Well-intentioned Gifts...

my mom is really good about doing this. she does pay attention to the size most of the time. she buys shoes from garage sales. she brought back a pair of aweful neon green slip on, plat form, with bead work on the top, three sizes too big. I tossed those np at all. I dont stop her because she enjoys the shopping and finding deals. I donate what is still wearable and toss anything with holes or really ugly stains. 75% of what she buys is great the rest idk what she is thinking. I have suggested to her just to buy one pair of new shoes for the cost of all the grage sale shoes she gets. Dont feel guilt. They enjoy the shopping and if you cant kindly suggest they do something wiser with there money forward what you can to good will the rest toss.

If I didn't know any better, I'd think we're related....
I did exactly what you are thinking of doing, in that I saved those darn thrift store clothes for 4 years, also without much storage space, thinking it was going to save me some $$ in the long run....

In those 4 years, ALL the elastic deteriorated, stains that were never their just appeared, I guess they are like age spots and the styles and colors were just all wrong.

Have your daughter pick out a couple of things to keep. You can take them in simply with needle and thread, or belt. And give the rest away.

I would bring them to a local women's shelter without any guilt at all. I would also stop trying to convince her to stop buying things, because you know she won't listen. It gives her pleasure to buy things for the children she loves and the feeling she gets from giving the gifts probably gives her a rush too. And then of course the feel-good feelings she gets when you thank her. It's all addictive, really, and it's all much more powerful than the poo-pooing of, "Oh, you shouldn't have, Marilyn. I wish you would stop spending money on us, really. You're too generous." All she hears is complimenting in all of that.

Go through and pick the nicest things that will fit the soonest and donate the rest.

Of course you can donate without guilt! I wouldn't feel bad at all...and you can't stop her, either, because that will make HER feel bad.

What I would do is go through the clothes and ask yourself what you actually like. If you like it...keep it. Trust me, it won't take 4 years for your child to grow into a 6 unless she's an infant!! My two year old is in 5's right now, and she's really not that big. However, when I come across a situation like that...I go through the clothes, and if I don't like something, I get rid of it. Too many times have I held on to a really hideous outfit that I KNEW I would never put on my child...out of guilt...and now I have taken ownership of my closets and it feels really good.

What a nice relative, though...something to be thankful for on Thanksgiving. Maybe give her a call to let her know you love her, and then go ahead and (secretly) get rid of what you don't want...no guilt!!

Try to find one thing in the box that you like to set aside and donate the rest with a clear conscience. If she ever asks, you can honestly say that they don't fit yet but she will wear it when she get big enough. Others will benefit hers and your generosity.

Sometimes w have to put a smile on our face say Thank You & move on.I would donate them I would not feel quilty at all do it all the time not my fault I tell them the size they are into & end up getting them too small that we can't use them.I do it every year

Since she is buying at garage sales, she is paying very low prices for the clothes. Don't worry about trying to get her not to buy them. What she is doing is thinking about you and your kids, keeping herself busy, getting out among people, and enjoying herself. Actually it's cheap therapy, T.! She needs this outlet.

You don't really need the clothes, so yes, give the bulk of them to Goodwill. She may come across some "gems", so just keep those if you are of a mind to do so.

I never feel guilt when I give to Goodwill. I always consider that someone else will reap the benefit of something that I don't or no longer benefit from.

Dawn

I would keep maybe one or two things that she may fit into first that are cute and feel free to donate the rest. Then when she CAN fit into the ones she sent, be sure to take a picture and send it to her. She may not remember buying it, but will appreciate seeing her in it. Just write something like "I just had to let you see how cute Sally looks in the sweater you bought for her!" or something like that.

Yes, you can donate them without guilt.
Just think of it this way, someone else could really need them instead of being wasted and taking up space in your house.
You have no idea how many items, still with tags on them I donate to the crisis nursery.
We really do not need all the stuff we get.
Although I greatly appreciate it, I know other people can find way better use of it.

I don't know if you can donate to a shelter or church. I have even given away clothes at the end of a garage sale and placed ads on Craigslist for free giveaways. I never donate to Salvation Army or Goodwill-personal choice.
I think her heart is in the right place. I think it's super sweet that she tries. I also see nothing wrong with donating things you can't use or need. Don't tell her anything-no need. Smile, be gracious when accepting her gifts, and donate. :)

Somebody needs those clothes now. Donate and make someone else's day.

Your give-aways may be what God has intended for someone else, so no guilt, you are setting them free.

Of course you could donate them without guilt. It would be so far worst to keep something you can't use, and somebody else could. Besides, some things you find cute today, can become a what -was-I-thinking item in four years.
As for your relative's gifts, let her. Then keep what you can, donate anything else.

Toss them- no guilt.

There's really no "polite" way to tell her about the gifting. You could try offering to buy something for each child if she would let you know a budget. That way she won't have to shop and ship. Make it sound like you are doing HER a favor.

My mom did this with my great aunt after years of really strange gifts that ended up in the trash. Now she sends my mother money for each of the grands and great grands with a note about what she would like mom to buy the kids. This year she wants to get them all books, so we made book suggestions to my mom will buy those, wrap them and my great aunt will reap the benefit of the "YES!" when the kids open the exact thing they wanted. It's a win-win.