It is the season of missing mittens and other lost winter gear, especially for school-age children. Since this is also the hectic holiday season, we’ve done the legwork and put together a few simple tips that might help.
- Label Everything. Now this might not keep them from misplacing mitts, gloves, hats, and scarves, but, if labeled, missing items will typically find their way back to your home a little easier. Don’t forget to include a contact number and they just might bypass the lost and found altogether.
- Attach Mittens/Gloves. Whether you do it yourself or buy something readymade, attach your child’s winter hand wear to their coat. Luckily, some coats also come with buttons or clips for just that purpose. Still, it is pretty easy to do yourself. We found a great page with a few different ideas to keep your kittens from losing their mittens. Of course there is also the string option: Use a piece of yarn to attach gloves or mittens to one another, and then thread them through the sleeves of a coat.
- Keep Organized. Sometimes the kids can lose their winter gear at home. Keeping a basket for hats and mittens near the door, as well as having a specified spot for everyone’s coat, boots, and other winter essentials will help keep things from getting misplaced and also cut down on the confusion when getting ready to leave in the mornings. To save some space, you could try hanging a clear shoe rack over the back of the coat closet door and label each pocket for the appropriate hats, gloves, and scarves.
- Spring Sales. Mark your calendar to shop spring sales on winter wear. This can be the perfect time to stock up on hats, mittens, scarves, and items that are typically one-size-fits-all. While it won’t help with pieces going missing, it means that you’ll have replacements at the ready in a pinch.
- Go Bright. This might help with cases of ‘mistaken identity.’ Rather than the stylish black coat which five or six other students might also have, opt for the vibrant yellow or teal green option. The more unique the item, the less likely it is to be confused with everyone else’s.
Remember: Dress in layers. Stay warm. Have a wonderful winter.
