How To Save $$$ on Toddler Clothing

During the toddler years you may still be able to get the basics for free, but look for specialized items such as winter gear at consigment shops where you can get quality at a discount.

I’ve written before about how I got my daughter’s entire first-year wardrobe for free, but I’ve found that the game changes once you get into the toddler years. Freecyclers have fewer toddler clothes to share, Craigslist clothing lots get smaller, clothes cost more per item, and there are fewer toddler clothing giveaways than baby clothing giveaways out there. Yet somehow I still have only paid $48 for baby girl’s second-year wardrobe, so there must be a way to beat the system! Plus, in the second year you have the advantage of only needing to collect 2 sizes of clothes instead of 4-5. Let me review what I’ve been doing to get all these clothes for free, so you can save some money along with me.

Freecycle

I have had zero luck–none whatsoever–requesting 3T clothing on Freecycle. But I already have most of baby girl’s 2T-3T wardrobe that I largely received from Freecyclers. Huh?

Here’s what I’ve discovered. People have fewer toddler clothes to give away on Freecycle, so they lump them in with their baby clothing lots in the 18-24 month sizes. I received all these 3T clothes I have as part of other lots I requested many months ago for smaller sizes of clothes. Freecycle is an option that is sadly drying up for me as baby girl gets older, but if you’re still collecting baby clothes, try to give a range of sizes you’re looking for to let people know that you can use their larger clothes as well (try requesting 18-24 months, or 2T-3T, not 12 months to 3T, as that just looks greedy). Then, don’t count on Freecycle to keep delivering for you once your baby is growing out of her baby clothes. I know. It’s sad. But it’s time to move on.

Check for Freecycle groups in your area at Freecycle.org or on Yahoo! Groups: Freecycle.

Toddlers <3 fleece? We have a LOT of fleece pants in 3T that don't match anything else.

Hand-Me-Downs

I have had much more luck requesting hand-me-downs from friends (dresses, winter coat and hat and gloves, and so on) for the toddler clothes than I have going to Freecycle or Craigslist. This probably is just because many of my mom friends have kids at the right age to hand their clothes over to me, so your best sources of toddler clothes may be different. But it never hurts to ask. Curiously, I have run into a problem with some friends refusing to give me their toddler clothes (at least allegedly) because they don’t believe my daughter is growing as fast as I say she is and therefore don’t think I need the larger sizes yet. Um, okay. Do they think I’m hoarding? I can see how my requests would come across that way, but maybe I didn’t mention that I’ve given 15 bags of clothing away to other friends as I sort through what I do and don’t need. Maybe these aren’t really friends, or maybe I asked in the wrong way. Anyway, it’s worth asking around, as some friends are super happy to share their old toddler duds with you, but I guess don’t ask too often or ask the wrong people….

Gifts

Baby girl had so many Christmas presents that she didn’t even open them all on Christmas. Now, we’re not part of one of those families where the relatives spoil the baby rotten–far from it. But she just wasn’t expecting a bunch of presents since it’s only her second Christmas, and a handful of toys (and her new slide from Grandma and Grandpa!) kept her happy all day. Where am I going with this? The toddler years are the perfect time to request clothing as gifts! Your baby won’t know they come in lieu of more toys. My sister bought my daughter a great sweater for Christmas that I get compliments on every time she wears it. It really brings her outfits together, and this is just the sort of clothing present you need when you head into the toddler clothing years. Gifts are also great because you often receive an outfit you wouldn’t have bought or thought of buying yourself. Sprinkling special outfits through your toddler’s wardrobe will really liven it up.

These Little Celebrity mini flower hair clips are just the best, and that's all I have to say about that.

Pay To Bring It All Together

I’m still working on making all baby girl’s random 3T clothing items come together into outfits by buying choice pieces of clothing or even accessories to turn separates into outfits. She must have 5 pairs of fleece pants, but they don’t match any of the shirts I got on Freecycle or as Christmas gifts for her. Hmm. Following my own advice above I will be purchasing or requesting items of clothing for her birthday to make this work, but I also decided to spring for a few key items to make it come together.

1) I paid $16 for a $32 pair of See Kai Run Smaller shoes on clearance at my local baby boutique. They look good with absolutely everything, and they’re brand-new so her outfits look newer when she wears these shoes with them.

2) I paid $5 for some Baby Gap suede boots at my local consignment shop and was quite pleased that I had thought ahead and gotten a deal, as boots are crazy expensive bought new. The problem is, baby girl outgrew them in a month, right before the first snowfall! Doh. Went back to the consignment shop and bought a second, nicer pair for $8. At least this pair are Kamik brand snow boots that are truly weather-worthy for our Michigan winter walks together. Kamik boots retail at over $40 new.

3) I paid $12 for a set of Little Celebrity hair clips on Amazon. I love these clips! They’re small and multi-colored and casual, and they go with everything. I love them so much I may post a separate review about them sometime. Baby girl loves them, too, and requests her “flower” almost every morning. These cute little clips have corduroy print covers with a little felt yellow and pink or white and pink flower glued to one end. One clip is yellow and pink and red, one is blue and white and purple: this kind of accessory can pull together a purple shirt with blue jeans and her green shoes and gray sweater and make it look like we bought it all specially to match. Love it.

4) I paid $7 for a set of new socks on Amazon, because she was running low on the right size. I also bought these in several different colors to coordinate with various outfits. Sometimes all you need is matching socks and a shirt and the whole hand-me-down outfit looks irresistibly cute.

5) Finally, I bought one new dress at TJ Maxx because I thought baby girl should have something dressy heading toward the holidays, but we never attended any events where she needed it (despite the fact that it happened to coordinate perfectly with a pair of hand-me-down tights, gah!) and she still hasn’t worn it. That’ll teach me to go buying dresses new, won’t it? My friend gave me 3 hand-me-down dresses shortly after this shopping “spree” too, rendering the dress redundant. I’m just hoping she still fits it in the spring so she can wear it before it’s too small. Ah well. These inefficiencies are why I try not to buy clothes new in the first place!

If you have a toddler, what has been your best source of free or discounted clothing? I’m always looking for new ideas! All this week I’ll be bringing you todder money-saving tips, so please join me and send me your questions and tips. Thanks!