Green Child Magazine Back-to-School 2014 | Page 23

Who says a new school year has to mean an
expensive new wardrobe? Shopping used not
only helps you consume less, it can help you
save big time… often 75% to 80%. Here’s how
to make the most of your second-hand shopping trip.

1. Start

Early

Thinking ahead can save you lots of money and
help you recycle friends’ and family members’
outgrown, yet still great uniforms or school
outfits. Make a few phone calls to play date
moms or families from church—see if anyone
has left over items that they are just now discovering their own children have grown out of.
The later you wait the more you’ll be tempted to
just grab whatever you see in the stores out of
desperation!

2. Make

a List

A basic list of items needed along with the
items you already have on hand will help you
refrain from overstocking your child’s closet.
Simplicity is one of the keys to living green.
Over-stuffing the closet doesn’t help you, or the
kids, in the long run.

3. Visit

Often

While you’ll likely want to purchase new socks,
tights and underwear, you’ll find great deals on
shoes and coats at your local Goodwill or consignment shops.
A huge key to shopping successfully at these
shops is having your list in hand and visiting
the shops often. Second-hand or resale store inventory turns over nearly weekly. Make a habit
of scanning through the racks for items still
missing from you list on a weekly or bi-weekly
basis.

4. Accept Hand-Me-Downs Gracefully

You don’t have to focus on the price points or
financial picture aspect of this strategy. If you
aren’t practiced at being up front and awake
with your neighbors or friends about the gaps
in your list start today! You’ll be surprised at
how many folks from EVERY level of financial
security are happy to trade, barter or just plain
give away great stuff. (Plus, it’s cool these days
to personally recycle!)

5. Organize

Clothes in One Area

This will help you see your progress over the
next few weeks. Don’t panic if you don’t have
a full school year of clothes bought/purchased
by the time the school year begins. All our kids
need is a few outfits to get going that first week
of school and you can continue to add to this
over the first few weeks/months of this next
school year.
Try using hanging shelves to lay out a weeks
worth of outfits for your children. This way a
full week’s outfits are laid out in one place…
no more hunting for the right top to go with
the right pants or skit while on the way out the
door in the morning!

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Bonus Guilt Free Tip

Lastly, whether a simple lifestyle is old hat to
your family or brand new, try to remember that
the purpose of clothing is to keep ourselves
warm or cool. Sometimes we wish for the simplicity of Grandma’s day, when one good pair
of shoes was all one hoped for every year when
school started. Let’s remember that teaching
our children to focus on the rich experiences
open to them is so much more important than
the brands or styles they’ll be wearing!
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