Making The Most Of Hand-Me-Downs And Second-Hand Finds For Your Kids

Published on: 21 February 2024 Last Updated on: 12 September 2024

If you have kids, you know how expensive it can be to buy them new clothes, toys, books, and other items. Kids grow fast, and their tastes and preferences change often. Buying everything new can put a strain on your budget and create a lot of waste.

That’s why many parents opt for hand-me-downs and second-hand finds for their kids. Hand-me-downs are items that are passed down from older siblings, relatives, or friends. Second-hand finds are items that are bought or acquired from thrift stores, garage sales, online platforms, or other sources.

Keep on reading to learn more…

How to Make the Most Out of Hand-Me-Downs?

In the era of fast fashion and quickly outgrown children’s clothes, buying everything new can get very expensive. Luckily, there are plenty of ways for savvy parents to cut costs by making use of hand-me-downs and second-hand items. Read on for tips on how to source, care for, and refresh these gems for your little ones.

Here are some of the tips that you can use to make the most of the hand-me-downs:

Sort and Store

One of the first things you must do is sort and store your hand-me-downs and second-hand finds properly. This will help you keep track of what you have, what you need, and what you can pass on to others.

Sort your items by size, season, and category. For example, you can have separate bins or boxes for winter clothes, summer clothes, shoes, accessories, toys, books, etc. Label them clearly and keep them in a dry and clean place.
Store your items in a way that preserves their quality and prevents damage. For example, you can use vacuum-sealed bags, plastic containers, or cedar chests to protect your items from dust, moisture, insects, and mold. You can also use hangers, dividers, or organizers to keep your items neat and tidy.
Check your items regularly and get rid of anything that is stained, torn, worn out, or outdated. You can donate, sell, or recycle your unwanted items or use them for crafts or other purposes.

Mix and Match

Another thing you need to do is to mix and match your hand-me-downs and second-hand finds with your kids’ existing wardrobe and preferences. This will help you create some fun and stylish outfits for your kids and make them feel comfortable and confident in their clothes. You should try to mix and match:

Colors, patterns, and textures. For instance, you can pair a solid-colored shirt with a floral dress or a plaid skirt with a denim jacket. You can also mix and match different fabrics, such as cotton, wool, silk, or leather. This will add some variety and interest to your kids’ outfits.
Styles and trends. For example, you can combine a vintage sweater with a modern pair of jeans, or a classic dress with a trendy pair of sneakers. You can also mix and match different genres, such as casual, formal, sporty, or bohemian. This will give your kids some personality and flair in their outfits.
Accessories and details. For example, you can add a belt, a scarf, a hat, or a necklace to your kids’ outfits. You can also add some buttons, patches, stickers, or pins to your kids’ clothes. This will give your kids some fun and creative touches in their outfits.

Customize and Personalize

The last thing you must do is customize and personalize your hand-me-downs and second-hand finds for your kids. This will help you make your items fit better, look better, and feel better for your kids. It will also help you express your kids’ individuality and uniqueness.

Customize your items to fit your kids’ size and shape. For example, you can hem, alter, or resize your items to make them fit your kids better. You can also add some elastic, buttons, or snaps to your items to make them more adjustable and comfortable.
Customize your items to suit your kids’ style and taste. For example, you can dye, bleach, or paint your items to change their color or pattern. You can also cut, rip, or distress your items to give them some edge or character.
Personalize your items to reflect your kids’ interests and hobbies. For example, you can embroider, applique, or print your items with your kids’ names, initials, or monograms. You can also decorate your items with your kids’ favorite characters, animals, or symbols.

Sourcing Quality Second-hand Pieces

You can uncover great used pieces from friends and family, charity shops, and online marketplaces. When accepting offers of hand-me-downs, don’t feel you need to take everything you’re given. Politely decline items that are overly worn or stained, and only keep pieces that are still in good condition.

For second-hand shopping, hit up charity shops in more affluent neighbourhoods where higher quality kit is often donated. Check items thoroughly for flaws and be selective in your purchases. Online, sites like eBay, Depop and Vinted offer everything from babygrows to bikes being sold on by other parents, helping you make the most of your budget or fostering allowance.

Caring for Hand-Me-Downs

To maximise the longevity of hand-me-downs and second-hand items, properly launder and care for them before passing them on to your little one. Check clothing labels and wash items according to fabric type. Mend any small holes, broken zippers or loose buttons.

For items like bikes or baby gear, inspect them thoroughly and replace any worn parts. Give everything a thorough cleaning to remove grime and make sure pieces are fresh for their new owner.

Refreshing & Repurposing Finds

Sometimes second-hand stuff just looks, well, second-hand. Luckily there are inexpensive ways to give things new life. For clothes, accessories and soft toys, a spot clean followed by a wash in Oxiclean or similar can freshen up fabrics.

Embellish with ribbons, embroidered patches or appliqués to add decorative flair. Turn that dull vest into a one-of-a-kind piece your child will love. Repurpose old pieces too – vintage babygrows make adorable doll clothes, and adult t-shirts can be made into dresses.

Making Second-hand Finds Feel Special

Hand-me-downs and pre-loved items often come with a history. Share what you know about an item’s origins with your little one – they’ll love having their own “special story” attached to their clothes and toys.

Help them personalize pieces by adding custom touches like initials or fun fabric paint designs. And display their second-hand treasures proudly by letting them select special books or toys for their rooms. Soon these pre-used gems will hold pride of place in your child’s heart.

Additional Tips

Check items’ safety before passing to little ones – no small broken parts, frayed edges etc.
Store off-season clothing rotated with your child’s growth
Mix second-hand pieces with new ones in your child’s wardrobe
Pass pieces along to younger friends/family members when outgrown

Sourcing and caring for pre-loved items takes a bit more effort than just popping out for new gear. But with some time and creative vision, you can kit out your kids in great finds without breaking the bank. And by giving their clothes and toys a history, you’ll add an extra layer of love.

Bottom Line

Hand-me-downs and second-hand finds can be a great way to save money, reduce waste, and give your kids some unique and quality items. However, they can also pose some challenges, such as finding the right size, style, and condition for your kids. By following these tips and tricks, you can make the most of hand-me-downs and second-hand finds for your kids.

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Teach Your Child The Value Of Money When They Want A New Wardrobe

Ankita Tripathy

Ankita Tripathy loves to write about food and the Hallyu Wave in particular. During her free time, she enjoys looking at the sky or reading books while sipping a cup of hot coffee. Her favourite niches are food, music, lifestyle, travel, and Korean Pop music and drama.

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How To Teach Your Child The Value Of Money When They Want A New Wardrobe?

As children grow, their desire for the latest fashions and trendy clothes often outpaces their understanding of the value of money. This situation can be particularly challenging for parents and foster carers, who must strike a delicate balance between nurturing their child's interests and instilling crucial financial literacy skills. Whether you're a parent or foster carer, teaching your child the value of money in the context of wanting a new wardrobe can be a valuable life lesson that extends far beyond clothing choices. Set A Clothing Budget One of the most effective ways to teach children the value of money is by involving them in the budgeting process. Sit down with your child and discuss a reasonable clothing budget for the year or a specific period. Explain the various expenses your household faces, such as rent, utilities, and food, and help them understand that money is a finite resource that must be allocated wisely. Once you've established a clothing budget, encourage your child to prioritize their wants and needs. This exercise not only teaches them to make informed choices but also instills a sense of responsibility and appreciation for the cost of items they desire. Encourage Saving And Earning Although you will receive an allowance to go towards the costs of caring for a child if you are long-term fostering, this won’t always cover keeping up with the latest trends! Instead of immediately fulfilling your child's desire for a new wardrobe, suggest that they contribute to their clothing fund. For this purpose, they might save a portion of their allowance or earn money through age-appropriate chores or tasks. This approach reinforces the concept that money is earned through hard work and that achieving certain goals requires patience and discipline. You could even create a visual representation, such as a jar or a chart, to track their progress toward their clothing goal. Celebrate small milestones along the way to keep them motivated and engaged in the process. Teach Wise Shopping Habits Once your child has saved enough money for their desired wardrobe, it's an excellent opportunity to teach them wise shopping habits. Accompany them to the stores and demonstrate how to compare prices, look for sales and discounts, and distinguish between wants and needs. Encourage them to consider the longevity and versatility of the items they choose rather than impulse purchases driven solely by trends. This lesson not only promotes financial responsibility but also fosters sustainable consumption habits that can benefit the environment in the long run. Reinforce Gratitude And Appreciation As your child acquires their new wardrobe, take the time to reinforce the value of gratitude and appreciation. Remind them of the effort and sacrifices made to obtain these items, whether it was your financial contribution or their hard-earned savings. Encourage them to care for their clothing properly, ensuring it lasts as long as possible. This practice not only instills a sense of respect for material possessions but also teaches them the importance of responsible consumption and reducing waste. Teaching your child the value of money when they want a new wardrobe is a valuable life lesson that extends far beyond fashion choices. By using these tips, you will equip them with essential financial literacy skills that will serve them well throughout their lives. Read Also: From Gym To Workplace: A Complete Guide To Lead A Healthy Lifestyle Why Is It Important To Teach Your Kids Valuable Money Lessons? Children grow quickly; in the blink of an eye, they start to understand everything. Nowadays, kids have started to learn about money from a very young age. Here are some reasons why you should maintain transparent communication with them and teach valuable lessons when they are shopping a lot. 1. Make Them Accustomed To Financial Conversations Growing kids is not easy to tackle. They ask so many questions, not just about money but about so many things. So, to start, you have to make them acquainted with the entire discussion. What is money, why is it so important in life, and how can we save it more? They must know the difference between relentless shopping and meaningful buying. Don’t make things complicated by teaching them about investments because they are too young to understand them. 2. They Start Learning To Make Decisions This is the very first time you need to let go of the leash. They get the freedom to make decisions about their life, at least money-wise. Make them understand that if you do not need clothes now and then, you should not keep buying them unnecessarily. Instead, they can just save the money and use it when it starts to pour. Not literally, though; unprecedented situations can occur at any point in life. And they must be better prepared for it. Making decisions is fine unless they are not going on a different track. 3. Life Is Tough Than It Appears It’s so hard to break it to them that the world is not as strawberry and vanilla as it appears in movies and books. Financial help is never expected from a stranger because who knows what it might lead to. Instead, teach them that every penny counts when it comes to surviving the world alone. Young kids have no worries about financial decisions, but a good habit goes a long way. With small responsibilities at a young age, they will continue to grow more responsible as they age. The Bottom Line It is common for kids to have desires about worldly leisures. As parents, we try to give the best to our children. Along with that, they should also understand the difficult side of life and learn how to make financial decisions. This is the key importance of teaching them valuable financial lessons. Wow, we made it to the end of the article. I hope you like it. If you did, do not forget to share your comments below. Also, tell us what we have missed in the list so that we can add them later. Thank you for reading! Read Also: 8 Awesome Health Benefits Of Dark Chocolate Ways To Balance Your Life With Healthy Hearing The Diet To Follow For A Healthy Gut

How to Get a Cheap Divorce in Texas

Did you know that, according to statistics, the average cost of a divorce in the US is almost equal to the average cost of a wedding with all the bells and whistles ($20-25 000)? Sounds impressive, and not much fun, especially taking into consideration the fact that many people on the verge of divorce feel that they have already paid in full. Thus it's no wonder that some people who don't need their divorce to be a huge show, are looking for ways to save a little when drafting a divorce, without involving lawyers or mediators. But how to arrange such a cheap divorce? How to save money without missing any significant detail and to settle all the necessary issues in a fair and mutually beneficial way? There are several common conditions and ways of how to get a cheap divorce in Texas - let's sort it out. Are you a good candidate for a simplified Texas divorce? Foremost, we should understand what factors allow to minimize the whole cost of divorce, because, anyway, the main goal is a well-organized divorce without problems and without extra expenses which may arise in the future if you are not sufficiently attentive to the documents, agreement and so on. To understand what is really worth paying, and without what actions and expenses you can easily do, you need to decide on the type of divorce. When filing for divorce, one of the provided by state law grounds for dissolution must be indicated in the petition. To make divorce easier it's better to file under the no-fault ground (surely, if the situation is not critical). No-fault divorce in Texas implies that the spouses want to divorce as they have some conflict of interest and just can't get along anymore. No one is obliged to prove or detail something before the court. No-fault ground for divorce, in its turn, allows arranging an uncontested divorce, which means that the main terms of the case are decided by the spouses independently, not by the long-term court battles and the court's decisions. So, if you feel that you are able to negotiate with your spouse about property division, child custody, and other important issues, you should try an uncontested, or as it’s also known “agreed” divorce. It's definitely cheaper, even both parties want to hire attorneys, and also, uncontested divorce typically takes less time. It’s generally considered that not every couple is eligible for an uncontested divorce in Texas. Actually, there are some conditions that are preferred for filing for an uncontested divorce, like: the spouses have no minor children together; the spouses don’t have a lot of property together or retirement benefits to dividing; neither spouse is going to seek alimony; the wish to get a divorce is mutual. However, if the spouses have minor children they also have the right to file for an uncontested divorce, though it might be a more time-consuming process. The point is that the parties should decide in advance all the controversial issues, make a written agreement and fill out the relevant forms for an uncontested divorce with children. Anyway, the essence of an agreed divorce is your mutual ability and desire to settle all the differences in a most amicable way, to communicate honestly and directly, and, whenever possible, to arrange a divorce as a non-stressful and inexpensive process. If you and your ex are ready for this, let’s go further. DIY divorce - when attention to detail is essential To arrange a cheap divorce in Texas, you can fill out the forms yourself by checking your state's court website for divorce papers, or contacting the clerk of the family court of your county. Such a procedure is known as do-it-yourself divorce. And surely, there are some features and pitfalls you should definitely know about the topic before taking this step. First, you need to clearly know what forms are necessary for your divorce circumstances. The Texas Judicial Branch website provides a self-help guide with a number of recommended and state-approved links which may be useful for the self-represented litigants. You can find examples of filling out forms, useful videos, etc. Get ready for the fact that having a goal to save money, you probably will not always be able to save time. Without the help of specialists, you will have to dive into the legal nuances of uncontested divorce in Texas if you are interested in the best result. After filling out the divorce forms and filing the Petition with the District Clerk of the county court according to the instructions you should serve your spouse with the copies. Since your desire to get a cheap divorce in Texas is mutual you may save some cost of service. There is a divorce form called the Notice of Service of Process which usually accompanies the Petition for dissolution. This form is needed to notify the other party (called the Respondent) about the case and to receive his/her answer to the Petition. Speaking of uncontested divorce, it's assumed that both spouses know about each other intentions, and all the divorce terms outlined in the initial Petition are agreed by them in advance, meaning that they are going to cooperate working on the settlement. So, the Respondent may refuse from the service in writing, filing the special Waiver of service form (notice that even if the general title is the same there are different forms for divorce with or without children, you just need to choose the right set of forms). After the Petition is filed and the service is waived, an uncontested divorce is officially started. However, in Texas, there is a mandatory 60-day waiting period, before the expiration of which the divorce cannot be granted by the court, even if the case is simple and uncontested. For those who decide to organize a DIY divorce, these days may be spent working out a final agreement regarding property, alimony, custody of children, and other issues that seem to be important in a particular situation. The mutual desire of the spouses to complete the divorce as soon as possible and without disputes is very important, but it still doesn't guarantee that judicial intervention won't be required. Anyway, the settlement agreement must be submitted to the court and the judge must confirm that it is fair - namely, that the property is divided in a just way, that the child custody and support arrangement meets the best interest of the kid(s). So, if the spouses do not have claims against each other but their agreement is considered insufficient in the eye of the court (or it doesn't comply with state laws) the divorce will be probably delayed. Also, the spouses may be ordered to attend divorce mediation sessions to deal with their agreement. Although mediators' fees are still much cheaper than lawyers' fees, yet it's expenses. And if your case is simple enough your chance to get a really cheap divorce depends a lot on your sense of responsibility, and close attention to all the details. You shouldn't panic or rush, just keep calm and encourage your ex to take the work on an agreement seriously as well. As for uncontested divorce, a successful marital settlement agreement defines a character of a post-divorce life a lot, especially if the couple has kids and some kind of communication between the former spouses is still implied. Online divorce - the helping hand So, the cheapest way to get a divorce in Texas is a purely DIY divorce. At its best, the cost of a do-it-yourself divorce may be limited to the filing fee. Nevertheless, DIY divorce doesn't fit every couple, and all these court sites can be pretty tricky, while nowadays we are totally “spoiled” by developers who pay much attention to the ergonomics of apps and websites, so you know, there may be some difficulties with all that online bureaucracy... Also, different forms can be required within different states as well as fees, which are in addition to fees for document preparation. So, a lot of busy people seek a kind of middle way between, they want an inexpensive divorce to be fast, and so that they could use some help but without hiring an attorney. Basing on all these conditions, online divorce companies are becoming an even more popular way for couples to terminate their marriage, speaking of uncontested divorce, of course. Such websites prepare forms for you based on the information you provide. There is no specific package of services; you can choose the most suitable option. Thus some companies are the do-it-yourself type where you fill out the forms yourself, and others prepare your documents, many of the top sites will review the forms. Usually, they have attorneys or divorce paralegals who also can explain and provide detailed information on your divorce process. What's really good, is that these divorce documents are customized to your county's rules, your children, your income, assets, and other factors in your case, and you don't need to seek all the information and nuances by yourself. You receive the prepared, ready to print, and sign divorce forms after a short online interview, without long completion or delivery periods. If time is money - we should use it well. Read Also: Divorce Lawyers In Houston Texas: A Short Guide On Saving Your Marriage Are Payday Loans Really As Bad As People Say? Top 7 Reasons To Hire A Private Detective Agency During Divorce Cases

The Five Most Important Things to Know Before Moving

Whether you are moving your family to another home or moving your business to a better location, moving can be a stressful endeavor. There are many moving parts, so to speak, and it can be overwhelming—especially on moving day. So many problems can arise, from lost or damaged items to your residential or commercial movers failing to provide proper mover’s insurance. There are some proactive steps that you can take now to make moving much more tolerable. While they will not avoid every single problem, they will prevent headaches when working with your residential or commercial movers. Here are the five most important things to know before moving from your home or business. 1. Create a Moving Checklist: Eight to ten weeks before you plan on moving, it is extremely helpful to create a moving checklist. On this checklist should be a collection of items that you want to move or throw out, when you should begin (and finish) packing your items, and records that you may need to transfer. While you may end up diverting from your schedule during the actual move, putting in the work at the beginning will clarify your thinking and will help you feel ready to move on your actual moving day. 2. Notify All Appropriate Parties: This is especially critical if you are moving a business. You must notify customers, suppliers, and other relevant parties about where (and when) you are moving. If you are moving homes, you’ll want to notify friends and family about your new address. It is much better to do this before you actually move. 3. Do Your Research: Make sure to take your time before retaining workers for your move. While you can do some thorough research on Google, word of mouth may be much more valuable—especially if a trusted friend or family member had a great experience with particular movers. Along with this, you’ll want to evaluate important questions about the moving process, including your budget to hire movers and whether they offer moving insurance. 4. Collect Extra Packing Supplies: It always helps to have more packing supplies than you need. You don’t want to be looking for extra tape or boxes on moving day. Even though you may find it “inefficient” to have extra supplies, it is worse to make one extra trip to purchase boxes, markers, or even bubble wrap the day before—or the day of—your move. 5. Clearly Separate and Mark Your Boxes: It is better to stay organized than throw random items in your moving boxes. By making it clear that certain items are in certain boxes, your movers will take extra care when handling certain boxes and will place boxes in their appropriate rooms, which will save you time and effort once your movers leave. Get Started Today: By following any or all of these tips above, you will make your move—whether commercial or residential—much easier. We wish you all the best in your upcoming move! Read Also: Moving House? Here’s The Ultimate Checklist Moving To Another Country Alone: How It Can Change Your Life

Making The Most Of Hand-Me-Downs And Second-Hand Finds For Your Kids