Comments on: Plan out the week’s clothing on Sunday

By: Belva

Belva — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 09:44:25 +0000

Like other posters, we all started out with school uniforms (English public schools). All we needed were clean shirts, socks and underwear and we were set. When we moved back to the States, my mother was big on laying out clothes the night before (and, eventually having us lay out our clothes) – she would absolutely have loved a system like this!

My current system is much like Matt’s – pretty much all of my work clothes mix and match, and I go to the next skirt or pair of pants and add a shirt or top. If it’s a meeting day, I throw on a jacket.

By: Susan

Susan — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:11:28 +0000

This is a GREAT idea!
I used to do the same thing when I worked impossible morning lab-work-night-school hours.
And as for the weather- if you need to re-configure everything you’re wearing to allow a temperature change up or down-it’s your wardrobe planning in general that needs tweaking. Kids or adults, tights, long johns, warmer socks, cardigans and turtlenecks in colors that go with whatever you’re wearing can accommodate the weather changes and still let you plan outfits ahead.

By: P

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 19:29:39 +0000

For those that rent their homes, you can’t put in a customized closet and drill holes. So sweater shelves (much like this picture but bigger for adult’s clothes) are a real space-saver and answer for the rented closet. Rental units typically have no space for shelving (they just have places for hangers). So instead of buying all this bulky furniture for the bedroom, I put in my sweater shelves. They are from Target, and have a neutral color, and allow plenty of space for sweaters, undies, socks, etc. And I just collapse them and take them to the next apartment when I move. No need to move a big dresser, and a move spacious looking bedroom too!

By: HistoricStitcher

HistoricStitcher — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:31:48 +0000

My son wears a uniform for school (required). We hang all his uniform clothes in the closet, and all he has to do is pull out a shirt and a bottoms the night before. SO much easier than wearing “fashionable” clothes to school!!!

Nothing else hangs in his closet except uniforms, and all uniforms, including knit tops and sweaters, hang in the closet. Makes it easier for me to keep tabs on the condition and numbers of his clothes, too. So simple.

By: Erin Doland

Erin Doland — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 22:57:51 +0000

@Mike — Awesome.

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 20:35:46 +0000

Do american kids go naked on Sundays? Or do they just wear shoes?

By: Sian

Sian — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 09:31:10 +0000

Thank God we had school uniforms-I can’t imagine how my parents would’ve coped getting 3 girls ready for school otherwise!

By: plasticturtle

plasticturtle — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 03:50:15 +0000

Having four little ones in school, this works very well and is a great time saver. If we do not have the clothes picked out, the kids take longer to get ready and sometimes get picky about what they are to wear. If the clothes are picked out ahead of time, the tend to just grab and go.

By: S

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:24:44 +0000

I remember when I was a kid I just grabbed a shirt, skirt, and leggings and ran out the door. I didn’t care if it matched, although it normally did since my entire wardrobe was (and still is) all hot pink and black. When I got older it was always a t-shirt and jeans. Simplify the process by buying alot of the same thing that match.

My little brother’s closet was super organized and they picked out his outfits way ahead of time for him and he wore it. I would have thrown a hissy fit if my mom tried to tell me what to wear or made me plan ahead. I think every kid is different though. It’s a good idea for ones that don’t mind you planning ahead with them, but not for a rebel like me who wore “Thursday” underdrawers and hair clips (oh how I miss the hair clips that said the day of the week!) on Monday

By: C. Raybourn

C. Raybourn — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 05:44:27 +0000

I agree with nolamomma about the uniforms. Just bought my girls theirs today. One less thing to worry about in the morning. I’d wear a uniform if I thought I could get away with it.

By: Nyota47

Nyota47 — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 01:08:21 +0000

What worked with my two daughters when they were small was to hang complete outfits on hangers and let them pick a hangar. As they were born 12 month apart, they often insisted on dressing alike but it was their decision each morning. We dealt with weather by having layers available at the front door – raincoat, sweater, vest, rainboots, whatever.

By: Deb

Deb — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:34:22 +0000

Thanks for a great idea about the cedar boards, Karen!

Kat, I try to do the same thing with my wardrobe. In a perfect world everything in the closet would fit and match well. Until then, I have to get it ready the night before to avoid any wardrobe malfunctions. After dressing in the dark one too many times and getting 40 miles down the road with one black and one purple shoe on, I learned to set it out the night before.

By: Karen the Californian

Karen the Californian — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:10:27 +0000

To Shay: to minimize the buckling of the cheap cardboard shelves, you can get some cedar boards the right size and use those instead. Bonus benefit is that cedar is naturally moth-repellent!

By: Amanda

Amanda — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:04:24 +0000

I totally do this.

Sunday afternoon I take a look at the next week’s schedule and figure out if there are days where I have to look more presentable than others (e.g. a suit). I take a look at the weather, and then put outfits together. Admittedly, I go a little extreme – bags, shoes etc.

Everything is ironed and the night before I just look at my list and fish what I’m going to wear the next day out of my closet. I have to tell you it’s helped a ton, particularly because I usually get dressed before my first cup of coffee.

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 22:25:48 +0000

“I’m glad I could make suggestions that Suzanne and Kirsty can use”….Kat, you must have been distracted while reading my post because I said that I’ve been doing it this way for over 4 years.

By: Leslie

Leslie — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 21:13:33 +0000

I like the idea in general – it’d sure help if I ironed my clothes on Sunday and had them ready; then maybe I’d stop having to find something else to wear because I don’t have time to iron in the morning. Or maybe I should just stop buying clothes that require ironing.

It would have to have some modifications for weather, even if you planned by the forecast – we literally had one day this summer when it was hot and sunny in the morning and by the time we left work it was snowing!

But overall I like it. Sometimes during the week, I even run out of time to get things ready the night before. And I’m sure there are things you could reuse/recycle to make a similar system without buying that particular organizer.

By: Kat

Kat — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 20:42:53 +0000

I’m glad I could make suggestions that Suzanne and Kirsty can use. Here are few extra thoughts on the subject:
* One of the reasons I have my son’s outfits ready is to diminish the “go get dressed” problem. He wakes up long before anyone else in the house and one of the choices for using this time (he can’t come out of his room until his nightlight goes off – which is on a timer) is getting dressed. There is no TV until he has his clothes on (often backwards) and has had breakfast so he is motivated and I don’t have to nag.
* As for being a little guy, he has a step stool in his room that he moves around for almost everything – I never even suggested it – but he will reach whatever he wants. The top cubby of the organizer holds the gallon size ziploc bags that we use (and reuse) when we travel or when he stays at my mom’s – one outfit per bag, just like home!

By: kirsty

kirsty — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:26:45 +0000

I just wanted to say *Thanks to Kat* for the idea of setting up full outfits for a child to choose between. I didn’t see much use in the original post but the slightly tweaked concept is definitely something we can put into practice to unclutter my daughter’s wardrobe!

By: Michael @ Awareness * Connection

Michael @ Awareness * Connection — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:36:44 +0000

I use these for clothes and sheets. This is almost like creating “next actions” for outfits. Cool idea. This would make a lot of sense for using with my 8 year old daughter.

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:29:18 +0000

Kat and I are twin moms.

Since my son and daughter were 2 years old, I have used a method that is almost exactly like hers: a 10 section clear plastic shoe pouch with a matched top & bottom put into each pouch when laundry is put away. And, since my kids are taught that everyone takes care of the home, they are the ones putting the clothes in the pouch.

The holder hangs on the bottom rod in their closet and is easily reachable. Each school day, or anytime they needed to be in nice clothes on the weekend, they choose what they want to wear (no day of the week assignments here!), including choosing their own socks, shoes and sweater/sweatshirt/jacket, if needed (underwear are changed before bed), and dress themselves. On the weekend, they grab play clothes from a drawer and pick whatever they want to wear…so they get to pick out the favorite shirt and favorite pants that in no way match each other, except in their mind, LOL.

I finally caught up to my growing kids’ abilities. Last year, at the age of 5, I stopped making matches for my son and he began choosing his own shirt and pant/shorts from the ones hanging in his closet. His pouch is now an organizer that holds things like lego sets, each in a ziploc bag, and other toys.