Posted on 12/01/2015
I get it, I really do. They’re all so adorable! And you know they’ll look even cuter (or more debonair) on your mini-me. Then they go on sale, and you just have to! After all, they’re called “must-have pieces,” right?! Maybe in the artificial lighting of a department store (or blue glow of your tablet) it seemed like a good idea, but in the natural lighting of your child’s bedroom, you’re confronted with a moment of truth: Your child has too many clothes.
Like the common first-world problem of too many toys, having too much clothing isn’t really a luxury; it actually puts you (and your child) at a disadvantage.
It Costs You (& Your Child) Extra Time & Energy
I don’t know a single person — especially a parent whose kids are still living at home — who says they have more time and energy than they want. It’s usually quite the opposite. With these commodities as valuable and irreplaceable as they truly are, you’d think we’d be a little more cautious about spending them on relatively insignificant stuff like thread. The truth is, however, that the more clothing you have, the more time and effort you’ll have to take to keep each article clean, in good repair, and organized.
If your child has overly full drawers requiring pieces to be shoved in by one person just in time for someone else to muscle the drawer closed, the likelihood of keeping pieces free from wrinkles, holes, and other aberrations becomes even lower. If as a result you have to then find creative storage solutions, create a rotation schedule, or get out the iron or sewing kit (or visit your local drycleaner more often), you’re becoming a slave to your child’s clothing, and it’s gotten out of hand.
It Costs You (& Your Child) Frustration
We all know our kids would benefit from more time and effort focused in their direction, in the areas that matter most: developing character, enhancing education, establishing relationships. But when we end up spending extra time and effort — and requiring them to share in our off-kilter priorities - everyone misses out.
In addition to the frustration caused by the extra time and effort required by an ever-expanding wardrobe, there’s the angst that comes with our overspending and (perhaps obsessive) clothing selection: We as parents expect our kids to wear and value every piece just like we do and to show appropriate appreciation. But do you remember getting clothing as birthday or Christmas gifts? We were typically disappointed. Is it fair to expect our own kids to respond any differently?
Maybe next time you go shopping for your child, you can have a list of the number of shirts, bottoms, dressy outfits, etc., that your child has and a reasonable number in mind as a limit (I’d suggest 2-3 weeks’ worth, as an absolute maximum). Then make plans to use your extra time and energy on building something with your child — a skill or relationship that will far outlast any wardrobe.
From the Bedroom Source blog:
- The Rustic Mountain Bedroom Furniture Collection for Kids
- When Bedroom Furniture Meets Playroom Furniture
The Bedroom Source
Located near the Roosevelt Field Mall on Long Island, The Bedroom Source is your source for the best collection of children's and teen bedroom furniture. From flexibly configurable Maxtrix furniture to fashionable Smartstuff collections, The Bedroom Source offers high end furniture and professional design assistance to create the bedroom of your child's dreams.
Contact the friendly staff at The Bedroom Source by calling (516) 248-0600 or by submitting our online contact form. We're a local family owned mom & pop store. When you shop with us, you're dealing directly with the owners. We professionally assemble everything we sell. We deliver to Nassau, Suffolk, the 5 Boroughs, Southern Westchester, Southwestern Connecticut & Northern New Jersey.
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