What to Do with Outgrown Baby & Kids' Clothes in Australia

If your child has outgrown yet another size, you may be staring at a pile of perfectly good baby and children's clothes wondering what to do with them.

In Australia, there are plenty of options. You can sell them, donate them to a charity shop, pass them on to another family, swap them with other parents, use a children's clothing resale service, or recycle garments that are no longer suitable to wear.

The right choice depends largely on three things: the condition of the clothing, how much time you want to spend dealing with it, and whether you'd like to receive something for it.

Here's a practical look at the main ways to re-home outgrown baby and children's clothing in Australia, including the pros and cons of each.

1. Sell Your Outgrown Baby & Children's Clothes

If your children's clothes are still in good condition, selling them gives you the opportunity to recover some of what you originally spent.

There are several ways to do this. You can sell individual garments yourself through online marketplaces, create bundles of clothing in the same size, sell at a children's market, or use a children's clothing resale service.

Generally, doing more of the work yourself gives you greater control over the selling price. The trade-off is the time involved in photographing clothes, creating listings, communicating with buyers, arranging pickups or packing and posting orders.

Pros

• You can recover some of the money originally spent on the clothing
• Good-quality clothing gets another opportunity to be worn
• You control the price when selling items yourself
• Higher-value and sought-after pieces can be worth selling individually

Cons

• Individual selling can be time-consuming
• Lower-value garments may not justify the effort involved
• You may need to deal with questions, negotiation and pickup arrangements
• Anything that doesn't sell still needs another destination

If selling is the option you're considering, we've compared the different approaches in our guide to the best places to sell secondhand baby and children's clothes in Australia.

2. Donate to Charity Shops (Op Shops)

Donating wearable children's clothing to a charity shop can be one of the simplest ways to pass it on.

Australian organisations such as Vinnies, The Salvation Army, Australian Red Cross and Lifeline operate op shops that may accept good-quality baby and children's clothing.

Acceptance policies can vary between organisations and locations, so it's worth checking what your local store currently accepts before dropping off a large quantity.

Pros

• Supports charitable organisations and their work
• Provides another opportunity for usable clothing to be worn
• No need to photograph, price or sell individual garments
• Usually straightforward if you have a suitable donation location nearby

Cons

• You don't receive payment for the clothing
• Not every shop can accept every type of item
• Damaged, stained or excessively worn clothing may not be suitable for donation
• Poor-quality donations can create additional sorting and disposal work for charities

Best for

Good-condition clothing that you'd like to give away without spending time selling it.

3. Charity Donation Bins

Clothing donation bins can be a convenient alternative when you can't easily visit an op shop during opening hours.

However, not every clothing bin is operated by a charity, and different operators accept different items. Check the information displayed on the bin before depositing anything.

Pros

• Convenient locations in many areas
• Often accessible outside normal shop opening hours
• No selling or buyer communication involved

Cons

• Bins can sometimes be full or overflowing
• Clothing left outside a full bin can become wet or damaged
• Acceptance criteria vary between operators

Best for

Good-quality clothing you want to give away conveniently, provided you've checked who operates the bin and what they accept.

4. Commercially Operated Clothing Bins

Not every clothing collection bin is operated by a charity. Some are run by commercial organisations that collect clothing for resale, export, repurposing or recycling.

That doesn't necessarily make them a bad option, but it's worth understanding who operates the bin and what happens to the clothing you put into it.

Pros

• Can be conveniently located in shopping centres and car parks
• Some operators accept textiles beyond what a charity shop can resell
• May provide another route for unwanted clothing and textiles

Cons

• The operator may be a commercial business rather than a charity
• What happens to collected clothing can vary between operators
• Acceptance criteria differ

Best for

Clothing or textiles accepted by a particular operator when you've checked how its collection program works.

5. Pass Clothes on to Friends or Family

Hand-me-downs are one of the simplest ways to extend the life of children's clothing.

If you know a family with a younger child approaching the size your child has just outgrown, passing clothing directly to them avoids the need for a marketplace, charity or resale service altogether.

Pros

• Simple and personal
• No listing, postage or selling required
• You know where the clothing is going next
• Can help another family reduce the cost of children's clothing

Cons

• You need to know someone who wants the relevant sizes and styles
• You don't receive anything financially unless you arrange a private sale
• Not practical for every wardrobe clear-out

Best for

Families with friends or relatives whose children are a little younger or smaller.

6. Organise or Join a Clothes Swap

Clothes swaps allow parents to exchange outgrown clothing rather than buying and selling it.

You might organise one informally with friends or find swaps through parenting groups, schools, preschools or community organisations.

Pros

• Can refresh your child's wardrobe without spending much or any money
• Keeps usable clothing circulating locally
• No need to create individual sales listings
• Can be a useful community activity

Cons

• Requires enough participating families with complementary sizes
• You may not find clothing you actually need in return
• Quality and quantity can vary considerably

Best for

Groups of families with children across different ages and sizes.

7. Use a Children's Clothing Resale Service

If you'd like to receive something for good-quality outgrown clothing but don't want to sell every garment yourself, a children's clothing resale service provides another option.

These services vary considerably. Some operate on consignment and pay only after an item sells. Some accept only particular brands or categories. Others assess clothing upfront and take responsibility for selling accepted items themselves.

The trade-off is generally that you give up some of the potential return you might achieve by successfully selling everything yourself in exchange for saving time and effort.

Pros

• Less work than photographing and selling individual garments yourself
• No need to deal with multiple buyers
• Can be practical for a larger wardrobe clear-out
• Good-quality clothing remains in circulation

Cons

• You may receive less than you could potentially achieve through successful DIY selling
• Acceptance criteria apply
• Different services use different payment models
• Some services require you to wait until garments sell

Best for

Parents who would like to receive something for their outgrown clothing but place a high value on convenience and their time.

8. Daisy Chain Clothing's Outgrown Kit

The Daisy Chain Clothing Outgrown Kit is our own option for parents who would like to receive something for suitable outgrown baby and children's clothing without selling each garment themselves.

You order a Small, Medium or Large prepaid satchel, fill it with suitable clothing and send it back to Daisy Chain Clothing.

We assess each garment and determine its expected Daisy Chain Clothing selling price. Your payout is then calculated using our published payout rates, with a choice between cash or higher-value Daisy Chain Clothing credit.

Importantly, you don't have to wait for each individual garment to sell. Once the clothing has been assessed and its payout calculated, Daisy Chain Clothing takes responsibility for storing and selling the accepted items.

Pros

• No photographing and listing every garment yourself
• No dealing with individual buyers
• No arranging multiple pickups or posting individual orders
• Cash or higher-value Daisy Chain Clothing credit available
• No waiting for every individual garment to sell before your payout is calculated

Cons

• Selling desirable pieces yourself may produce a higher return
• The Outgrown Kit costs $24.95, including the prepaid return satchel
• Clothing must meet our acceptance criteria
• Low-value everyday garments may produce relatively small payouts

You can see the current payout structure, acceptance criteria and full details on our Sell Your Kids' Clothes page.

Too small for them. Still worth something.

9. Textile Recycling

Not every garment should be sold or donated.

Clothing with significant stains, holes, excessive wear or other damage may no longer be suitable for another child. Giving badly damaged clothing to a charity doesn't necessarily solve the problem — it may simply transfer the responsibility for disposing of it.

For clothing that genuinely can't be worn again, look for an appropriate textile recycling service or program.

Pros

• Provides an alternative for textiles that aren't suitable for reuse
• Can divert some textile material from general waste
• Some services accept items that charities and resale businesses cannot

Cons

• Availability varies by location
• Different programs accept different materials
• Some services charge fees
• Recycling should not replace reuse when clothing is still perfectly wearable

Best for

Clothing that has genuinely reached the end of its useful life as clothing.

Which Option Is Right for You?

There's no reason you need to use the same option for everything.

You might sell a valuable designer dress individually, put everyday basics into a bundle, pass favourite pieces to a younger relative, donate other good-quality clothes and recycle garments that are genuinely no longer wearable.

The most useful question isn't simply "How do I get rid of these clothes?" It's "Which next step makes the most sense for this particular clothing?"

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do with outgrown baby clothes in Australia?

If they're still in good wearable condition, the main options are to sell them, hand them down, donate them, swap them or use a children's clothing resale service. Clothing that is no longer suitable to wear may be better suited to textile recycling or repurposing.

Where can I donate baby clothes in Australia?

Many Australian charity shops accept clean, good-quality baby and children's clothing, although acceptance policies vary by organisation and location. Check with your local charity before making a large donation, particularly if you have items other than ordinary clothing.

Can I sell my kids' outgrown clothing instead of donating it?

Yes. You can sell clothing yourself through marketplaces, local groups or children's markets, or use a children's clothing resale service.

We've compared the main options in our guide to selling secondhand baby and children's clothes in Australia.

Can I send outgrown clothing to Daisy Chain Clothing?

Yes. The Daisy Chain Clothing Outgrown Kit allows you to send suitable baby and children's clothing to us in a prepaid satchel. We assess the clothing and calculate both a cash value and a higher Daisy Chain Clothing credit value. You don't need to wait for each individual garment to sell.

See our Outgrown Kit information and acceptance criteria before sending clothing.

What should I do with stained or damaged baby clothes?

If an item is no longer suitable for another child to wear, it generally shouldn't be donated as though it were reusable clothing. Depending on its condition and materials, repurposing or textile recycling may be more appropriate.

Should I donate or sell outgrown kids' clothes?

Neither option is automatically better.

Selling can recover some of the clothing's value but generally requires more time and effort. Donating is usually simpler and supports another organisation or family, but you don't receive payment.

A practical approach is to consider the likely value of the clothing alongside the amount of time you're willing to spend dealing with it.

Giving Outgrown Clothes Their Next Chapter

Children may grow out of their clothes quickly, but that doesn't mean the clothing has reached the end of its useful life.

Whether you sell it, hand it down, donate it, swap it or use a resale service, keeping good-quality children's clothing in circulation allows another family to use something your child no longer needs.

And when a garment really has reached the end of its wearable life, responsible recycling or repurposing can be a better final destination than simply putting it in the bin.

If you'd like to explore the selling options in more detail, read our guide to the best places to sell secondhand baby and children's clothes in Australia.