It's the first warm morning of spring. You dig out last year's shorts, hold them up against your child, and laugh. They'd fit a teddy. Maybe.
Every parent knows this moment, and most of us handle it the same way: panic-buy half a shop, then watch our kid wear the same dinosaur tee all week anyway.
So here's a calmer plan. We've written down what kids really get through in a season, with numbers, so you can fill the gaps and get on with your day. Little clothes get worn for about five minutes before the next growth spurt, which is the whole reason Recyclababy exists.
A word on the numbers first. They assume your washing machine runs every two or three days. If yours runs daily (solidarity), you can get away with less. If washing is a weekend job at your place, add a few.
Newborn to 12 months (sizes 0000 to 0)
Babies are tiny, adorable laundry factories. Three outfit changes before lunch is a normal Tuesday, so this list looks long but it earns its keep.
6–8 short-sleeve bodysuits or singlets
4–6 long-sleeve growsuits for sleep and cool mornings
4–5 leggings or soft pants
2–3 rompers or "we're leaving the house" outfits
2 cardigans or light jumpers
1 light jacket
4–5 pairs of socks (you will only ever find three)
2 brimmed sun hats
2 lighter-weight sleeping bags
6+ bibs. You know why.
Go easy on buying ahead. Babies can be in and out of 000 and 00 within about three months each, and plenty of gorgeous outfits get outgrown with the tags still on. Happily, that's how a lot of them end up with us: barely worn and a fraction of the price.
Shop by size: boys | girls | neutral
1 to 2 years (sizes 1 and 2)
Walking, climbing, eating spaghetti with both hands. Clothes start working hard now.
6–7 tees
2–3 long-sleeve tops
4–5 shorts or leggings
2–3 pairs of pants
2–3 dresses, overalls or shortalls
2 jumpers or cardigans
1 light jacket or raincoat
4–5 pairs of pyjamas, a mix of short and long
2 sun hats
1 rashie and swimmers
2 pairs of shoes: one everyday, one sandal
Daycare kid? Add a few extra tees and bottoms to the pile. They will come home wearing paint, sand and possibly someone else's lunch. This is not the moment for the fancy linen set.
3 to 5 years (sizes 3 to 5–6)
Welcome to the age of Big Opinions. You can buy seven tees. They will wear one. It has a shark on it and it is non-negotiable.
7 tees (see above)
2–3 long-sleeve tops
5 shorts, skirts or leggings
2–3 pairs of pants or jeans
2–3 dresses or "good" outfits
2 jumpers or hoodies
1 jacket
4 pairs of pyjamas
2 hats, because one lives permanently in the kinder bag
1 rashie and swimmers
2 pairs of shoes
Our advice is to lean in. Find out what they're mad about this month (diggers, rainbows, Bluey, anything that glitters) and hunt down a couple of pieces they'll actually agree to put on. Pre-loved is brilliant for this. You find the quirky one-offs that aren't hanging in every shop, at prices that don't sting when the obsession moves on.
Spring extras worth grabbing early
Hats. The spring sun has more bite than it lets on, and hats have a habit of vanishing at the park. Shop hats
Lighter sleeping bags. For when the winter one turns bedtime into a sauna. Shop sleeping bags
Halloween and Christmas outfits. Worn once, photographed forty times, too small by next year. Possibly the best-value thing you can buy second-hand.
How to spot a great pre-loved find
Shopping pre-loved is a bit of a treasure hunt, which is half the fun. A few things we've learned along the way:
Read the condition notes. We check every piece before it's listed and tell you honestly what we see. Here's how we grade condition.
Back the brands that survive the wash. Seed, Country Road, Jamie Kay and Peter Alexander tend to look good after child number one, two and sometimes three.
When in doubt, size up. Sizing jumps around between brands, and a slightly roomy spring tee becomes a perfect summer one.
Shop by Jamie Kay | Peter Alexander
That box of too-small clothes in the hallway
You know the one. You've been stepping over it for a month. Trade in your pre-loved items for store credit and put it towards the next size up.
Ready to tick off the list?
New pieces land all the time, so have a rummage through what's just arrived. Shipping is free Australia-wide on orders over $120.
Happy hunting!