I love to dress my daughter! I'm definitely one of those moms who enjoys putting together cute outfits for my little girl. At the same time, I am definitely not one of those moms who drops big bucks on all brand name and brand new clothing that my child will likely stain and then outgrow in like, three minutes.
I have a few secrets for spending very little to dress my girl in adorable clothing:
- Shop the clearance rack first.
- Hit the end of season sales to buy for the next year. I store the new clothing in plastic bins on a shelf in my daughters closet for easy access when they are needed.
- Community yard sales in nice neighborhoods.
- More ideas here.
- And my favorite... children's consignment events!
A consignment event is different than a consignment store. I prefer the events because there is almost always a much MUCH larger selection, the prices are often lower, and I am one of those people who enjoys the excitement of a big event.
Consignment events are held all over the country. I recommend a few things to find good events in your area:
- Google it!
- Ask other parent friends for recommendations.
- Write a post on Facebook asking for suggestions.
At a recent consignment event I paid $56 for all of this:
That is 1 dress, 2 new swimming suits, 1 rash guard, 3 pair of shorts, 3 pair of capri pants, 2 skirts, 6 shirts, 1 jacket, 1 rain coat, and an assortment of books and games. These clothes included brands like Nautica, Tommy Hilfiger, Carters, and others. The whole lot could have easily cost me more than $300 if each item were brand new. $56 for all was a steal!
A few months ago I made an impulse purchase of a shirt for my daughter at Old Navy. The super cute white shirt on the right (below) was purchased new at Old Navy on sale for $12.50. The equally adorable shirt on the left was purchased at a consignment event just weeks later for $3.00. Oops! Well, anyhow... we now have two almost identical shirts in case one get's stained!
My tips for shopping consignment events:
- Bring a friend! Shopping together with someone else will make the experience more fun.
- Visit the website of the consignment event you'll be shopping and read over all of the instructions thoroughly. Make sure you know the answers to the following questions before you attend:
- Where do you park?
- Is admission to the event free?
- Can you bring children, strollers, etc.?
- Can/should you bring your own shopping bags?
- What forms of payment are accepted?
- Are there early admission options available?
- I love the large utility totes from Thirty One for shopping consignment events.
- If at all possible, try to get someone to watch your kids so you can shop the event without them. Soooo much easier!
- Before the event, make a list of items you want to look for and refer to that list often while you shop to keep you on track.
- Bring cool bottled water in case you get thirsty.
- Dress in layers so you're comfortable if the event venue is too warm or too cold.
- Always get to the event when it first opens to try to get the best selection.
- Also shop the final day of the sale when prices are usually reduced.
The other side of consignment events is the way you can make money by selling your stuff. It's a fabulous option to clean out your kids closets and offset your cost as you get them new clothing, books, and toys. In fact, I've participated in consignment events where I've sold unneeded items, purchased a new wardrobe of clothing for my daughter, and still made some money on top of that. Awesome!
Most consignment events offer special perks for consignors (besides money!) such as early shopping, which is awesome because you get first pick of everything.
My tips for selling at a consignment event:
- Make sure all items are completely clean and stain or tear free.
- When pricing your items, think "would I pay this amount for this?" Generally items at an event like this should be priced at less than 25% of their original cost. Even new items with original tags still attached should be priced low so they sell.
- Print your price tags on lightweight cardstock. Regular printer paper is too thin and can easily rip off.
- Consider volunteering to work a shift at the event to capitalize on any extra profit percentages, discounts, or early shopping that is offered to workers.
- Use large safety pins to attach price tags to clothing. See the picture below as the example. The small safety pin on the right is lousy, the one on the left is a little better, and the large pin on the top is perfect.
- Save kids size hangers that you don't need so you have them for hanging your clothing for consignment.
Do you have a favorite children's consignment event? Tell me about it in the comments!
Have a great day!
