Thrifting For & With Kids [20/31]

Kids are hard on clothes. For that reason, it's a pretty easy choice for us to stock our kiddos' closets with gently used clothing. You'd be surprised at the brands you'll come across in the kids clothing section, too. The last time I checked, I found the likes of Baby Gap, Crewcuts, Mini Boden & United Colors of Benetton at our local Goodwill.

I'm gonna let you in on a little secret here, but I'm actually not that picky about buying kids clothes with minor stains on them. If it's a decent brand and not too terrible a blemish, nobody is going to know if it happened that day or not, am I right?

Other than that, many of the same guidelines I've shared throughout this series apply to thrifting for kids. Whether you are searching for vintage items or newer name-brands, keep the neighborhoods in mind when selecting shops to patronize (see Thrifting Geographically).

As much as I love the vintage clothes & toys, I have scaled way back on purchasing them since the reality of kids being hard on things has set in. Unless you are decorating or dressing for a special occasion, those pieces are more likely to collect dust than get used. Obviously, vintage isn't so easy to replace.

Here are a few more items I would not recommend purchasing secondhand for children:

• Cribs/ Carseats / Pack n' Plays - Recalls are being issued so frequently that it is not worth the risk of buying something for less that may be a hazard to your child.

• Mattresses - Including the risk of bed bugs, mattresses have also been subjected to all the bodily fluids one could possibly secrete.

• Stuffed Animals - Like mattresses, these furry friends are a hotbed for germs.

My little champs...I just want to laugh every time I see this pic of Sterling stuffing his face... 

I have also been asked how I make it work to bring my kids along when thrifting. Well, it's as crazy as you would imagine it to be. I wouldn't exactly recommend it either. But if I must, I try to keep them occupied by filling the cart with books or Barbies for Ruby. Also, snacks!! But don't forget the antibacterial hand soap!

My general advice though? Leave them at home with Daddy or Grandma;)

I am linking up with The Nester every day in October for #write31days. 

You can find a list of all 31 posts as they are published by clicking here.