I used to return everything I bought from Target. I thought it was the ultimate parenting hack — I was wrong.

The author (not pictured) used to return everything she bought at Target.

Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times

• For years, I've been returning most items I bought at Target.
• I thought the hack was ridding my house of clutter and keeping my spending low.
• But my kid made me feel ashamed of the hack, and I realized I was misusing a loophole.

It all started with matching family outfits.

I wanted a family portrait in which my family of seven wore similar outfits — some combo of pink and white.