It may still look like winter where you are – but spring consignment sales are just around the corner! Time to stock up on spring and summer play clothes for cheap! Never shopped a large consignment sale?
Here are 5 of my favorite tips for shopping consignment like a boss!
5 Tips for shopping a Large Consignment Sale:
1- Go to the big items first. Items like bikes, playhouses, trampolines, and water tables tend to sell out fastest, because there are less of them than clothes and they are higher in demand. Also, if you shop these items early you are likely to find duplicates of the items you want – which means you can scope out the one that is less scratched or beat up. Or you can buy the one that a seller priced lower!
2- Bring a cardboard cut out of your child’s foot with you. It will help you figure out which shoes will fit them even if they are missing the size or it has rubbed off. Also- if you have time take your child to a child’s shoe store before the sale and get their feet measured by a pro right before you go- its a great help. That will save you from buying the size show they wear now – but that they are actually about to grow out of!
3- Check the rack of clothes that are one size larger or smaller than the size you are shopping for. Because many clothes are marked with double sizes nowadays, like a 5/6 or a 7/8 – outfits that your child would fit may be on a rack marked with a slightly different size than you are searching for!
4- If your consignment sale offers volunteering in exchange for early entry like JBF does – do it! While you can score great deals on kids stuff any day of the consignment sale, there is no doubt that the truly unbelievable deals get scooped up in the first day! The earlier you get there, the more of them you have access to!
5- Okay this is kind of a silly tip – but whenever I mention it to people they say they wish they had thought of it. If you have a little girl or boy that has baby dolls- check out the rack with preemie and newborn clothing. It usually fits doll babies made that size. I pick up Christmas outfits for the dolls during the holidays, and gently used sleepers and dresses for them during the spring. Last year I got 3 holiday outfits for my daughters dolls all for UNDER a DOLLAR! Think outside the box!
Do you live near the DFW area? If you do, you simply MUST check out the largest and in my opinion best quality consignment sale – Fort Worth Just Between Friends! First time parents can sign up to shop early, and volunteering or consigning there can get you a pre-sale pass to shop before the crowds! Want to win some cash to shop there with to?
Enter below for $15 Dollar Gift Certificate!
The Just Between Friends Sale :
Where: Fort Worth’s Will Rogers Memorial Center, Amon G Carter Exhibit Hall
When: February 26th – March 9th
GIVEAWAY: (1) $15 JBF Fort Worth Gift Certificate –
Winner must pick up Gift Certificate at Ft. Worth JBF Spring Sale at time of their shopping trip.
About Shannon SchmidShannon traded in her sensible NYC TV producer shoes (they were best for taking the subway), for a pair of Texas Cowboy boots when she married her best friend! He's at fault for making this Yankee a Texan! Shannon writes about all things that make a house a home. Her chief blogging inspiration is being the proud & slightly neurotic mom of a preschool age daughter.
You can find Shannon on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and her new favorite place to hang out, Google+.
The clothes for the baby dolls is such a GREAT idea!! Thanks Shannon!
I’ve never been to a consignment sale before. I’m a new mom!
I love JBF Fort Worth. I have been shopping, consigning, and volunteering with them since a friend told me about the sale when I was pregnant with my first. Here I am now expecting our second baby in a couple months! I won’t be volunteering (I usually volunteer for the first break down shift where you get one hour to shop 75% off items that will be donated!!!! But then immediately after starts your 4 hour shift… 8 month pregnant momma can’t handle 5 hours straight on my feet anymore) but you bet I’ll be consigning and shopping!
I love the tips for buying shoes!
My tip would be to bring snacks, the sale is huge! If you plan on filling a closet for a season you will be there a while scooping out the deals. Double check everything before you get in line. If you think you might want it? Hold onto it. Someone else may grab it the moment you set it down. Think used tends to be smaller so go up a size. 🙂 Don’t forget to volunteer. IT HELPS!!
I love the doll clothing idea and never would have thought of a cardboard foot cutout. Great advice, thank you.
Love shopping early as a volunteer! Great advice!