I spent a few days this week getting ready for an upcoming consignment sale. I always like to know what we have on hand and what we need. Yard saling goes way back in my family. Like all the way to my mother… ha! We love a good bargain and aren’t ashamed of it. When Natalie was a baby I realized there are also consignment sales put on by area preschools and mom groups. They’re priced a little higher than yard sales, but are great when you’re outfitting multiple children and don’t have time to rely on weekly yard saling trips. Here are a few tips I posted several years ago on getting the most out of your consignment sale shopping. Things really haven’t changed much.
1. Take a list to stay on task. A huge gymnasium and several adjoining rooms full of stuff and filled with several hundreds shoppers can be overwhelming.
2. To make your list, go through your child’s clothing for the upcoming season (most sales only accept that season’s clothing with another sale in the fall for winter clothes). Write down what they own, and what they need. This is your shopping list.
3. Have a game plan. Figure out what you need the most and hit that area first. Most consignment sales have items organized into categories. I’ve found the larger the clothing size, the harder it is to find good condition and pricing, so I go to Natalie’s section first.
4. Grab it right away if you are on the fence about it. You can always put it back. However, with that many shoppers, it is likely not to be there if you decide a few minutes later you really do want it.
5. Don’t buy things that aren’t on your list unless you really think your kids would be gaga over it. It’s easy to see things at drastically reduced prices and buy it just because it’s a deal. These are the things you’ll be getting rid of next year because your kids don’t play with them.
6. Remember there is more than one consignment sale! Don’t get discouraged if you don’t find everything you need. There will be more sales – we have at least 5 within 25 minutes of my house if not more throughout the spring, and that number triples if you are willing to drive 45 minutes.
One thing to keep in mind about consignment sales is that the prices are higher than yard sale prices. There is overhead for the group organizing the sale, a profit to go toward their group (which is why they hold the sale!), and the percentage for the consigner. This could deter some folks from hitting these sales. However, when you can clothe your children in one day instead of trudging out week after week to hit-or-miss yard sales, it makes it more reasonable to pay the $5 for the dress instead of waiting for a $3 dress.
Okay, those are my tips. Happy shopping!
(c) 2016 Leighann Marquiss