Mom Blog and Baby Blog | Baby Bunching

baby bunching Q/A: organizing/storing the clothes

Q: Any suggestions for organizing/storing baby clothes - who knows when the next one might be coming along.

A: Over the years we have both learned that organizing is a very personal thing. What works for one person may not work for another. However, there are a few things that will determine how you store clothes after a child has outgrown it, and help make it easier for you to organize in that way that works best for you.  

1) Are you planning for more babies after this one? If you're planning for more kids, keep the item if it still looks wearable. If you're on the fence about more kids, we recommend you still save it for a little while if you have the room, especially for items that look almost new.

2) Is your next in line the same gender? If the child is the same sex, keep the item even if the seasons may be off as you never know. If the child is a different gender, make a determination. My daughter was perfectly happy to wear all her brother's overalls and even some of his jeans/shorts. (In the future, you might try more gender-neutral clothing for big-ticket items like coats or even jeans.)

3) Does this article of clothing look like it could be reworn? (i.e. Does it have sweet potatoes stains all over or does it still smell like vomit even after you wash it?) Yes, keep it. No, toss it

Here are a few of our tips to help you organize your clothes:

• Bins, bins, bins! Invest in a few plastic bins with lids to stash in your kids' closets. Linda prefers these from the Container Store because they are all see through, fit on the top shelf of the closet and vary in size a bit, but they all still stack. All her kids out-of-season clothes now rest in these because they are easy to access on the off chance that it's hot or cold mid season. Find bins that work right for your closet and household needs. 
• Label everything. You must label them by size (0-3 months, 3-6 months, etc.) even if it's with Post-In notes. Toss clothes in there for the next child when they become too small for the oldest.  Don't worry about neatly folding the clothes, but labeling the bins is critical – even if it is just with a marker or piece of masking tape.  Be sure you have washed the clothes and removed stains. 
• When the bin is full, store it elsewhere--if you like--so it's not taking up excess room.  In Cara's case, as her kids got older she found there was only a few months gap between when they got tossed in the bin and worn by the next child, labeled “Next Season’s Clothes, Both Boys." Toss all hand-me-downs, as well as any end of season sale purchases for the next year, in the bin and pull it out at the beginning of each season to inventory what you have for each kid and what you still need.  This also provides easy access to the occasional jacket or shorts needed in the off-season.  
• To keep it all under control, use a little system called 'Purge and Pass.'  In addition to the hand-me-down bin, have another bag for give-aways or consignment items. 

The trick is to develop a system that works for you. Be ready to change as kids get older and you find they are able to wear shorts for three summers. Yes, that day will come. So you'll be less purging and more rotating things. That is the time when you can spend a bit more to get clothes that might actually last through more than one season.

tips for a successful baby bunching outing

By Amanda Wright

I am definitely not a Type A buncher, and even with three little ones (3, 2 and 8 months) my fundamentally laid-back personality chafes when our schedule becomes too full and our commitments turn burdensome.  As much as such an existence is possible in the bunching world, I strive to maintain a stress-free approach to our daily lives.  However, my desire to not be a drill sergeant has at times backfired and mornings can become a whinefest when we are trying to arrive on time to an event - be it a playdate, lunch with Daddy, church, or so forth.

Therefore, it became necessary for this bunching mom to create a routine to ensure that I could maintain my cool on mornings when we must leave the house by a certain time.  Through trial and error, here are my tips to achieving stress free pre-outing preparation with your bunch:

1. Tell your bunch - yes even baby! - the night before what the game plan is for the following morning. “Tomorrow we have a playdate with the Jones crew, so that means in the morning we will eat breakfast and then right away get washed up, dressed and our hair fixed.  After those things are done, you can play until it is time to go.”  Now when they wake up, they will already know what to expect.  I am sure that I do not have the only 2 and 3 year olds who lay in bed in the morning and think about/discuss what they want to do after breakfast, and letting them know the night before eliminates a lot of potential whining or arguing (“But Mooooommy, I reeeeeally wanted to play baaaaabies after breakfast!!”).  I also strongly advocate for the approach of getting the kids fully ready first thing - that way when it is almost time to leave all that remains for them to do is have a last bathroom trip and put on shoes/coats.
2. Have the diaper bag and/or lunch bag packed and ready to go the night before. Somehow when I restock the diaper bag at night while the house is quiet and my attention isn’t being pulled elsewhere, the task takes me approximately 90 seconds - occasionally up to 5 minutes if I need to run to the laundry room for extra back-up clothes or bibs.  Yet when I try to tackle it while the kids are running around it takes me no less than 15 minutes and I *still* forget things. If there are lunch items that have to stay refrigerated until right before you leave, jot down a list and stick it where you will see it before you leave the house!  This will help ensure you aren’t needing to turn around right as you leave the neighborhood because you suddenly realize the fruit salad you’re supposed to bring for everyone in playgroup to share is sitting forlornly on the shelf in the fridge.  
3. Have your own clothes laid out, and if possible wake up just 15 minutes before your bunch does.  This is not always a possibility, whether from sheer exhaustion or because you have a baby whose current wake-up call beckons you from slumber at the unholy hour of 5:00 a.m.  And since I shower at night, if I am up 15 - 20 minutes before my bunch I can wash up, put on my makeup and straighten or style my hair and be all ready to go.  Trying to do those things with 3 little ones intent on dismantling my bathroom drawers is NOT conducive to a stress-free morning.  
4. Great!  Now you’re all ready to go but you’ve been so efficient that it’s 40 minutes prior to the time you need to depart - what to do?  DON’T make the mistake that I have made so many times and become caught up in a few last minute chores, or reading a few too many books and wind up later than if you hadn’t been so prepared!  Instead, enjoy the fact that you can avoid rushing, that you don’t have to bark at the kids to “Just GET YOUR COAT ON already!!”,  and load your bunch up so that you can hit up Starbucks on the way to your destination.  Now that’s a great start to your day!

Amanda is an uber-buncher who survives and thrives with her three (3, 2, and 8 months) by means of family, friends, Starbucks and prayer - but not always in that order.

when to break up: mommy-friend style

By Rachel Ostlie

For some reason, finding good mommy-friends has not been easy for me. I do all the right things to meet new people (attending baby classes at the library, visit a variety of playgrounds), but it's been difficult to find a friendship that clicks. Perhaps it's because I live in an extremely diverse suburb (both in terms of socio-economic class and ethnicity) of a big city, but it's hard enough to find someone who speaks English, let alone someone with similar interests and kids the same age.

I've also been unsuccessful in finding mommy-friends from the pool of people who are already my friends. Though my high school friends and college friends all are happily married with lots of new babies, I now share in their joys only through Facebook. And while I moved here eight years ago, all the friends I've made since are single and childless.

I did make one close mommy-friend. When my daughter was born three years ago, I started attending a little singing and book reading class at the library for babies ages zero to two. There was just one mom with a daughter as young as mine, and we hit it off right away. We started having playdates when our girls were three months old and barely acknowledged each other's existence, and our weekly meet-ups had a permanent place in my calendar. Soon we celebrated holidays together, and the dynamic duo took our sweeties to museums, state fairs, zoos, and aquariums. I even had the privilege of videoing her daughter's very first steps on one of our outings!

But then... something came between us. Something called Baby #2. Though my friend was overjoyed to hear I was expecting, and threw me a lovely baby shower, things just weren't the same. My life and hers were no longer mirror images of each other. She started rescheduling our hang outs, or canceling altogether. At first I was frustrated, then offended as she began moving our playdate around to accommodate all her other new friends. Finally, I worked up the courage to ask if I had done anything wrong, and if I needed to ask forgiveness. She assured me that nothing was wrong, yet the passive-aggressive behavior continued. Now, as I sit in front of my computer screen and stew over being at the bottom of her list for the hundredth time, I am seriously considering breaking up with her. Not a dramatic, in-your-face breakup. Just the kind where I stop trying any more. I don't want to give up on all the good times we had, but it seems as if baby bunching has driven us apart.

This Baby Bunching blog always encourages us to build our "momtourage," to find fellow Baby Bunchers to support us in our trials. After this relationship, I begin to see the wisdom of their advice even more. Some friends last a lifetime. Others can't last the divisive nature of a second baby (let alone the third baby some über-Bunchers manage before most people even start to think about another pregnancy). So my advice to you, and to myself? Make friendship a priority. We're all gonna need it.

Rachel is a baby bunching mom of a daughter (3) and son (20 months). If you live in the northern suburbs of Chicago, she is currently seeking members for her momtourage.

mastering the art of baby bunching

By Erin Brazofsky

As a momma of a 20-month old and 4-month old, I get a lot of strange, appalled and pitying looks when I go out in public. I bet you, since are reading this, get a lot of those looks, too!

Sometimes, a few brave ones will get up the nerve to approach me and ask me how I “do it.” I can only assume by “do it” they mean “how do I maintain sanity with such small children.” And, perhaps, you too are wondering how on earth you can maintain sanity while caring for two kids 18 months or less apart?

Today is your lucky day! I will impart all the knowledge you need to know to successfully master the art of Baby Bunching. (Well, I’ll try anyway.)

#1. Maintain a sense of humor. This is especially important when your older child vomits during his nap, but you don’t know about it till you get him up. Then you have to clean him and his crib up while the small one wails and your husband is either at work, or teaching a piano lesson in your home downstairs. Oh, and then both of the children have rather, um, interesting diapers that must be changed.

#2. Take some time for yourself. Seriously. I don’t know how it will look for you, but it is so important that you take some time to rejuvenate your spirit. A break is a good thing for everyone.

#3. Stay organized. I have found that if I have a flexible, but fairly regular daily schedule, things generally flow much, much easier and the babies are much more content and happy.

#4. Make sure you and your significant other are on the same page. If my husband and I aren’t communicating about the boys’ needs and what goals we have for the coming months, things tend to go awry.

#5. On the same note, DATE NIGHT, DATE NIGHT, DATE NIGHT. Oh, and did I mention DATE NIGHT?

#6. Find playgroups or mom’s groups to attend. Having a community of other mommas (Baby Bunchers or otherwise) is so important. Your friends can be some of your biggest cheerleaders and offer some of the best support when things just aren’t going right.

Of course, I could go on, and maybe later I will (lucky you), but ultimately, you know what will work for you and your brood. Hopefully some of these (admittedly tongue-in-cheek) tips will help if you’re newer to Baby Bunching (like me!) or just remind you of some things you can do to keep your blood pressure low.

[Editor's note: We agree on all points!]

what's on your teuxdeux list?

Everyone has their own, and preferred, way of staying organized--calendars, lists, post it notes, writing it on your hand, etc. As Baby Bunchers, it's important to find a system that works for you early on, but be willing to adjust as your rollercoaster ride accelerates. For example, I relied heavily on my memory plus a dry erase board for keeping on top of things (pre-Baby Bunching that is). Yeah, I can hear you all laughing because it's quite obvious that method no longer works. Although, I do admit to trying it now and then only to quickly be reminded how I will miserably fail going this route. 

In the past few years, I have tried pretty pocket calendars, big calendars, dry erase boards in the kitchen (only to realize they don't work well if you have to move to the office), beautiful planners, and an assortment of online calendars. Really, the issue is I'm a list maker (aka post-it notes everywhere) and my calendar and lists need to be merged into one so I can survive.

So I found out about a great new site + app a few weeks ago and this one I've fallen in love it: TeuxDeux. Why do I love this? Because it's just a list. It's bare bones. No frills. Just a daily list. You can cross it out, and if you don't, it automatically carries over to the next day. Nothing more fabulous than having something remind me of all the things I didn't finish yesterday. Awesome! Even better it syncs with my iPhone so I can take my TeuxDeux list with me on the go.

If you love your current method of staying organized, we applaud you (and beg you share what it is). But if you're looking for something easy to help you stay a bit on top of things, you might give this one a try.

(Editor's note: As you know we never review things on this site that we don't think are perfect for the Baby Buncher crowd. No one was paid to say how fabulous we love this product. And it just so happens I know the amazing woman who helped design it.)