Consignment Sales for Kids | A Way for Wichita Moms to Save

My little guy just turned two, and one hallmark for us with the passing seasons is the spring and fall consignment sales. It’s amazing to go through old clothes and reflect on where we will be over the course of the next season.

Consignment sales are when a group of moms come together with their gently used items and sell them to other moms (or dads, or grandparents, etc.). The nice thing is you don’t have to physically be there while the selling is going on! You simply prepare your items, check them in and then pick up your items that did not sell (or donate them) and your check!

It’s an opportunity to clear your kids’ closets and make some cash at the same time. And you can also save money by buying from the sale as well. Most of my son’s wardrobe for each upcoming season is purchased at a local consignment sale, {and usually funded by the items I just sold!}

Sometimes walking into a big sale for the first time (or sixth!) can be overwhelming. But I promise they can be fun!

Here are some tips for buying:

• Make a list of what you need.

Same principle as going to the grocery store with a list. If you don’t, you’ll forget things or end up buying what you don’t need. Trust me, learned from experience!

• Bring a laundry basket, or something to carry everything in.

I prefer my laundry basket over a big bag – talk about painful shoulders! {Bonus points if your basket has wheels on it.}

• Pick first, choose the keepers later.

There are usually sorting stations at the sale and you can put things back afterwards. I pluck everything off the rack that is a good maybe and then choose the ones I am actually going to buy after I’m done browsing.

• Leave your kiddos at home.

Measure them, make a list and leave them at home if possible. It’s easier on everyone, and you can focus on the sale. But if you can’t find a babysitter, it’s not the end of the world – I’ll probably have my son with me too.

Ready to try your hand at consigning? You can do it!

Here are some tips for selling:

• Have a consignment bin year round.
  

As my son outgrows things (toys, clothes, etc.) they go into the consignment bin in his closet. Then, when it’s time to get ready for the next sale, I just go through his closet and drawers quickly and bring out the bin.

• Plan ahead by preparing with the right supplies.

Don’t wait to the last minute or you will make yourself miserable. I find that once I get started, it’s not so bad. As long as I get my supplies (safety pins, hangers, tags, tape and a marker) ready with my consignment bin, it’s a simple weekend project and all is ready to be checked in at the sale.

• Prep all clothing outfits/hangered items first.

Lay out all your items and organize by size, grouping them together for how you want them sold (1 shirt, 1 pair of pants together, etc.) Then put them on hangers and pin them. This way you can rearrange items as needed.

If the thought of tagging and prepping your items has you giving up already, you could see if your local consignment sale has an option for them to do the prep work for you in exchange for a smaller commission of the sales. Each sale has different rules and procedures for everything from the sale fees and commission rates to the way the hangers should face, so make sure to read through the rules and procedures to make sure you are consigning correctly.

If you have never bought or sold at a kid’s consignment sale, now is your time to try one as spring consignment season is here!

Rhea Lana’s (Greater Wichita and West Wichita)

Kid’s Closet Connection

Mulberry Bush Consignment

Consigning mamas – do you have any buying or selling tips to add?

*this article was originally written in March 2015