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image ORGANIZING BACK-TO-SCHOOL CLOTHES SHOPPING

By Professional Organizer Lea Schneider

The back-to-school clothes ads start running and parents feel the pressure. It is an addition to your to-do list and a strain on finances but it can also be an opportunity to get organized. It's a great time to share that how-to with your child.

Before heading to the store, begin with preparing a list. Of course you can't know what you need until you know what you have. This is a good time to get your child involved.

Open drawers and closets. Remove clothes that no longer fit or perhaps are too worn for school. Don't just make piles to deal with later. Either bag them for the attic for a younger child, put them in the car to donate or for consignment or remove to a holding area for a tag sale.

Have your child count and write down how many pairs of underwear and socks they find. How many shorts, short-sleeve shirts, long-sleeve shirts, slacks, skirts and so forth do they have that fit? How about jackets, sweaters or sweatshirts?

Next, remember to see if you have hand-me-downs in the attic!

Help your child do a little math. How many of each item do they have? How many do they need?

Lay out each skirt or pair of shorts on the bed. Match up the tops. Does everything have a mate or two? If not, note on your paper what you do need. Repeat this with slacks, jeans and sweaters.

Finally, take the inventory list and notes and make two shopping lists. One for warm weather school days and one for cool weather days. Toward the end of the summer, the cooler clothes will go on sale and it is a great time to fulfill your list. Waiting until deeper into the fall to buy the cooler weather gear can save money as sales kick in. Having the list helps you watch for sales of the items you need. It also means that you won't need to do an inventory or drawer cleaning during a busy school month.

Make shopping pleasant by discussing shopping plans before heading out. If you have a budget in mind, consider getting cash if you have younger children. Debit and credit cards don't seem like real money. By holding their budget for school clothes in an envelope and letting them pay at the register, while supervising, helps them understand how much money mom and dad are really shelling out. (The side benefit is they will start to help you look for sales and may take care of the clothes better because they see how much it cost.)

Of course, lists of underwear and shirts are not always fun. Establishing, before they leave the house, how much money they can spend or what they can buy, that isn't on the list, is a good idea. Picking a first-day of school outfit is always a big deal. You might want to make it clear that even though they get to help pick, they can only choose things that meet the school dress code, your approval and your budget.

For older kids or teens, you might have them keep track of expenditures in some way, either on paper or on their phone. Teaching them to shop and live on a budget is a great lesson.