I got a ton of questions on my last “hand-me-down” post asking how I saved, and stored, Luke’s baby clothing for Wesleigh. I have 3 simple steps to preserving baby clothing below. Check out Wesleigh wearing Luke’s baby gap knit sweater from 10 years ago…
Wesleigh is wearing: a hand me down sweater (similar here), Baby Gap jeans, Ralph Lauren shoes, Oeuf Scarf -out of stock but I like these ones, and is carrying her Hazel Village bunny.
Three Steps to Preserving Baby Clothes:
1. Decide Which Pieces to Save: I save only the clothing without baby stains. That means going through and deciding which pieces are the most important, have sentimental value, but that are also stain-free. Stains become even worse over time—the yellows will only get more yellow. I don’t typically save jeans, onsies, shoes or any stained clothing. I do save sweaters, knits, scarves, and rompers. The rest I donate.
2. Remove Stains and Wash: If there is anything with a small stain but still worth saving, I use baking soda and water or a Tide Stick to remove the stain. I wash all the clothing with dye-free baby laundry soap and dry with all natural dryer sheets. *I fold everything properly before I store it to save myself the time of sifting though all the clothes when I need them.
3. Storing the Clothes: Use an opaque and air tight storage bins. You don’t want to buy the clear plastic bins because light can get to the clothes and discolor them. I made this mistake with some of Luke’s clothing because I thought it would be easier to see the it through the side, but those items faded over time. I use these bins for everything. I store my bins in a (finished) basement closet, but any dark and cool place works.
TIP: If you have anything that is white, such as a blouse, dress, romper, or Christening gown, get this preserved by a professional. Most dry cleaning services offer this. White dress material yellows like Luke’s Christening romper (wah!).
Hope these tips help! Happy Storing!
All Photos by Cambria Grace Photography
