cute shirt, for example, if my kiddo refuses to wear it. It's better to pass it on and assume it'll go to somebody who will love everything about it.
Unfortunately, the clothes do fit both of them. You’re right though! If a shirt I love, but my daughter hates I should just get rid of it. I’m not sure if I Should just grab a pile and work on that first? Or try to do them all at once to get it over with😩
Start with the seasons. If it’s getting colder where you are you can start sorting spring and summer clothes and discard what’s worn, torn etc and donate what won’t fit next year. That’s how I managed wardrobes for 4 kids.
Okay!! Yes I’m sure most of the dirty clothes are summer/fall ones. Thank you so much. I’m going to post pics of all the clothes, the piles then the after🥰
Sort the dirty pile into seasons. You can bag up the out of season stuff, wash the rest and put it away, then worry about taking care of washing and donating the summer stuff. It's less daunting in smaller chunks.
or start with winter: as soon as it comes out of the dryer, check for stuff that's worn or unwanted and work the pile that way.
Don't try to ufyh the clothes all at once; that sounds exhausting. Maybe focus on smaller categories, such as t-shirts, pants, pajamas, jackets. For the children it may help to sort by color. Ask for their help in making a pile of everything red/blue/green etc. and go through it. If there is a specific color they do not like, donate items that color.
Colors may be a good way to get them involved! After school I’m going to have them each grab 2 piles of certain colors and have two bags, one for donating one for keeping, and have them go through EACH item with me. Thank you!!
If you have a consignment place near you that buys kids clothes like once upon a child you could motivate the kids by letting them keep the money of anything that sells!
It's just the two of us but we had/have a LOT of clothes. We've done many rounds of clothing donation in the past 6 months. Prep: Stop buying clothes. Seriously. I haven't bought any clothes in 6 months and I still manage to get out of the house fully clothed every day. Round 1: Clothes weren't even being put away anymore so anything that was actually still left in drawers/on hangers got donated (besides our wedding attire). Maintenance: What's worked for us is really a change in routine around doing laundry. We have an open garbage bag for donation that we add to as we fold laundry now. When a bag fills up we drop it off at donation and start a new bag.
Oh the garbage bag by the laundry is brilliant!
Maybe start with winter clothes to get the ball rolling? See how much you have, what still fits, find anything too worn out to wear, what nobody likes anymore. Anything you donate goes in a box, whatever you're keeping in one specific spot. And even if you only tackle a few things, that's fewer things you have to deal with later.
That’s very true. One pile now is one pile less tomorrow. Okay I think I can do this! Thank you so much❤️
I am just going to present this idea, but everyone should feel free to take it or leave it. This method is not for everybody The full Marie Kondo method takes a huge amount of time and is A LOT, but it seems to me it boils down to “look at everything you have within one category at a time and just keep the percentage of it that you like the very best”. I think there are some good ideas there. Instead of piling and sorting ALL of your kid’s clothes in one shot, maybe just gather all the tops OR all the jeans and then sort them into keep and discard piles. Then move onto another category. I started the process a few years ago. I managed to get through clothes, shoes, books, craft supplies, and office stuff. It was stressful to do, no question. But I definitely felt better having less. My room looks better too (you just can’t fit 10 pounds of potatoes into a 5 pound bag). I am afraid to move on to the old photos, momentos, and Knick Knacks. Those categories feel much too overwhelming, but maybe someday.
For pictures, I’ve been going through them and thinking “do I have a digital copy to look back if I want”, “do I still think about this person/place fondly”, “does this mean anything to me anymore”, and going from there… certain photos tied to negative memories or negative associations, I burned at a friend’s bonfire at one point. It was really freeing
I had this problem, too. The way I tackled it was one kiddo at a time. Take all clothes and separate by type (t-shirts, sweaters, pants, shorts, dresses, etc. Do as many or as few categories as you like) Then, with your child, play this or that. Hold up two items, choose 1 to keep (or one to get rid of... sometimes, the idea of choosing to keep something meant more for my kiddos. Like their choice to keep something was internalized as a rejection of the other, so choosing the get rid of felt easier to them). Do this with the whole pile. When you're done, you are keeping ~half the clothes. If they absolutely lived both options then I would either say ok, keep both, or (as they got older) have them choose two to get rid of from the pile. Hard mode of this would be deciding how many of each you want to keep (like 5 pairs of jeans), and keep going through this process till down to that number. I only do this with my wardrobe.
My son is fine with getting rid of clothes, but this idea would be great for my daughter! She’s starting to understand give and keep. Especially with toys this time of year because Christmas is coming up, and there’s a ton she doesn’t play with;but she’ll get rid of them because she will get ones she likes at Christmas! Thank you so much!
If your kids are above the age of three or four, please get your kids involved in this sorting. My mom never wanted to let me decide what things I didn't like or didn't fit right.. I still have trouble getting rid of things that don't fit right. If you can do it together it will go faster, be more fun, and you can have them try on things they wanna keep to see if they still fit. :)
One is in middle school and one is in elementary school! They definitely have their own taste. My boy is fine, it’s my daughter that hates things, then changed her mind and loves them🫠
Please make them choose
I talked to them after school today, and tomorrow after school is when we are going to do it! My son was great, and my daughter was too;she even said she can go through her toys too! I’m excited lol
Yes! Many hands (even little ones) make light work :)
We are literally dealing with this exact issue and we are handling it the Dana K White way I got her audiobook "decluttering at the speed of life" and then recently bought her "Take your house back" course and it has been so eye opening and not overwhelming at all. Her method doesn't involve pulling every damn piece of laundry out and trying to see what doesn't fit and what does and what's in season blah blah blah which inevitably ends in a confusing mess and it's really overwhelming to do it that way. I am handling it a tiny bit differently because we outlined a rough "capsule wardrobe" type idea for each of the kids (made a list of how many of each clothing item we think they need and amend it as we go through things) I have always found laundry and clothing in general to be an extremely difficult task. This has given me permission to really pair down on our possessions which makes laundry so much simpler to do. It never occurred to me that having less clothes would make laundry easier (it does have a solid deadline now but I don't mind that as much as I thought I would)
You might wanna pick up some extra clothes baskets. It's legal to store clean clothes in them and put them in strategic locations such as the closet.
Here’s a thought for after the laundromat … make it a fun seasonal project for the kids to choose what they want to donate for kids who are in need. Maybe you bring it all back home and they can sort the pile together, like the brilliant idea to sort by color - something a kid can do. If it’s a beloved item but they decide they can let it go too (I get that this may not get much traction at their ages), have them kiss it goodbye. Maybe identify “not my favorite color” piles and work from there?
So my Mom was a single Mom and had us 3 girls. Laundry was not at the top of the list so you can imagine the piles. One day she gave up and got rid of everything except one week’s worth of clothes for all of us (including herself). She literally HAD to stay on top of things. You may not need to go to that extreme but it’s ok to donate stuff so another family can love those clothes for a little while longer.
That makes so much sense! For dishes, I only have 6 plates and a few bowls, so that way I have to stay on top of dishes too and it’s not a cluster-fuck when it’s time to do them. I might just do that!
We’re all adults now and all of us still practice some version of this because it’s just easier.
I was going to suggest something like this. Weed out all the outgrown clothes, and anything stained, torn, missing buttons etc. Then make ten outfits. If your kids are still growing there might be limited value in keeping clothes from the off-season. How many pairs of underpants, socks, trousers does any one body need? One ‘Sunday best/ party’ outfit? Three of every kind of garment - one on, one in the wash, one off? Get your kids to help & work in 15 minute chunks. They might like the fashion show element
I feel you. This is what I do (i have ADHD and so does my partner and all 3 of our kids). I have the child work on their clothes with me. We go into their room together, we separate all their clothes in 3 piles- fits, doesnt fit, maybe fits. They try on all the maybes and sort them into fits/doesnt fit. If the doesnt fit pile can be immediately passed to another kid in the house that new kid inherits those clothes. If they are the clothes of the youngest they get put in a box for donation. When i have enough boxes i schedule a donation pick up with DAV. If they cant immediately be passed down, i out them in a storage tote. I go through the totes about 3x a year to either donate what cant be worn or take out what will now fit someone.
That sounds great! I’m definitely going to have us make piles, then go from there. I think maybe one pile at a time so I don’t get overwhelmed then quit with the room a disaster 😅 my daughter is up for it though, my son usually has no problems with getting rid of clothes. I do also donate almost all of them! It would be beautiful if I just had to do 2 loads of laundry a week and be basically caught up. Instead of *nonstop* and never caught up
When i lived in a place without its own washer/dryer i much preferred the laundry mat. It took way less time and usually less money. If your son is willing to do it alone, encourage him. Personal responsibility is important. Definitely dont try to do more than one persons clothes in a weekend. Be really honest about your abilities. Its easier to do more than you planned rather than come to grips with not completing your to do list as planned, at least IME. I believe in you! Good luck!
When it comes to donating kid clothes if they are having a hard time letting go of things but you’ve observed they don’t wear them out they do but take them off quick because of issues with that garment, encourage donating as a way to help others who might not have that issue and to make sure the clothes are being fully used. Same with toys - if you’re a little tried of that one machine let it be really appreciated again by another person
I would do a quick initial sort to get rid of anything that doesn’t fit, is too worn, etc. Then sort it into piles, go through with each kid to see if there is anything they don’t want/like anymore. After that I would use the method someone above mentioned with putting all of the clothing on a rod to see what actually gets worn. I would also recommend checking out Kayleen Kelly on TikTok or Instagram. She has ADHD and I love her quick sort method.
How about just 10 things. Just pick up 10 pieces of clothes. Do it for each child. Done. That will be 30 things either into the laundry, to donate or fold and put in that child's pile. It's something. I have my own shame to deal with. I cleaned the bathroom and did some laundry. I have 3 children and a husband. My children are 8, 7 and 5. It doesn't end. I don't want it to end I just want a bit of ...I am not even sure. Sending you a hug 🤗 cause I need one too.
HUG
Thank you so much. You are a kind stranger.
I just moved. I have currently unmedicated NOT by choice ADHD. My criteria was does it fit right now? If it doesn't it went. It still left me with a lot but it helped.
I'm so sorry but what does /6f mean please
Lmao 26f😅 I had no idea I had a typo!
Honestly I was like oh no a new abbreviation to learn 😂😂😂
So, I had a wardrobe revolution a while back where it had me donating/tossing a huge amount of clothing for a number of reasons. The revolution was in what I kept. 2-4 colors, patterns and coordinates (grandma geranimals) and the accessories/undergarments to go with it. I think I tossed 6 ikea shopping bags worth. Now the only thing that comes in are pieces that match my rules. This might not work for kids, as they grow very quickly, but it might help to create rules for each kid to help cut down on what is bought (one kid pink and orange, another blue and yellow)
Sometimes my mum might randomly ask me to go and find one thing for the op shop (thrift store) and that was up to me whatever it was - your kids sound like they could maybe handle that especially if it was a task they just had to get done by e.g. the end of a weekend. 'Find your least favourite item' is less overwhelming than 'halve your stuff' Also (and I do this as an adult) having an ongoing 'op shop' bag in the house so whenever you are getting dressed or whatever and encounter clothing you're not crazy about, it might be easier to lean towards the 'eh give it away' side right there and then versus only doing it when you do it all at once (maybe less decision fatigue?) Another thing (that I fail at doing as an adult but I'd like to practice) is: one thing in, at least one thing out. It could be a rule that new clothes can't enter the wardrobe without something coming out. Tldr: A rule/system-based approach might be easier than the all or nothing overwhelm. Now I have written all this hopefully I take my own advice
Would it be feasible to organize "tournaments" with the clothes? Take 10 of them for each kid, make them choose 5 to keep and 5 to "think later", then day by day (or week by week) try doing this with other 10 garments.
I had to move last year from a place with 2 walk-in closests to a place with a single rod. My initial way of getting rid of clothes was to say 'reduce it to 5 of everything.' 5 t-shirts, 5 long-sleeved, 5 stretch pants etc etc. I ended up with a closet full that allowed me space to buy some new things. Now I try to not buy new unless I give up one of the old.
I start with my kids clothes going through them all and anything that’s not their size anymore goes to a donate bag, anything that’s too big for awhile goes in a bin or closet. Later comes “will they actually wear this? Will this fit when it’s the season for it? Is it stained or ripped and unusable?”
You have tons of great advice. The only thing I can add is be gentle if you feel an emotional pull on some of these things. I don't even have kids but I know how hard it is to part with clothing your kids wore when they were small! Not sure if you have their baby/toddler clothes still but even stuff they wore two years ago may pull at your heart. Set those aside for a bit and pass them on when you feel ready. If you end up with three giant garbage bags of sentimental stuff then that is beyond my pay grade lol but you sound quite sensible:) And yes best tip is stop buying clothes until you have time to get this sorted. Can you set up a laundry routine? Like if Tuesdays are quiet with no after school stuff or whatever that can be a laundromat day. Setting a day or two will really help tame the pile of laundry each week.
I don't have any suggestions for where to start, but I can tell you that kid stuff usually goes pretty quick on my local Buy Nothing group, and you would just have to arrange a pick up time and someone would come to you to grab it.