10 Tips for Children’s Consignment Sale Success – Shopping

{Part 1 can be found HERE}

Let’s not waste any more time and jump right in where we left off!

5.  Look for your favorite brands

Most of us have our favorite brands that we love for one reason or another.  Most often, they are my favorites because they fit my children well and they are known to hold up for a long time.  I have purchased items for my children that were 8 years old and I would never have known – crazy!  When I’m scouring digging through the racks and racks of clothing, I always give a second glance to my favorite brands.  I may not pick up or buy every item I see of that brand, but I make a point to look at them because I know they usually work well for us.

Related:  Favorite Children’s Clothing Brands

6.  Look over each item carefully

Make sure you look over your items for stains and tears.  Keep this in mind when you are deciding whether you want to purchase that item.  If the prices are good, sometimes I don’t mind buying slightly stained pajamas.  Or, if something is super cute, sometimes I’m willing to buy it anyway and see if I can get a tiny stain out at home.

Don’t forget to double check sizes as well.  Sometimes the sizes on the price tags are not the sizes of the actual item.  I have forgotten to do this on occasion and have ended up buying an outfit with the correct size shirt but a smaller pair of pants.  It’s important to know what you are getting so you are not surprised or disappointed when you get home.

Related:  My Favorite Laundry Stain Remover

7.  If you aren’t sure about an item, grab it anyway

Sometimes this can get me into trouble when I get to tip #8, but I tend to ere on the side of grabbing too many items.  When you find a lot of nice things, sometimes it can be hard to remember how many sets of pajamas you already have in your hand or whether you like one dress enough to buy it at that price.  Grab them anyway.  My philosophy is that you can always put them back later once you have made your final decisions.

8.  Review the items in your bag before proceeding to the checkout

Once I’ve made my pass through each section, I find an area as far away from people as I can where I can sort through my items one final time {yes, I am THAT girl!}.  I like to make piles so I can then see how much of each type of item I have and can make any final decisions from there.  Sometimes I end up with way too many dresses and not nearly enough pajamas, or vice versa.  I also pull out my calculator so I can also see how much damage I’ve done and eliminate the items I don’t want/need anymore.

9.  Take a deep breath and be patient

Most of the time, the folks at the sales I shop are wonderful.  They are either laid back people or have shopped enough consignment sales that they understand what they are getting into.  When you walk in and have a tendency to be overwhelmed, take a deep breath and start slowly.  If you really struggle with crowds and chaos, you may even try shopping during the pre-sale preview {usually this is for volunteers or folks who are willing to pay a small fee to shop before the public}or pick a time in the late morning or just before they close when the crowds are likely to be smaller.

10. Have FUN!

Take this opportunity to enjoy outfitting your children.  They will be wearing these clothes for a while, so try to have some fun with it.  If you are like me and enjoy shopping anyway, this should be no problem.  But, if shopping is not your thing, just think of how cute your little one(s) will be when they are wearing the items you are selecting!  That will surely put a smile on your face.  Bring a friend if you can too.  I think it’s always more fun to shop with a friend {and maybe they can help hold your bag}.  🙂

For Extra Savings:
– consign your own items
– volunteer to work the sale (you get to shop a day early or sometimes get coupons or credits)
– come back later in the sale once markdowns begin