Take inventory: Choose a day before you begin to shop and go through your kid's clothes to see what you can salvage from last year, said Nina Restieri, founder of momAgenda.com.

Prepare an inventory sheet by dividing a sheet of paper into four columns with the child's name, the article of clothing, the quantity you have and how many you need to buy. Then, remove everything from your child's closet and drawers, have him or her try on each piece of clothing. You may surprised by what you already have.