Teaching Tuesday / Mountains of Clothes?

Yup, it's that time of year! Warm enough to get in the stream barefoot. Woohoo! One of our favorite country bumpkin fun things to do. If you've never did so, you ought to try it.

But the stream wading reminds me of a job that I'm not very fond of. It's time to go through all the kid's clothes - again!

Since it's a task we all face, I felt prompted to share how to stay organized with mountains of clothes.

For starters, does your family have a "sock monster" like ours? Without fail, our socks will not stay married til death do them part! Invariably one or the other will run out on the relationship. Lol! Our solution for this is to pin the socks together at the toes with a safety pin. It seems to help them stay more committed to the union.

Another, helpful organizer is the "give-away sack." This sack is used continually through out the year as clothes need discarding they are immediately placed I the "give-away sack." As the sack reaches full capacity , It is discarded and replaced with an empty one. Doing this really speeds up our bi-yearly clothes sorting tremendously.

That's right I said bi-yearly. Twice a year, spring and fall, I go through all of the younger children's clothes - sorting good from everyday , everyday from no longer useable. Those with holes and stains are trash. The clothes that are out grown are either passed to a sibling or put in the "give-away sack" to bless others. This prevents closets and drawers from being stuffed with excess clothes that no one can or will wear anymore. Remember, clutter creates chaos!

Another thing we need to remember, be a good steward! Don't hoard, due to slothfulness, things that will bless others. It's our jobs to train our children by deed and example what good stewardship is all about. This bi-yearly task of going through clothes makes it so much easier for the kids to keep their closets and drawers neat and orderly.

As I'm sorting, I can easily note what is needed for each child for the coming season. This reaps a benefit all its own - NO OVERSPENDING on unnecessary purchases because we can't find, or don't know , or can't remember if we need this or that! Luke 12 tells us that to whom much is given much is required. What a sobering thought. God has given us so much: let's be faithful with our God given blessings, and having mountains of clothes is one of those blessings.

In case you missed it at the beginning, I said that I do the younger children's clothes. By the time they get 12 or 13, I've trained them to do it themselves. PTL! I had 17 Kids at home at one time. Can you imagine going through 17 children's drawers and closets twice a year? Yuck! Not my favorite task for sure, and that's why training pays off. If you have been slack in this area, don't be discouraged - training can start at any age. Confess to you children that you messed up ( I have to do it to mine all the time!) Share with them what God's revealed to you and tell them it's His will for you all to be good stewards. They may not be crazy about the idea, but it's our jobs to lovingly lead. So, start in your own closets first, mom!

One more tip that really helps. Saturday morning is designated as straighten drawers and closets. Even 5 and 6 year olds are encouraged to at least help in this task. Before cartoons, before playing outside, before going to work with Daddy, before video games, each child's drawers and closets much be straightened and orderly. You'll be amazed at how quickly these jobs can be accomplished with the right incentives.

NO PLAY today, unless your clothes and toys are NEATLY PUT AWAY!

Be consistent in this, the results will leave you speechless!

#TeachingTuesdays #MountainsOfClothes