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

21 February 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Check your items regularly and get rid of anything that is stained, torn, worn out, or outdated.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.

Learn More About:

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.

View all posts

Mobile Storage – 5 Steps for Packing Your Belongings Safely

Shifting to a new house or relocating to a new place can be exciting. However, the move can be equally challenging considering the amount of work that comes associated with packing your belongings. Even with the comfort of a portable storage unit that carefully transports your household stuff, you will have to plan how you will be packing things. Forgetting stuff is pretty common, but a proactive approach in packing your belongings can help save you from numerous troubles. To ease relocating for you, here is a dive into some easy-to-follow tips that can help you pack your mobile storage unit. 1. Craft a plan: Unfortunately, packing involves much more than gathering and boxing up all of your belongings in any manner that suits you. For instance, all the clothing items go together. You can’t jumble clothing items with your shoe collection and add a layer of stuffed toys over it. You will need to make a rough outline of what you need to do. Start with deciding which items you want to transport to your targeted destination. Sift through your belongings and check out what you plan to donate. Once you have separated the items to move from the items to donate or give away, you can start bundling different categories of household items together. 2. Get the packing material: Your belongings can easily get damaged during transportation. To prevent that, it’s best to load your cart with packing material. Some of the packing essentials that you will need to include quality boxes in various sizes, bungee cords, plastic containers, stretch wrap, bubble wrap, moving bands, appliance wraps, and more. Blankets and pillows can also help safeguard your belongings. You will need a permanent marker too because labeling packed boxes can help you keep track of your belongings. What’s more, you will need to rent a mobile storage unit for transporting your stuff. 3. Rent a suitable mobile storage unit: Remember that portable storage containers come in multiple sizes. So, you will have to research the size that you need as per the items that you want to move. To give you an example, ALTA Storage Edmonton, offers containers that are 16 feet in length and 8 feet tall by 7 ½ feet width. It’s best to discuss your storage needs with the company though, so it can make recommendations regarding the size of the container that you will need. 4. Prepare your belongings for moving: When packing your stuff, be mindful about using all the space available to you. Pack boxes to their optimal capacity, ensuring that the top and sides of the boxes neither cave in nor bulge out when closed. If there are still small pockets of space left, then fill them up with packing paper. Seal the bottom of the boxes with tape. Moreover, put the heavy items in small boxes for easy lifting. On the flip side, pack the lightweight items in large boxes. Additionally, use bubble wraps to pack mirrors and pictures. Similarly, cover your mattresses with mattress covers to prevent damage. Use plastic wrap to pack and protect soft furniture. Don’t forget to tie electrical cords to prevent tripping. Take particular care of your electronics when packing them. Bubble wrap appliances and place them in different boxes. 5. Load your stuff into the portable storage container: During your packing process, prepare an inventory of all the items, writing out what goes where. While labeling boxes is already a useful move, an inventory will help you keep tabs on your belongings in case you are shifting items in two different containers. When you get to loading your packed belonging into the container, use all the available space from top to bottom and side to side as well. Don’t load all heavy items in one spot. Instead, distribute the weight of heavy and lightweight items throughout the mobile unit. At the same time, place the heavy items at the bottom and position lightweight content over it. Also, mix all the small- and large-sized boxes to prevent leaving any spaces. This will assist in reducing the odds of the boxes moving and getting damaged extensively during transport. Bottom line: Researchers highlight that 73% of the commonly transported items are household goods with electronic office equipment chipping in 20% to the share of moved goods. Regardless of what you’re shifting though, make sure that you pack your belongings properly to minimize damage. Read Also: Moving House? Here’s The Ultimate Checklist How To Pack Clothing Properly For Shipping Feature Image: Source

Seven ways to Support Family and Friends with Special Needs

When parents decide to start their journey of parenthood, they hope that they will get and bring up a perfectly healthy child. However, many are the times when genetic defects, birth complications, injuries, and other problems get in the way, and differently gifted children are born. Not many people take the time needed to understand people with disabilities, and even fewer people are willing to go out of their way to offer them support. If you have family or friends with special needs, here are a few ways in which you can make them feel your love and support. 1. Talk to them: Not many people know this but whether it is at work, school, at home and in other social setups, the productivity of people with disabilities and those close to them depends a lot on the attitude of the general community towards them. If the community around a disabled person has formed a negative attitude and barriers to their inclusion, they end up withdrawing and doubting their capabilities. On the other hand, when they are made to feel included and accepted they blossomed. Parents of children who have disabilities admit that they like it when a stranger walks up to them in a park and shows genuine interest to learn about their child’s condition. What people appreciate the most are people who take time to ask specific questions. For instance, ask how the child’s physical therapy is going as opposed to asking something general or offering that supportive smiles. At times you will find that people with disabilities need a listening ear, and they appreciate it when you take time and pay attention to details about their lives. 2. Be aware of personal space: People with disabilities often use mobility aids such as wheelchairs, walkers, canes and other items. What most people do not understand is that most view these aides as part of their personal space. When interacting with disabled people, you always have to respect their personal space. If for instance, you want to assist them in pushing their wheelchair, do not just grab and start pushing at it, ask them if it is okay to help them move from one point to the other, you can push the chair when they agree. The same applies to when you feel they need you to support them in standing up, sitting down or other movements. You can start by saying something like, “Here, let me help you,” and then wait for their consent. If they feel that you are patronizing them or treating them like they are completely helpless, they will push back and reject your help. 3. Be thoughtful: There is nothing that whispers support to a disabled person more than knowing that you thought about them before you made the plans that you have made. It means that if for instance, you planned a meeting, you made sure that the room was accessible via wheelchair and there are ramps and other relevant accessibility and support features. It is also important to always inform them about all the plans which you have made for the meetings and other get-together arrangements so they can prepare well in advance. 4. Treat them normally: One of the most difficult corners to navigate when dealing with people who have disabilities is learning how to interact with them without making them feel abnormal. Most people think that being sensitive to these people is about hiding the achievement of their normal kids and clapping when the disabled kid does something that is simple and normal. When interacting with disabled people, do not minimize yourself or your child’s achievements. Learn that the disabled kid might not do things like regular kids, but they still get things done, eventually. Treat them like just any other kid, and they will respond positively to this. 5. Do not try too much: Another mistake people make when interacting with disabled people is the need to know what to say and what to do at all times. The truth is that disabled people are just like everyone else. It is okay to have a slip of the tongue when interacting with them. It is alright to listen to them when they are telling you about their complications and tell them that you honestly do not know what to say. If you have no idea how to help them when they are at their weakest, it is still okay to sit with them and listen. Your presence is reassuring enough for them. 6. Go an extra mile in the extreme seasons: Disabled people tend to struggle a lot more than everyone else in. They have to cope with inaccessible sidewalks, flare-ups which are triggered by the low temperatures, chronic pain and other issues that result from being stuck at home too long. These are the things you can do to ease their discomfort during this season: Take food to them-it is possible that they will not access grocery stores and farmers markets Visit them and spend the time to end the feeling of loneliness and depression. Send them a message and genuinely ask how they are faring Help them around the house and help them shovel and salt their driveways. 7. Support their dreams: There is nothing that says love to a disabled person than when you genuinely support their work. People with disability wake up in the morning because they believe they can rise against the odds and make a difference. The least that you can do to make their world a little easier to manage is to support their dreams and their work. When they tell you they are having a talent show, be present and cheer them on. Buy their art, shop from their outlets and all other small gestures which will make them feel appreciated. These are just a few of the things that you could do to help people with disabilities. In case you interact with them and realize they may need counseling from professionals, you can reach out to Regional & Rural Toowoomba Psychologists. They are well equipped to offer the support needed to make the lives of people with disabilities simple. Read Also: Practical Ways To Help Your Elderly Parents 7 Interesting Gifts For Your Best Friends Ways To Emotionally Deal With Chronic Illness Tips For Throwing A Family Reunion People Will Remember For Years 8 Family Friendly Careers That Offer Great Pay And Work-Life Balance

8 Things Every Parent Should Do To Keep Kids Safe Online

It is important for parents and guardians to be aware of the potential dangers of the internet that could affect their children. Children are especially vulnerable to online risks such as cyberbullying, identity theft, and inappropriate content. Unfortunately, these risks can occur regardless of age or experience level so it’s important for kids to understand how to stay safe online. Reasons For Monitoring Your Kid's Internet Use: 1. Online Bullying: Watch Out For The Warning Signs Bullying is unfortunately part of the potential Internet dangers for kids. Make sure you educate your child about online bullying and tell them to alert you if they encounter any negative behavior on the web. Talk with your child about how to spot suspicious activity, such as cyberbullying, and discuss ways to avoid it. 2. Identity Theft: Protecting Kids Online The Internet can unfortunately be an ideal platform for identity thieves to steal personal information. Make sure your child knows never to give out confidential information, such as their address or phone number, without discussing it with you first. It’s also important to make sure your child is using secure passwords and websites, so they don’t become targets of these dangerous online predators. 3. Exploitation: Online Dangers for Kids Children can be especially vulnerable to exploitation that takes place on the Internet. As a parent, it’s important to make sure your child is aware of the dangers of accepting emails from strangers or engaging in online conversations with people they don’t know. Additionally, you should monitor their activity online and warn them against posting inappropriate photos or content that could put them at risk. 4. Malicious Content and Viruses The vastness of the Internet means there are plenty of malicious websites, content, and viruses out there. You should use parental control software to block any potentially dangerous content from reaching your child’s computer or device. Setting up firewalls, filters, and other security measures can also help protect your child from malicious content and viruses. You May Also Check: What Are Some Best Practices To Prevent Phishing Attacks? 5. Inappropriate Content: Setting Limits On Web Activity It’s inevitable that kids will come across inappropriate content online. Be proactive about setting limits for your kid's web activity and periodically reviewing their internet history together. Talk to them about what kind of material is appropriate for them to see, as well as the consequences of looking at inappropriate content. Let them know that if they ever come across something concerning, they can come to you for help. Check this article for more vital information. Keep Your Kids Safe: Tips To Consider To keep your children safe from internet dangers, here are some tips you should consider: Talk with your child about acceptable online behavior and activities. Explain the importance of avoiding risky behavior like giving out personal information or engaging in cyberbullying. Make sure they understand what constitutes appropriate language and content as well as why strangers might pose a threat. Monitor their online activity, especially if they’re younger children who may not know better. Keep an eye on the websites they’re visiting and the people with whom they’re communicating. Teach your child to be cautious about clicking links from strangers or unfamiliar websites and never to download content without you knowing about it first. Explain why opening suspicious emails can lead to malware infections and other potential risks. Make sure they understand that people aren’t always who they claim to be online and that it can be difficult to verify identities over the internet. Encourage them to think twice before sharing information with someone and discourage them from meeting up with strangers in real life, even if they think they’re speaking with a friend. Set rules on the amount of time your child can spend online and which sites they’re allowed to visit. Monitor their activities and use parental control settings to block access to unsuitable websites or content. Talk to them about how cyberbullying works and instill in them an understanding of what is appropriate behavior online, especially on social media platforms. Keep channels of communication open by talking regularly about the risks associated with using the internet, and make sure your child knows that you’re there for support if anything upsets them or makes them feel uncomfortable online. Encourage open dialogue so that your child feels comfortable telling you when something isn’t right. Ensure that your child knows never to give out any personal information - like a home address or even a full name - without explicit permission from you, as this could put them at risk for identity theft and other dangerous situations. Talk about respecting other people’s intellectual property by not downloading copyrighted material illegally or using someone else’s images without permission. Encourage your child to think carefully before posting anything online. Conclusion Keeping your child safe on the internet is an important part of parenting in the digital age. It’s important to establish clear guidelines, open lines of communication, and appropriate consequences for inappropriate behavior online. Empower them with knowledge and tools to help them stay safe as they navigate their way through the online world. With a bit of effort, you can make sure that your child has a positive and secure experience with technology. By following these tips and having an ongoing dialogue with your children about using the internet safely, you can ensure that they have a positive experience when navigating the web. By teaching kids how to use the internet responsibly from a young age, you are helping to create responsible digital citizens. Read Also: What Is Zero Trust In Cybersecurity Context? Top 6 Cybersecurity Trends Everyone should Know Top 10 Cybersecurity Features That Are A Must-Have In An Ecommerce Store

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