As I’ve mentioned before, I’m buried in outgrown kid clothes/stuff and am anxious to purge them (even though it is hard to let go a cute outfit like this one). Some of the clothes and gear I’ve already
passed on to friends
, but honestly there a lot of value still left in them and I’m reluctant to pass them all on without recouping some of cost. Any way about it, it’s going to take a big effort, but I want to be as efficient as possible and
get the most return for my time, energy and kid stuff
. Plus, any proceeds from my sale are earmarked as spending money for our Denmark trip, so I’ve got an incentive.
So, I had heard about
the Pass It On sale
from my friend Stacy, and was about to research it some more when I was on UrbanMamas and saw an ad for
Just Between Friends at the Portland Expo, April 30th – May 1st
. This one appealed to me more, since it’s on the MAX line, so I’ve signed up as a consignor and a volunteer.
My goal this spring was hold a huge yard sale, but honestly the idea of sitting around all weekend hawking kid stuff isn’t my idea of relaxation. I’ll probably still do a household porch sale, but at least I won’t be buried in kid stuff. Plus, I don’t really think I would be able to get the same volume of sales as at a huge consignment sale, like Just Between Friends.
Also, the idea of selling at consignment stores was even more daunting. I’ve taken a some clothes to Bella Stella, but out of several bags of high quality in season clothes, they took about a 1/2 bag. Then in order to get the credit I have to go back and shop within six months…which reminds me that I need to shop soon!
“Just between friends” if you’re interested in getting first look at some of my stuff, get in touch. Also, let me know if you’d like to shop together for sale itself.
Have you consigned, shopped or volunteered at a consignment sale?
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Sustainable Family Finances
The story of a family creating an abundant and sustainable life.
Good luck with the purging! I think that is the only real bonus of living in 300-500 square feet. There is only so much that one can accumulate. That being said, I’d be happy to double or triple that size sometime in the foreseeable future.
Cheers,
Miel
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post about the Just Between Friends children’s consignment sale. I help organize that Sale and so rarely get to hear the personal stories of those who consign. I am sure we can help get rid of lots of your baby gear with less work than a yard sale.
Personally, I first consigned with Just Between Friends a few years ago after I too saw an ad online. I made a whopping $595 just by tagging the clothes my two kids had outgrown. The coolest part about it was that I got to shop early as a consignor and purchased two enormous bags of clothes and gear for the upcoming season for both kids and only spent $150. So basically, I earned $445 AND came home with new wardrobes. Can’t beat it.
I am a pretty hard core bargain shopper. Practically all of my own clothes are pre-loved and I have been keeping a running tally of how much each of my daily outfits costs. How much did I spend on today’s outfit, you ask? Well, about 50 cents on my pants from the Goodwill Bins. Naked lady parties (clothing swap parties, in case you are not familiar) provided me with the boots, shirt & jacket while the socks were a holiday present.
Aside from having fun at the Sale with a whole bunch of other money-saving-loving mamas who are thrilled to be out of the house, the JBF Sale is a HUGE room at the Expo Center jam packed with bargain bliss. I dream about it for a couple months prior to each of the spring & fall sales. Perhaps I am addicted.
Addicted or not, I am passionate about the reuse of gently loved kids’ clothing and toys. It is a bit silly to think that those items are at the end of their lifecycles when our kids outgrow them in mere months. Plus, buying pre-loved items means all the associated packaging and shipping costs are removed. And…I love that the money I spend at JBF goes directly into the pockets of local families trying to get by financially, just the same as my little family.
Ok…that’s my story. I am so happy to hear you will be consigning at JBF and I would LOVE to hear about your experiences with it afterwards.
Happy bargain hunting,
Brooke