One of the most confusing things you need to have sorted by the time baby arrives is baby clothes.
What sizes do you need?
How much do you need?
What about seasonal clothing?
And, why are there so many different names for what looks like the same thing?
Babies grow so quickly in the first year that they can be in and out of sizes in a flash. It makes planning ahead for winter or summer a little bit challenging!
Never fear: here’s the scoop on all things baby clothes from a mom who’s been there.
Baby Clothes
What baby clothes do I need? Babies need clothes – obviously. But, it’s really easy to go overboard and end up with a whole bunch of cute things that never get worn or end up being the totally wrong season.
You’ll probably find that you get quite a few baby clothes at your baby shower, regardless of whether you actually ask for them or not. People just can’t resist buying gorgeous little outfits for you.
If you want to be organized about your baby clothes buying, your first step is to get acquainted with baby clothes names. Manufacturers have (helpfully) invented lots of different names for clothing items that are basically the same. So brush up on your terminology first so you can tell your onesies from your sleepers.
If you’re expecting a winter baby, make sure you read up on winter newborn essentials so you can keep your little one safe and warm!
Baby Clothes on a Budget
If you’re on a budget (and who isn’t?!), you might not want to spend too much on baby clothes. Luckily, there’s a lot you can do to save money when filling out your baby’s wardrobe with clothes.
Here are some great ideas on where to buy cheap baby clothes. (Some places on this list you might even find clothes offered for free! Nice one!)
However, you might also want to take into consideration whether you’re planning to have another child in the future. If so, you might want to invest in a slightly higher quality and more expensive wardrobe that will last.
Another money saving tip: choose mostly gender neutral clothing for the backbone of your baby’s wardrobe. That way, even if your next baby is a different gender, you can still use all/most of the clothes. You could ask for girly or boyish clothing as gifts or splurge on a few outfits at each size at your leisure when you see an outfit you really love.
Need some inspiration on cute clothes for baby? I got you covered!
What If You’re Waiting Until Birth To Find Out the Gender?
Are you having a surprise? Good for you! But, it does make shopping a little trickier. Don’t worry though, if you build a solid foundation of unisex newborn baby clothes to begin with you can add girly or boyish accessories and colors later. And if you only purchase newborn clothes (and maybe size 0-3 months, just in case) before baby arrives, you can always buy the larger sizes in exactly the right colors and styles for your baby. Not every girl is a pink girl (navy, red and blue can look beautiful on girls!) and not every boy is into blue (my little boy looks adorable in black, yellow and orange!)
Organizing Baby Clothes
After your baby shower, you’re almost guaranteed to be swimming in clothes of all sizes (hopefully). If not, at least you know where the gaps are for you to fill.
Once you’ve washed and prepared your new baby clothes, you’ll need an organizing solution to keep them sorted by size in your baby’s wardrobe. That way they’ll be ready for action as soon as baby arrives and starts to grow. You also need to decide on hanging baby clothes vs folding them, there are loads of pros and cons for each and it really depends on how much space you have.
Try these Free Printable Baby Closet Dividers – Preemie to 24 Months – there are three different styles I’m sure you’ll adore!
And for more baby clothes organizer ideas, check out this post. There are loads of hacks, tips and tricks to help you organize ANY size closet space: from double rails to using the back of the door space with clever storage solutions… you’ll love it!
Making Baby Clothes Last
Here’s a great list of baby clothes hacks that will help you save money on baby clothes!
What to Do When You’ve Finished With Your Baby Clothes
You have a few choices once you’re done with your baby’s clothes. You could:
- give away your baby clothes to friends or family
- sell your old baby clothes on Facebook marketplace
- or you could choose some special, meaningful outfits and make a quilt from baby clothes.
