How to Help Prevent Lost Clothing and Personal Items Before Sending Your Children to School, Camp, or Daycare

You don’t need me to tell you that being a parent is a full-time job with lots of overtime hours! All the same, there are things you can do to make it easier on yourself, especially before you send your children off to school, daycare, camp, or somewhere else away from home for the first time.

It’s overwhelming for young minds, and losses and mix-ups with clothing and other personal items are nearly inevitable. All the same, you can establish routines, instill good habits, use clothing name labels, and prepare the best you can.

Here are some things you can do to help prevent the loss of clothing and other personal items when sending your kids off to school, daycare, or elsewhere.

1. Dress Appropriately (Extra Items Tend to Get Lost)

It’s tempting to send your child off with every conceivable item of clothing he or she could possibly need throughout the day - that is, extra layers if it gets cold, a jacket for wind or rain, a pair of gloves, a hat, and so on and so forth.

The reality is if the situation doesn’t call for the extras, you should probably leave them at home. Unneeded items of clothing will probably be lost, especially if your children go to school or camp already wearing them. They may take them off as soon as they can - then forget them.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pack spares. You should send in extra pairs of socks and maybe a change of clothing (see below). Just pack it in a labeled bag.

2. No More Slide-On Shoes

Sliders, slip-on shoes, and other open-toed shoes might be cute, but they are all too easy to lose, especially since kids can take them off easily.

Sneakers that lace up and are not easy to undo and remove are much more appropriate.

Plus, not only are slide-on shoes all too easy to lose, but when removed or worn improperly, they can become a tripping hazard, which is not good for your children or your children's classmates or camp mates.

Stick with lace-up or more kid-appropriate footwear.

3. Limit Jewelry and Toys

Your child might want to take several knick-knacks, toys, or other personal items to school or camp, but it’s not always the best idea to indulge these desires. They’re easy to lose and it’s frustrating to a child when that happens - as I’m sure it is to you, too. That’s not even to mention that your child’s teacher, camp counselor, or another supervisor might have a policy against bringing them in the first place.

Also, it’s generally a good idea to limit jewelry, as these items can be expensive and like toys and other personal items, can be easily lost or broken.

4. Use Clothing Name Labels as Appropriate

Using appropriate clothing name labels can also help prevent you from losing your child’s clothing, and if it does get lost, labels improve the chances that they’ll make their way back to you.

We offer both stick-on (Peel ‘n Stix) and Iron-on clothing name labels (as well as shoe labels). Our Peel ‘n Stix labels are semi-permanent and our iron-on labels bond smoothly with the fabric and are perfect for those with sensitive skin. Our stick-on name labels can also be applied to metal, plastic, glass and paper, so they’re not just great for clothing and school uniforms, but for other school supplies like folders and lunch boxes.

Both our and iron-on and stick on name labels for clothing are washer and dryer safe (in the case of stick on, just wait at least 24 hours before laundering). Both are also available in a number of sizes, colors, shapes, and cute designs, so we have label options that will meet your needs and your taste preferences.

5. Establish Routines and Make Checklists

Routines establish patterns which will make it easier for children to help keep track of responsibilities. They’re great for both parents and children.

Doing the same thing over and over will also make it easier to remember, and making checklists will help children categorize what they have and where it should be. You can include a copy of the checklists or routines you create for your children to take with them in a backpack or folder.

It doesn't guarantee they’ll reference it throughout the day, but at least the option will be there!

6. Remind Them to Follow those Routines and Check those Checklists!

Once you establish routines and determine what to include with checklists (if you do) it doesn’t hurt to provide some helpful, friendly reminders. Quite the opposite - it’s a good idea to do so.

Young minds can be overwhelmed by constant changes and new responsibilities. Reminding them to check their belongings or asking if they’ve completed any routine tasks will help establish consistency.

Pack an Extra Set of Clothing as a Courtesy just in Case

A final word of wisdom. While one of the pointers in this list is to dress kids appropriately, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t include a change of clothes. If it’s packed away nicely and labeled appropriately, it’ll be harder to get lost, and it’ll still be there as a backup if your children have any spills or accidents at school.