Tips from the Consignment Sale Guru- Part Two

Tonight is the night! I am so excited about our semi-annual consignment sale!
I've got my big rolling clothes hamper ready, my snacks will be packed and I've got my running shoes on.
I feel like it's the wedding dress sale in Boston- only I will wear MUCH more than a bikini {thankfully} and will not have the stress of a wedding afterwards. Just the sweet reward of cheap, used clothes!

So, in conjunction with the big event, I decided to link to Oh Amanda's Top Ten List and share my Top 10 Tips for Becoming a Consignment Sale Warrior. Think Xena... with a laundry basket and measuring tape. {You also might want to read Part 1 of this series for the complete training.}

: : : : : : :

This post was originally published on February 24, 2009.

Tonight was the workers sale night at my favorite local kids consignment sale.
This night happens twice a year and I REALLY look forward to it.

As in, it ranks higher than a girls night out.
Or maybe even a movie date. With chocolate cake afterwards.
Yes. It’s that good.

So, with my vast experience and knowledge at SOMETHING {I’m kind of embarrassed that this is what it is}, here are 10 easy steps to become a Consignment Sale Warrior:

Before the Sale
1. Sign up to work.
Most sales have volunteers that staff the receiving item times, the public sale times and the closing times. Look online for your local websites and talk to other moms. This is the BEST way to get the best deals; shopping first is a huge advantage and is totally worth it.

2. Get the appropriate gear.
You will need either a very large clothes hamper or a large garbage can. Wheels are really important. If you would like to go ghetto consignment sale warrior, you can use a clothes hamper with a belt looped around the handle to drag it from place to place. Oh, yes. I saw that A LOT tonight.

3. Case the joint.
If you consign at the sale or work when consignors are bringing in their goods, try to figure out which sections will have clothes, accessories, books, etc- whatever you are looking for. It’s best to know where you’re going before you get there with other crazies shoppers.

4. Find another warrior princess.
There is a HUGE power in numbers and if you have 1-2 friends who will also be there, it is much more fun and you can get someone else’s opinion on whether or not that item is worth $3.

5. Suck up.
I always ask my kids’ pre-school teachers what they are in need of in their classroom and let them know that I get to shop first.Tonight I got some big trucks for Ollie’s classroom and some train tracks and trains for Henry’s classroom. I think this might buy my kids a few more days out of time out. Or at least let them get away with one little push on the playground.

During the Sale
6. Know your priorities.
Try to get to your #1 area as soon as possible and work your way down your list. I always go to clothes first unless I need a specific item {like a video baby monitor or double stroller} and I start with the older child’s clothes. There are ALWAYS more clothes in the younger sections {they aren’t as hard on them and have many more clothes, usually to begin with} and my youngest has hand-me-downs. Then I go to shoes, then toys, puzzles, videos and anything else cool.

7. Stockpile your purse.
I know you’ll think I’m kidding, but I bring food and water for snack/ dinner. After 2 hours of throwing elbows and judging the value of Faded Glory {Wal-Mart} vs. Circo {Target} elastic shorts, you need a little boost of energy. I packed a PB & J and some chips. And I was not ashamed to chomp away while sorting clothes {Helloooo, hand sanitizer?}. One mom came close by me and told me it smelled good.

No, I did not share.

8. Have a network.
Start asking the people in your size zone if you can look through their “leftovers” after they are done. Most people get a big pile of things they might like, then they go through and only keep their final purchases. Ask around- especially if you see that other mom snatching all the cute stuff.

9. Know your sizes and brands.
Some people bring a tape measure and have their kids measurements written down {kids aren’t allowed at our worker’s sale}. Some even trace their kid’s foot around a piece of cardboard and bring that to fit in shoes. I just wing it. If it doesn’t fit one child, it will most likely fit the other. And if all else fails and it doesn’t fit either, I can always re-sell it, right?
Try to remember the basics like:
* Gymboree runs big and Polo runs small.
* They only paid $4 for that George shirt at Wal-Mart, so you should not buy it for $8.
* You'll need that Spiderman shirt later to talk your child out of the house to a birthday party or piano lesson, so go ahead and get it now for $4.

You probably know if your child will fit larger in shirts than pants or vice versa. Or if you will use these clothes for the next 7-8 months, like I will, buy your current size and the next size up.

10. Don’t forget special occasions!
If you have a wedding or family pictures or a 4th of July party coming up this summer {edited to add: for fall, I always get Halloween costumes and think of Christmas, too!}, go ahead and stock up while the getting’s good. And don't forget swimsuits and dress up costumes.
Cheap is the name of the game, so go for it!

I'm not done! You get an extra tip!

11. Scour the goods.
I have been burned a time or 2 with a shirt that had a stain on the back or a well placed tag was covering it. Also check the size of each item if several are together and the front and back of each if there is a combo on one hanger. I do love a matching shorts outfit, so I tend to lean towards those, but be sure to check it out.

If I had to have an 12, it would be to bring sharp elbows and a smile. The smile will hide what your sharp elbows can do!

Hope this helps and good luck this season at your local consignment sales. They are a great way to help other moms and get some great clothes much cheaper than buying retail!

: : : : : : :

OK, do you participate in your local sales?
What's your favorite find?

Consignment Sale Warrior- Part Deux

Because I'm fancy like that. Whilst discussing second hand clothing.

After this post about shopping at consignment sales, several folks asked about my tips for selling items, so I'll be happy to share those, too!
Again, I'm thrilled to be an expert at something, just embarrassed that this is it!

The main person that asked me about this was my childhood next door neighbor, Alana. She was {and still is} one of the coolest people I know. She was a cheerleader in high school and taught the cheer clinics {I attended, of course}, she babysat us and she drove.

Could she get much cooler, you ask?

Why yes, she can. One of my favorite childhood memories of her is watching her bleach her jeans. She was outside in the yard between our houses {near where home plate usually was} and had a bottle of bleach that she was flinging across her jeans back and forth to the tune of "Red, Red Wine" that was blasting out of the boom box {yes, big and silver}. I am literally snorting laughing at this memory! I can't hear Red, Red Wine without thinking about it- which is a tad more often than one might think.

Aaahh. The 80s. Good times.

Back to the consigning, here are some sure fire tips to SELL your crapola fine used items.

1. Plan Ahea...

Or plan ahead. It will usually take MUCH longer than you think to get your items prepped for selling. Especially if you most likely have children {previous wearers of said clothes} around that are big time suckers.

2. Read all the instructions for your sale. Then read again.

Most are very particular about what position on the hangers the clothes should be, what type of clothes/ toys are accepted, what the maximum number accepted is and what specific numbers should be where (price, size, consignor number bar code). This is all for a reason and once you go through the whole sale process once you'll understand it all. Or else it will take you 4 times like, *ahem* me.

3. Become an Iron Maiden

Iron absolutely everything. Except maybe the toys.

It's all about presentation {see below}. And it covers up the pilled shirts pretty well.

4. The Price is Right

A good rule of thumb is to not price anything over 1/3 of what you would pay retail for it (and most of the time I go cheaper depending on how worn it is). I think you have to know the clothes and what they’re worth, but consider if you would rather have $4 or have it back in your house. You will almost always make more money in a consignment sale than at a yard sale, so think of those prices in comparison.

5. Getting Labeled
If you can do labels on the computer, then do that; they are much easier to read. And use big font.
If you hand write them, just make them easy to read and I always add extra info- like “great for grandma's” or “super cute for school pictures” or “only pooped in once” {wait- you could possibly leave that last one off}.
Just think about what the shopper would be thinking. Also, if it fits like a 4, but is a size 5, write “fits like a 4” and then make sure it’s placed in the 4s. Several things don’t get sold because they are in the wrong area and everybody that picks it up will think, “that looks small”, but nobody will move it!
Think like a shopper. The best way to do that is to actually BE a shopper first, so hopefully you can do that, too.

6. Presenting My Used Junk.

Presentation is key. Group outfits together and make sure the top and bottom are clearly shown. If you have a minimum price {ours is $3}, and your item is not worth that much, then group with a like item. Don't try to hide a crummy piece with a nice one, though. That's just frustrating. What are these Faded Glory pajama bottoms doing with this Polo shirt??

Speaking of grouping, pin everything more than you ever think you’d need to. Go ahead and buy the 300 pack of safety pins. The clothes and hangers get a lot of action and things can fall off easily.

7. A Little Some-pin' Special

If you are going to collect your things that don’t sell, put a sticker or stamp in a different place on the sale card {that’s not obtrusive to the instructions} as an identifier- like a gold star or a Mickey Mouse stamp. This makes it really easy to sort and find your clothes if you are going to pick up any that don’t sell {or most places donate them if you don’t pick them up}. If you know you're going to donate any thing that doesn't sell, then you can skip this step. And really, people, do you want it back in your house to begin with? Come on. Let it go. You can do it.

Hope you enjoyed my tips for selling! Let me know if you have others!

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

I forgot to show you pictures of the whole experience and my "haul" from the other night.

Here are all the other moms who work the sale waiting anxiously to get at that used apparel. Notice the garbage bins and huge laundry baskets with wheels. There is no playing around here.

Here is a shot of the little girls clothing. There are racks and racks like this. You lucky people with girls! I wouldn't know my bloomers from my brain squishers {or headbands- whatever you call them}. Here is some of the baby gear and a general idea of what the whole place looks like. You can't see the majority, but know it's like a big warehouse of used goods heaven.
Here are all the clothing items I got for the boys. Ollie's stack is the biggest on the left there, but since Henry has all his hand-me-downs you can see I didn't get him much. At all. Poor kid. Then I set up this shot of most of the toys that had gotten and FORGOT {like an idiot!} to take it down before the kids got up from nap. I was literally shoving things under the sofa when we were coming downstairs, but they still thought it was Christmas. Fun times, but I wanted to spread out the giving of the toys. Oh well. I'll hide some. They'll just cry a little.
Any more consignment questions? Ask away!

Here's to a little Red, Red Wine and come great cheap clothes. I hope none of them are bleached.

Consignment Sale Junkie

I am such a consignment sale junkie. They had me at "consignment".

There is a huge one in Huntsville every year that is my favorite. It's called Kids Kloset and it's held twice a year- spring/ summer and fall/ winter.

If you have never participated in one of these, here is the low down: there is a huge warehouse type facility with clothes (galore), toys, jackets (at this sale), equipment and anything baby/ child there. People package and price their own items, drop them off and you (the public) come and buy them. The secret is to work the sale as a volunteer to get the first pick of all the items. That's what I do at this sale every year and it continues to be the best thing. I LOVE IT!!!

So, last night was the worker's sale and it was thrilling, as usual.

{On a side note- I took the Flu Mist yesterday with my kiddos, so I had a bit of a headache, but worked through it on adrenaline and full blown Coke- no Diet wimpy stuff. Harris is too young for the mist and actually has to have 2 shots a month apart, so that's why were were in relatively early in the season.}

It's a little embarrassing to tell you how much I ended up spending, but I did get all of Owen's clothes for the season. I REALLY do not do much other shopping, so to knock it out in 3 hours is wonderful. So, just fill in the blank here ___ as to what you think would be a ridiculous amount to spend and that's probably close. But here are some of my finds:

Piles ...



And piles of clothes for Owen:

A sit and stand stroller- brand new- so excited!!

I also got tons of toys, Thomas stuff and goodies that were already properly hidden this morning in closets put away for Christmas.

What about this little guy, you ask?

Well, he happens to have a closet full of hand me downs that will fit- Praise the Lord!!- so I told myself he wasn't getting anything.

Until I saw this beautiful little number. It's some fancy name brand that I can't remember right now, but it is much more adorable in real life. And this is the only clothing that Harris got, poor second child. But, if you think about it, he'll have those other stacks of clothes in 2 years!

So, I've got to work the next couple of days to "pay for" my shot to shop early and get all these clothes with tags on them for $3!!! Totally worth it, don't you think?