Spring clean-out As temperatures warm, it’s time to store or give away seasonal items. PHOTO BY BREANNA LAMBERT[/caption]

The first official day of spring came and went almost a month ago. Up here in the mountains, we emerged from hibernation to a high of 64 degrees, only to retreat again the next day when, in typical Colorado fashion, temperatures dropped, and flurries flew. True spring might come to the Peak to Peak area a little later than in other parts of Colorado, but that gives us more time for spring cleaning.

To keep kids clothed in outfits that fit their always-growing bodies is an exercise in estimation, math, and patience. A coat that fits perfectly one winter might look comically small a year from now (see article photo, for example!). And if one kid outgrows a pair of boots, but his brother won’t be big enough to use them for at least two winters, how and where should you store them?

Save yourself time and sort items into appropriate containers as you come across them. You’ll likely divert seasonal clothing to one of three places: save & store, donate, trash. Designate three bins or bags for each destination and toss items into them as you clean out closets and drawers.

To determine where an item of clothing should go, The Simple Homeplace, a parenting-focused blog, says first, ask yourself, “Could another child wear this again?” If an item is too worn, stained, tattered, or has a broken zipper (which can cost up to $75 and sometimes more, according to DIY site The Sewing Garden), the answer is no, and the garment should get tossed in the trash bin.

If the clothing is something you plan on keeping for the future, Kate Horney, founder of BeyondFitMom. com, suggests cleaning and treating stains before packing everything up. Stains will only darken and set in more if left untreated, especially for months. And you’re doing your future self a favor - when it’s time to unbox the winter gear, everything is clean and ready to wear.

Horney suggests storing seasonal clothing in containers made of linen or cotton for breathability. Plastic bins or bags could cause mildew or yellowing. Also, label the container to make it easier to hunt for a specific item or unearth the correct box from storage when it’s needed.

When preparing your donation box, similar best practices apply. Annette Treufeldt-Franck, Clothing Closet coordinator and board of directors member, says that because the Clothing Closet is a donation sorting center and clothing exchange, the organization does not have access to washers and dryers. So it’s even more critical that donated items come in clean and odorless. No need to find a fancy container to haul in your donation. Tall kitchen trash bags, a universal measurement in the textile world, with a simple label on the front, make volunteers’ jobs much more manageable.

You can drop off during the Clothing Closet’s shopping hours: Saturdays and the first and third Thursday of the month from 10 a.m. to noon. While you’re there, take a look at what’s available for upcoming seasons. Treufeldt-Franck says the Closet is currently well-stocked, and “We are here for what people need.” For more information, visit nederlandfoodpantry.org and look for details that apply to the Clothing Closet.

Before you set your bag of landfill clothing on the curb (or at the end of your dirt driveway for the more rural folk), Treufeldt-Franck says sift through to see what could be recycled. The Nederland Transfer Station, in partnership with USAgain, an organization focused on textile recycling, accepts clothes, linens, and footwear in any shape.

A seasonal clean-out isn’t a chore parents need to undertake alone. Put the kids to work! Depending on your child’s age, they may insist on being involved. The website Home Storage Solutions 101 says, “Making decisions together will keep kids from feeling like their things were taken away from them without warning, or without their input, which could make them, in the future, less likely to part with any types of clutter.” It never hurts to make work fun— play music, put on a fashion show, choose a few cherished items to gift to a friend, reminisce about special memories a specific item brings up. Don’t feel like you have to get it all done in a day, either. Home Storage suggests working in 15-minute bursts, so you don’t wear yourself out or get overwhelmed.

And even though it’s “officially” spring, you have time. Up here, it might be June before you can confidently pack away the winter coats.