Consignment Sale Advice

MoxieJean.com Giveaway: TWO $25 Gift Certificates

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 23:05:00 GMT

Enter to win one of TWO $25 MoxieJean.com Gift Certificates. MoxieJean.com, an online consignment shop for kids & babies, is just like your local consignment shop, but with the convenience of shopping online. Find curated resale clothes for boys and girls, newborn to size 8. Thinking of selling some of your kids outgrown clothes? To get started, request a pre-paid mailer bag -- it's fast, easy, and it's completely free.

Just enter using the Rafflecopter Widget below! Winner will be announced on or after June 21, 2013
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday Funny: Shopaholic

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:52:00 GMT

Repairing Tagging Gun or Safety Pin Holes

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 00:06:00 GMT

By Elizabeth Renfroe, Chief Consignment Blogger

Have you found an adorable outfit, only to get it home and find a hole or two where the tag was attached with a safety pin or a tagging gun? In many cases, those holes will close up with just a normal wash cycle and a few minutes in the dryer. Occasionally, some patience and a little help from a couple of household items will save a shirt or dress from the rag pile.

You’ll need:

White vinegar
A paper towel
An iron & ironing board
A clean, light colored cloth
(like a handkerchief or cotton t-shirt)

Directions:

1. Pour white vinegar onto a paper towel until it is very damp, but not wringing wet.

2. Use the damp paper towel to test an inconspicuous area of your item for color-fastness. Dab it on an inside seam or hem. If the color transfers to the paper towel as you blot the fabric, it is not colorfast. Do not continue with this method. If there is no color transfer, you can proceed with the next step.

3. Use the wet paper towel to blot the garment on and around the holes. The vinegar will plump up the threads in the fabric, making it easier to close the hole.

4. Scrub the damp area vigorously with a very soft bristled brush. Scrub the area around the hole for at least 30 seconds. This step will loosen and tangle the threads around the hole, helping it to close up.

5. Heat your clothing iron to a medium setting.

6. Lay the garment flat on an ironing board as a single layer and cover it with a clean, light-colored cloth.

7. Thoroughly iron the area with the cloth covering the area over the hole in your garment. Repeat with each hole.

8. Turn the garment inside out and repeat steps 7 and 8.

This process may need to be done more than once, but it is usually successful with the first or second try. Keep in mind that this method is not be suitable for all fabrics. Do not use this method for silk, satin, taffeta or minky fabrics.

Prevent Tagging Gun Holes:

1. Always check with your sale to make sure tagging guns are acceptable.

2. Consider purchasing a fine fabric tagging gun, which has a smaller needle. (Smaller needle means a smaller hole.)

3. Tag through a seam in the garment or through the manufacturer’s tag only. Do not tag in the tradition place where you attach a tag with a safety pin.

4. Never jeopardize the quality of your fabric to save a little time using a tagging gun.

5. If you buy an item that has a tag attached with a barb through the fabric, use scissors to cut the barb. Do not pull it through the tag or fabric.

About the Author

Elizabeth Renfroe has a passion for all things consignment sale-related. She enjoys coordinating the Children's Market Sale at First United Methodist Church, Jacksonville, Alabama.

Sale Owner Deal: Vistaprint $15 for $60

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 18:05:00 GMT

Sale owners, don't miss this awesome printing deal!

GROUPON: $15 for $60 Worth of Custom-Printing Services

Celebrating Mother's Day with Mommy-Daughter Owner Teams

Mon, 13 May 2013 00:34:00 GMT

Happy Mother's Day you awesome Consignment Mommies out there! Today, we'd like to share some special tributes from a few Mother-Daughter consignment sale owner teams!

Chrissy Freeman (daughter) and Shari Kilgariff (mom) Co-Founders of ConsignmentMommies.com
	I cannot imagine my world without my very fabulous mother! She's my business partner, my chief babysitter and my best friend! Mom has always empowered me, pushed me and enabled me to reach my goals! I'd say her "greatest talent" was being mom... but she's really rocking this grandma thing these days!

Jennifer Ehmke (daughter) and Kathy Catalano (mom) Charlotte Style Exchange
	My mom is my Very Best Friend! There is no one I would rather start this new venture with other than my mom.

Shannon Wilburn (daughter) and Pam McKnight Willingham (mom) Just Between Friends
	My mom has taught me so many amazing lessons in life. One of these lessons has been to never stop hoping. She took the hard times, but she didn’t succumb to them. She taught me that giving up is not an option and that the Lord opens doors when we listen and ask. She’s allowed me to help women find hope all over the United States. What a legacy she’s given me.

Rhea Lana Riner (daughter) and Leah Rogers (mom) Rhea Lana's
	I love working with my mom because she’s the hardest working woman I know. She’s always been an incredible example to me of loving people, and she’s shown me what “grace under pressure” really looks like. She’s my biggest cheerleader and encourager. I’m SO thankful for my mother!

Kristin Jedamski & Debbie (mom) Rhea Lana's of Broken Arrow
	I love working with my Mom because it allows me to get to know her on more of a friendship level. I have learned wonderful things about my Mom that I never knew before! I also love working with my Mom because it allows us to spend more time together! We live in different states so I look forward to our sale week and that quality time we get to spend together!

Jessica Sabo & Joy Sabo (daughters) and Janice Sabo (mom) Southern Belle's Closet
Picture: Left-Janice Sabo-Mom & Co-Owner Middle-Jessica Sabo-Little Sister & IT Dept/Co-Owner Right-Joy Sabo-Co-Owner	I love working with my Mother during our Consignment Sales because she's the best of course! But also because we can bounce ideas off of each other, feed off of each others energy, and focus on different parts of the business! My Mom has owned her own business for over 30 years and knows a few things. I've learned from the best and depend on her for guidance and emotional support. I wouldn't be able to do these events without her! Your the best and I love you Mom!

More Mother-Daughter Consignment Sale Teams

Mary and her mom, Diane - Anne's Kids Consignment Expo

Kristen Jones & Kelly Traugott and their mom - Boutique for a Week

Lori Vann and her mom - Consign & Co.

Wendy Rice and her mom - Duck Duck Goose of Tri-Cities, TN

Sheri Igyarto and her mom, Barbara Rivera - Florida Family Consignment LLC

Amy Perala and her mom - Got Kids? Sale

Jen Weeks and her mom - Kids Closet Connection - Indianapolis Northeast

Kyle Arrington and her mom, Ann Chambers - Merry Go Round Consignment Sale

Tiffany Argueta and her mom - Rhea Lana’s of Lewisville-Carrollton

Wendy Ledbetter and her mom, Vicki Wiehebrink - Rhea Lana's of Southern Indiana

Getting Ready for Consignment Season NOW! ConsignmentMommies.com Featured on WGHP Fox 8

Tue, 07 May 2013 15:15:00 GMT

Shari and I share how we got started with ConsignmentMommies.com plus share tips on getting ready for NEXT fall now!

Earth Day Stats: How Consignment Mommies Are Helping Save the Planet

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 20:30:00 GMT

Happy Earth Day you swap savvy mamas! Last spring, ConsignmentMommies.com compiled stats from over 750 seasonal chidlren's consignment sales through data from Rhea Lana's Franchise, MyConsignmentManager Software and independent owner surveys. Using that data, we've estimated the impact that Kids Consignment Sales have on our planet and created our consignment sale recycling infographic! Pretty exciting how much our community of green mamas are keeping out of the landfills, huh?

Keywords: Consignment Sale Stats, Consignment Recycling, Earth Day Stats

Rate Your Favorite Consignment Sales for a Chance at THREE $50 Visa Gift Cards

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:19:00 GMT

It's that time!!! Time to show your favorite sale some lovin' and enter for a chance at THREE $50 VISA Gift Cards!!!!!

Just find your favorite sale, scroll down to the comments then enter the contest & leave a comment!

Contest Notes:

1. You may enter ONCE per sale. Additional sale locations must be entered on DIFFERENT days to validate entries.
2. You may comment ONCE per season per sale. Comments beyond that will not be counted towards a sale's TOP RATED status.
3. Contest runs through 04/30/2013.
4. Entries must be accompanied by the official Rafflecopter entry. Winners will be chosen through that application and notified via email.

Zip Ties: Get Wrapped Up in these One-Cent Wonders

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

If you haven't discovered the magic of plastic zip ties, it is TIME to jump on the bandwagon. At just a penny each, these little plastic tools are an awesome way to secure your items, wrangle multi-part toys and much more! I asked the savvy mamas on our Sale Organizer forum for their best advice on Zip Ties and here's what they had to share:

Bundle Books - Attach several zip ties together and bundle your books.

Zip Tie Shoes Together: I'm a big fan of losing the ziploc bag whenever possible and getting your product out for folks to see. Shoes will sell much better if you ditch the bag and zip tie them together. Make sure to attach the tag securely - add a strip of tape across the top of the tag then hole punch through to prevent tears.

Zip Tie Power Adapters: "You can roll up the power adapter cord for Power Wheels, then zip-tie the roll super tightly to the Power Wheel handle so it cannot be switched or lost. Chargers aren't cheap, so this is a biggie!!!" - Faith Beeman from Growing Kids Sale.

Car Seat Systems: "Use them to secure car seats to stroller when sold as a set so the shopper doesn't try to take the car seat and put on their stroller and say its theirs!!" - Vicki Burns of Coastal Kids Consignment Sale.

Attach Bags of Parts: "Use them to thread through ziplock bags to attach small parts to big toys." - Kelly Branderhorst from Twice Around the Block Kids Consignment.

Zip Tie Bags Closed: If you use old comforter bags for toys with a lot of piece, use zipties to the zipper to keep the bag from being opened - Christine Wilford from Rhode Island Kids Consignment

Secure Multiple Hangers Together: I recommend my consignors use the zip ties to wrap up multiple hangers of the same size, to group them together for their drop off appointments. - Veronica Rubalcava from Wiggles & Giggles Consignment Sale

Extra Item Security: Loop a zip tie through the tag of your item and then around the hanger - this will prevent shoppers from removing your items on the hanger and will minimize theft.

Where to Find Zip Ties

You can find Zip Ties at your local Dollar Tree, online here, at Walmart, or your local hardware store. You may find them labeled as Zip Ties or Cable Ties.

Special Thanks to these Sale Owners / Organizers for their Contributions:

Faith Beeman from Growing Kids Sale
Kelly Branderhorst from Twice Around the Block Kids Consignment
Vicki Burns from Coastal Kids Consignment Sale
Kerri Gogan from Here We Grow Again - Northland
Amy Williams Fernandez
Barbara Hagmaier
Katy Hastings from Toads & Teacups Consignment Sale
Teri Julian from Teri Kidz Consignment Sales
Maura McNulty from Connecticut Kids Closet
Gina Gallagher Moore
Wendy Rice from Duck Duck Goose Tri-Cities
Elizabeth Renfroe from Children’s Market at JUMC
Veronica Rubalcava from Wiggles & Giggles Consignment Sale
Christine Wilford from Rhode Island Kids Consignment

Check Out More Ideas on Our Pinterest Boards

ConsignmentMommies.com in Parenting Magazine

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 04:00:00 GMT

EEEEEeeeekkkk!!! I am thrilled. delighted. overwhelmed. excited. pumped. OVER. THE. MOON. Check out ConsignmentMommies.com getting a shout out in a little Parenting Mag you may know - Parenting

Guest Post: How to Use a Tagging Gun from Little Red Hen Consignment Tagging Service

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Intrigued by the idea of utilizing a tagging gun for your consignment sale prep but unsure where to start?

Why Use a Tagging Gun?

• It’s faster than pinning tags onto items

• Tags connected to items with barbs tend to stay put. The use of tagging guns is standard in the retail clothing industry.

• In the long-run plastic fasteners (barbs) are much cheaper to purchase than safety pins

• It helps protect your items from theft at the sale; tag switching is a common practice among consignment sale thieves. Tags fastened with barbs provide more of an obstacle than merely unpinning and re-pinning tags.

#1 – Choose the Right Gun

All Tagging Guns are not created equal! Tagging guns come in a Standard, as well as Fine Fabric style. Your choice of tagging gun will determine the type of needles and barbs (fasteners) that you’ll use, as the supplies are not interchangeable.

• Standard guns use standard needles and barbs and are often used for thicker, heavier fabrics (like denim).

• Fine Fabric guns use fine fabric needles which are 50% smaller in diameter and ¼” shorter than the standard guns and fine fabric barbs. Smaller needles make smaller holes and reduce the change of damaging your items.

I use an Avery Dennison Mark III Fine Fabric Tagging Gun, which uses Fine Fabric Needles. It can be purchased as a kit, including extra fine fabric needles and 1,000 Barbs for around $20.00. When considering replacement needles, you generally get what you pay for. Bargain needles tend to be less sturdy and have a shorter life than name-brand ones.

#2 – Have Extra Needles on Hand

It’s wise to have some extra brand-name needles on-hand; needles dull with use over time and sometimes end up bent if you’ve been tagging through lots of heavy fabrics. Tagging guns and their associated supplies can easily be purchased online, from Amazon to Ebay.

#3 – Choose the Correct Fastener Size

Barbs come in many sizes, such as ¾”, 1”, 2”, 4” and so on. The longer the fastener, the more “play” it will have as it dangles from your item with the tag at the end. During the rigors of a consignment sale, tags that dangle too much can become caught and your tag can be torn off, especially if the tag is not reinforced by tape or a heavy-duty cardstock. I prefer ¾” barbs to affix tags to items, in an effort to keep the tag as close to the item as possible.

#4 – Set Up Your Gun Properly

Unlock the gun by turning the adjuster knob on the side with the knob tab pointing to the front of the gun (or by following the manufacturer’s guidelines that arrived with your tagging gun.) Pop the needle guard onto the needle and insert the needle into the slot in the front of the nozzle of the gun. Lock the needle into place by twisting the adjuster knob back. Insert the clips of the plastic barbs into the gun by pushing the “T” end of the clip into the “T” slot on top of the gun. Remove the needle guard and squeeze the trigger to check that the barbs are feeding correctly. If the first barb does not feed correctly, apply pressure to the clip while you are squeezing the trigger to engage the first barb in the needle.

#5 – Pre-Punch Your Tags

To attach tags to items, first punch a small hole in your tag (you may choose to reinforce the tag with tape before punching the hole to make the tag stronger and less likely to tear during the sale process). I use a Fiskars 1/16” hand-held circle hole punch which is commonly available at craft stores. This step also protects your needle; it will remain sharper longer if not being pushed repeatedly through cardstock before piercing the fabric of your items.

#6 – Minimize Clothing Damage with Proper “Punching” & Tagging

Push the needle through the hole in the tag then into the manufacturer’s tag on the item or a seam (under the arm is good, at the waistband, up inside a pocket) or in a selvage edge of fabric inside the top of the garment until it is touching the front of the gun. Never tag directly into the general fabric of the garment. You will damage your item! Instead, head for those reinforced, hidden areas of the garment. Some fabrics aren’t meant to be tagged through a seam, like raincoats or other outerwear. These fabrics don’t recover from holes, no matter how small. Take extra care with delicate fabrics like silk. If the item you are selling is new with tags, fasten your consignor tag next to the existing tag to minimize confusion by the buyer.

While holding the printed tag and the item you are tagging together, pull the trigger of the tagging gun to place the barb through the tags and attach the tag. Withdraw the tagging needle from the item. As the barbs are used, they will pull off and the solid plastic piece of the clip will progress down through the tagging gun, eventually to be discarded when all the barbs have been employed. If you are a visual learner, there are many tutorials on loading and using tagging guns online, including You Tube.

# 7 – Be Patient with Jams

If your price tagging gun starts to jam, stop pulling the trigger. Remove the needle and pull the fastener out the back side of the needle. Next, put the needle back into the gun, or replace the needle with a fresh one.

#8 – Safety First

Never tag a garment over your hands or any part of the body, because the needle will pierce through your skin easily. Place the garment on a clean, hard work surface and then tag it.

Always keep the safety shield over the tagging gun needle when not in use. This protects you from getting injured and also keeps the needle sharp and ready for work. Keep tagging guns and supplies out of reach of children.

Happy Tagging!

Kristen Yartz, 41, is the mother of two and the owner of Little Red Hen Consignment Tagging Service, which she launched in response to the oft-heard remark, “I’d like to consign but I don’t have time!.” Little Red Hen offers comprehensive tagging services for busy families in Knoxville, Tennessee, as well as consulting services for independent tagging start-ups nationwide.

Consignment Supplies on the Cheap: the Dollar Tree Consignor

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT

In the spirit of smart shopping and thrifty consigning, we’ve compiled a list of consignment sale supplies that can be purchased at the Dollar Tree. Below you’ll find our favorite tagging & packaging supplies that can be purchased for a bargain $1 price tag!

Stock Up on These Supplies

Zip Ties

If you haven’t already jumped on the zip tie bandwagon, DO IT NOW! Zip ties have so many practical applications for your sale prep. They provide a quick & easy way to secure items at just a penny a piece!! Some applications we love:

Tie Shoes Together
Add Extra Item Security By Looping the Zip Tie through the Item Tag
Combine Toy Parts
Plus More… Coming To a Blog Post Soon!

Magic Erasers

Dollar Tree "Magic Erasers" are cheaper than their name brand counterparts and just as great for cleaning.

My favorite uses? Take scuff marks off shoes, remove crayon from plastic toys or clean up plastic toys like Little Tykes or Step 2.

Packing Tape

Dollar store packing tape is notoriously cheap and I would NEVER recommend it for shipping, assembling boxes or “real world” applications. That said, for consignment applications, this inexpensive tape has loads of uses. Use it to seal your Ziploc baggies shut, to attach parts to toys, or to secure Mr. Potato Head’s behind shut.

Painter’s Tape

Painter’s tape is a great way to attach tags to books or delicate items where you don’t want super sticky tape to damage your product.

Giant Ziplocs

No more trying to cram toys into boring ol’ gallon Ziplocs or tacky {gasp} garbage bags! These giant bags are PERFECT for toys with lots of parts. Combine the entire Little People Set in one place, bag up all those legos or keep Barbie together with her dream house furnishings. They also have sturdy large handles that you can zip tie to a large toy piece (attach the Barbie Dream house bag to her Dream house).

Bins, Baskets & Hampers

Consignment junkie or not, you need organization!!! These $1 bins, baskets and hampers are absolutely perfect for keeping your kiddos toys, clothes, socks and such more organized. I keep a dollar store hamper in the bottom of my kids closet and drop in too small clothes.

Plastic Wrap

Plastic wrap is a great way to secure puzzle pieces or book sets without causing any damage to the items!

SKIP: Safety Pins

Cheap safety pins can leave holes in clothes and are TOUGH to punch through clothing. The Dollar Tree pack often has lots of the tiny gold “do-I-really-only-have-this-size-left” safety pins or poor quality larger ones. If there is one “treat” in your tagging supplies, I suggest you go for better quality safety pins. A great cheap source? Shannon Wilburn, President of Just Between Friends Franchise systems suggests buying from a local dry cleaner.

SKIP: Hangers

At 6 for a $1, Dollar Store plastic hangers are actually MORE expensive than Target or Walmart. Unless you are a desperate for hangers, you’ll find many more FREE or CHEAP options to these here.

Guest Post: Best Toys to Buy at a Kids Consignment Sale from Baby Cheapskate

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Guest Post by Angela Wynne, author of The Baby Cheapskate Guide to Bargains

It doesn't take a novice consignment shopper long to figure out that you can score some fabulous deals on toys at consignment sales.

Stocking the playroom with gently used toys from consignment sales is a no-brainer for any budget-conscious parent, but knowing which toys get you the most play for your buck is a different story given that there are so many to choose from.

For the past several years at BabyCheapskate.com, I've polled hundreds of parents to see which toys keep their kids' interest the longest. I compiled the answers I got into age-based "Toys that Get Played With" lists that have proven really popular. This year I noticed that several of the toys show up on list after list, indicating that kids play with them not just for a few months or a year, but for YEARS.

Here's the list of toy All Stars that offer unparalleled longevity. Shop for these toys at your favorite consignment sales and you'll really knock one out of the park with your kids:

GeoTrax Sets (Fisher-Price): Great for kids 2 years old to 5 years old.
Play Kitchen and Play Food: Great for kids 2 years old to 4 years old. Watch out for small parts if shopping for kids under 3
Imaginext Play Sets: Great for kids 3 years old to 7 years old.
PlasmaCar: Great for kids 3 to 7 years old.
Lego: Great for kids 4 years to 7 years old. Mega Bloks and Duplos are great for younger kids.
Magna Tiles: Great for kids 3 years to 7 years old.
Hot Wheels and Matchbox Cars: Great for kids 3 to 7 years.

Some toy categories stay relevant with kids for a very long time, but the specific toys or accessories within that category may change as kids age. Toys that fit this category:

art supplies
dolls
dollhouses
musical instruments
dress up clothes
cars and trucks

As always, inspect toys carefully and use your smartphone to check for recalls. It's a good idea to take a selection of working batteries with you to the sale, too, so that you can ensure that the toys work well. Missing parts can often be ordered at the manufacturer's website, and manuals can often be found there, too. Happy shopping!

Angela Wynne is the author of The Baby Cheapskate Guide to Bargains (available online and at your favorite bookstore) and blogs at BabyCheapskate.com.

Mama Feature: 10% Off from Picture Your Street

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT

We love the mamas over at Picture Your Street! We are thrilled to pass along a fabulous offer from them:

How about this fantastic Valentine's gift? Picture Your Street locates and photographs real street signs featuring first names! This week they are offering 10% off Double Photo Framed products. Head over to their facebook page to get your code today! www.facebook.com/pictureyourstreet

Guest Post: Consigning On a Dime from SavingCentsably.com

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Guest Post by Rachael J. Mercer, from SavingCentsably.com
Our family is big into consignment sales. We shop at them and we buy from them. With four kids ages 11, 9, 6 and 4, you can believe that we grow out of clothing almost as fast as I can purchase it. Consignment sales make selling the outgrown clothing easy, and at many sales I simply “roll” the money I earn for selling into the money I need to buying there! And because I refuse to pay full price for almost everything I buy, I am always looking for ways to save EVEN more on the items I need to prepare for selling at a consignment sale. Here are some tips.

STORAGE BAGS: When you shop at consignment sales this year, save those storage bags from the items you purchase. Open them carefully, remove all tags, and leave them with your consignment supplies so you can “recycle” them into another consignment sale. If this is too extreme for you, shop using coupons throughout the year and purchase storage bags for pennies on the dollar. In January of this year, Hefty bags at Kroger cost just around .49/box. When you can purchase 22 quart sized bags for just .49 cents, that’s a deal, and helps you avoid paying full price for the storage bags you need for selling your goods.
FREE / CHEAP PAPER: Printing all those consignment sale tags can take a bite out of your paper supply. Stock up on paper throughout the year at office supply stores. Many of these stores offer 100% rebates on paper throughout the year. In fact, many times there is a coupon for the paper, plus a 100% rebate. This means buying paper/card stock for your tags is a money-maker! Plus, you’ll have the card stock you need for tagging your items.
HANGERS: Ever notice when you leave the consignment sale you come home with hangers that don’t match the hangers you use in your own closet? Don’t toss them! Save them for getting ready for the next consignment sale you’ll place clothes in! Keep a small box in your laundry room for collecting these hangers and others you acquire during the year when you buy clothing. If your husband or a friend has to have their work attire dry cleaned, ask them to save the dry cleaning hangers. Use these for your own consignment items and avoid having to purchase hangers! If neither of these ideas work for you, check with your local thrift store. I can often purchase 10-12 of the good sized plastic hangers for as little as .50.
SAFETY PINS: Lastly, unless you own a tagging gun, you must use safety pins to attach those tags to your items. This is not an item you are likely to find a coupon on, but there’s definitely a way to save on acquiring them. When you are purchasing (or volunteering) at a consignment sale this spring, ask about what they do with their safety pins. Many consignment sale owners would be happy to give you a bunch of the safety pins that have been removed from the clothing as it is de-tagged to be sold. If you shop in a sale where the tags remain on the items after it is purchased, get a small storage bag and save those safety pins! If neither of these ideas work for you, check with a dry cleaning company. They may be willing to sell you a bunch of safety pins for less than you could purchase at a store!

Consigning can be a lot of fun—the hard work in preparing is always rewarded when you are able to turn your unwanted items into items that are useful for your family! Remember to save even in the preparation process, so the money you earn is all yours—not being used to “reimburse” yourself for all the supplies you bought in the first place!

Rachael J. Mercer is a wife, mom to 4 and avid couponer living in McDonough, Ga. She owns the web site www.savingcentsably.com and travels the state of Georgia teaching about couponing! She has been featured in ALL YOU Magazine, Atlanta Parent Magazine, and the Rockdale Citizen, and she writes a weekly column on savings and couponing for The Telegraph, a newspaper based in Macon, Ga.

Seams Karmic – Be Kind. Kids Clothing Consign. (Sponsored Post)

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 23:05:00 GMT

Seams Karmic is the simplest way for busy moms to shop and sell gently loved, like-new kid’s clothes online. Seams Karmic was founded by a mother of two who had been investing too much time and money in her children's clothes knowing they would only out grow them months later. Having picked through racks at neighborhood thrifts and hauled crying kids’ store-to-store to find deals on kid's clothes, Roslyn Cruz chose to create an online consignment marketplace for moms to save time and money on the constant upgrades to their growing children's clothes.

With a background in the clothing industry, Roslyn is highly trained in identifying quality garments and her expertise is now a trusted tool for moms seeking quality, yet inexpensive kid's clothes. Moms can also sell outgrown kid's clothes without leaving home by ordering Seams Karmic's Closet Cleanse bag service which offers a way to clean out and earn cash on kid's clothes. For those mommies that are interested, Seams Karmic provides a unique additional service when you sell kid's clothes; should there be an item they cannot buy, they offer to donate the item on your behalf, and return to you the donation receipt (and good karma).

ConsignmentMommies Teams Up with Frugalissa Finds Blogger to Help Knoxville Moms Navigate the World of Children’s Consignment

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 14:07:00 GMT

Knoxville, TN – Knoxville moms will now have a comprehensive source to turn to for children’s consignment news thanks to a unique partnership between ConsignmentMommies and FrugalissaFinds. The nation’s leading children’s consignment resource, ConsignmentMommies tapped FrugalissaFinds blogger Melissa Cox, known as Frugalissa, to be Knoxville’s Chief Consignment Mommy and on-the-ground consignment correspondent.

“We are thrilled to announce this partnership with Frugalissa and promote her passion for helping moms find the best deals throughout the Knoxville area,” said ConsignmentMommies founder Chrissy Freeman. “Together, we will provide her readers with easy access to consignment sale listings and a wealth of information to empower them to make and save even more money through children’s consignment.”

The Frugalissa Finds blog has become popular with area moms seeking local deals and money saving insight. As ConsignmentMommies’ Chief Consignment Mommy in Knoxville, Frugalissa will offer her blog readers a date-ordered list of local children’s consignment sale events, useful tips, personal advice and local consignment sale features on her blog at http://www.frugalissafinds.com/consignment-mommies/.

“As an avid consignment shopper and seller, I could not be more excited to join Chrissy and her ConsignmentMommies’ team in their quest to educate moms about children’s consignment sales in our area,” said Frugalissa. “There are great deals to be found on nearly-new children’s clothing, toys and baby gear at these sales events and we intend to lead moms straight to these scores.”

This is the first regional partnership ConsignmentMommies has announced to grow its national network of swap savvy moms and promote the children’s seasonal consignment movement.

About ConsignmentMommies
ConsignmentMommies is the leading children’s consignment resource. Founded in 2009 by a mother-daughter team, the website lists nearly 2,000 children’s consignment sales events with 10,000 ratings and reviews provided by the ConsignmentMommies community of consignment shoppers and sellers. It is the go-to source for shoppers and consignors to get industry advice and share ideas. Follow ConsignmentMommies on Twitter @ConsignMommies or become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/ConsignmentMommies. For more information, email info@consignmentmommies.com or visit ConsignmentMommies.com.

About Fruglissa Finds
Frugalissa Finds is a blog dedicated to bargain shopping authored by Melissa Cox, a.k.a. Frugalissa, a wife and mom to two elementary-aged children. Her motto is "Frugal does not mean I have to be cheap" She is into natural/green living, tries to feed her family healthy, wholesome food while still couponing and saving a buck or two and she loves consignment sale shopping for her children. She teaches workshops where she teaches people how to coupon, save money and make their dollars stretch by buying second hand. She is also an advocate for teaching people to give to those in need through couponing. Visit FrugalissaFinds.com for more information or become a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/FrugalissaFinds.

20k Fan Celebration - Mary Kay (#17 of 20)

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 00:05:00 GMT

To celebrate reaching 20,000 Facebook fans with ConsignmentMommies, mama businesses across the country are joining us for a 20,000 fan 20 item giveaway celebration!!

Giveaway #17 -Mary Kay Coffee of Cocoa & Cream Gift Set from Karen Jensen Independent Beauty Consultant

It's the Coffee or Cocoa & Cream Gift Set! Set includes:
-Choice of "Cream": Mary Kay Satin Hands Hand Cream in Fragrance Free or Peach OR MK Mens Shave Foam
-Choice of Gourmet Hot Cocoa or Coffee
-Classic Mug
-Wrapped in Clear gift bag with Ribbon.

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20k Fan Celebration - $20 L'Amour Shoe Credit from WeeTradeKids.com (#16 of 20)

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 23:59:00 GMT

To celebrate reaching 20,000 Facebook fans with ConsignmentMommies, mama businesses across the country are joining us for a 20,000 fan 20 item giveaway celebration!!

Giveaway #16 - $20 Credit for L'Amour Shoes from WeeTradeKids.com

$20 Gift Certificate toward L'amour & Angel traditional to trendy children's shoes for boys or girls

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20k Fan Celebration - All Things New Outfit (#15 of 20)

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 23:58:00 GMT

To celebrate reaching 20,000 Facebook fans with ConsignmentMommies, mama businesses across the country are joining us for a 20,000 fan 20 item giveaway celebration!!

Giveaway #15 - Fabulous Outfit from All Things New Kids

Boutique 3pc Set Set Includes: Blazer, Skirt and Shirt Color: Hot Pink vs. Light Pink Shown

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20k Fan Celebration - $25 Gift Certificate to LittleSproutsResale.com (#14 of 20)

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 23:57:00 GMT

To celebrate reaching 20,000 Facebook fans with ConsignmentMommies, mama businesses across the country are joining us for a 20,000 fan 20 item giveaway celebration!!

Giveaway #14 - $25 Credit at LittleSproutsResale.com

$25 Gift Certificate Valid on anything on our website in stock at www.littlesproutsresale.com

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20k Fan Giveaway - $25 Gift Certificate from PictureYourStreet.com (#13 of 20)

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 23:56:00 GMT

To celebrate reaching 20,000 Facebook fans with ConsignmentMommies, mama businesses across the country are joining us for a 20,000 fan 20 item giveaway celebration!!

Giveaway #13 -$25 Gift Certificate to PictureYourStreet.com

Picture Your Street locates and photographs authentic street signs that feature first names! It is the ideal gift for a housewarming, new baby, wedding, or other important milestone. Picture Your Street today!

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20k Fan Celebration - $20 Gift Certificate from WearYouGo.com (Giveaway #11 of 20)

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

To celebrate reaching 20,000 Facebook fans with ConsignmentMommies, mama businesses across the country are joining us for a 20,000 fan 20 item giveaway celebration!!

Giveaway #11 - $20 Credit at WearYouGo.Etsy.Com

Boutique creations for Babies, Tots & Mamas - Custom designed dresses, bow ties, clutches, totes and more!

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20k Fan Giveaway - Thirty-One Gift Pack (#12 of 20)

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

To celebrate reaching 20,000 Facebook fans with ConsignmentMommies, mama businesses across the country are joining us for a 20,000 fan 20 item giveaway celebration!!

Giveaway #12 -Thirty-One Retro Metro Bag, Timeless Wallet, and Scarf

One of our popular items, the Retro Metro Bag features 2 exterior side pockets; interior zipper pocket and 2 flat pockets. It measures 14"H x 10"W x 7"D approx. The Timeless Wallet is approximately 5.25H x 3"W x 1"D; it has an exterior smartphone pocket, a clear ID window, 4 card slots, 2 interior flat pockets, 1 interior zipper pocket, and a detachable wristlet strap. Top it all off with a super cute cotton Red Polka Dot Varsity Scarf and you're ready to step out with your fun and functional accessories!

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Groupon for Toys R Us - $10 for $20 Worth of Toys

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 17:10:00 GMT

Here's an awesome Groupon for 50% off toys!

$10 for a $20 Toys R Us Voucher.

20k Fan Celebration - TWO $20 Gift Certificates or TWO Cookbooks from Rhea Lana's (Giveaway #7-10 of 20)

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

To celebrate reaching 20,000 Facebook fans with ConsignmentMommies, mama businesses across the country are joining us for a 20,000 fan 20 item giveaway celebration!!

Giveaway #7 & 8 - TWO $20 Rhea Lana's Gift Certificates
Giveaways #9 & 10 - TWO Rhea Lana's Cookbooks

Rhea Lana's Founder, Rhea Lana, has offered up a HUGE giveaway to help us celebrate!! Enter below for two chances at $20 to spend at your favorite Rhea Lana's event. OR, get your hands on one of two of their fabulous Friends & Family Cookbooks!

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20k Fan Celebration - Custom Wreath from MadeinTheBranch (Giveaway #6 of 20)

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

To celebrate reaching 20,000 Facebook fans with ConsignmentMommies, mama businesses across the country are joining us for a 20,000 fan 20 item giveaway celebration!!

Giveaway #6 - Custom Made Wreath from MadeintheBranch {$35 Value}

Custom Made Shabby Chic Grapevine Wreath with handmade fabric and burlap rosettes, embellished with coordinating pearls or rhinestones and a matching monogram, hand painted to match your wreath.

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See The Other Giveaways Here

20k Fan Celebration - FIVE Just Between Friends Gift Certificates (Giveaway #1-5 of 20)

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Wowsers!!!! Tonight, I went to dinner, and within just a few hours, we hit the 20k Facebook fans mark. I am so THANKFUL for our growing community of ConsignmentMommies and gracious to those of you who have supported our site over the last few years. Our "little website" started as a regional directory in 2009. Since then, we've grown to over 20,000 Facebook fans and receive 5,000-10,000 site visitors EACH DAY! I absolutely love hearing from our friends & fans about how sales across the nation are helping them save & make money with consignment!! (And I REALLY love hearing that moms "found a sale through ConsignmentMommies.com!!")

SOOOO.....

To celebrate, mama businesses across the country are joining us for a 20,000 fan 20 item giveaway celebration. Let me tell you: We are starting off with a BANG!! Shannon Wilburn, founder of Just Between Friends Franchise Systems has GENEROUSLY given us FIVE $20 JBF Gift Certificates to get things rolling! So... enter below and share, share, share!!!

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How to Save Money on Laundry

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Guest by Yazmin Cruz, staff writer for the money and coupon blog, BargainBabe.com

Make your kids’ clothes last longer to sell at consignment sales without going broke! There’s no need for fancy laundry products or spending hours doing laundry. I share my best tricks to extend the life of your kid’s clothes while saving money in the laundry room. Below are 5 changes that will help you save money and keep clothes looking like new.

Run full loads only

Reduce your electricity bill by picking one day and doing laundry back-to-back. It will take less energy to heat the drier since you’ve already used it. Note, that if you have a septic tank you shouldn’t do laundry back-to-back, as your system needs to flush through. Using baking soda is also a no-no as it eats away at the tank. Make sure you familiarize yourself with your machine and choose the right settings to avoid using extra water and electricity.

Don’t wait till laundry day to tackle stains. The secret to beating tough stains is combating them by pre-treating.

Skip the hot water

Not only does piping hot water cause clothes to shrink, but it can also make it fade. (I always turn jeans inside out to wash as it helps maintain the color.) Stains also set in when you use hot water or heat. So whatever you do, DON’T place clothes in the dryer if a stain did not come out, or the stain will live on.

Try homemade laundry products

Use common household products to make homemade soap and remove tough stains for a fraction of the cost. Learn to combat stains with our stain removal guide. Natural cleaners to include in your arsenal include baking soda to whiten, borax to remove stains and vinegar to keep clothes smelling fresh. These products are also eco-friendly and safe to use on kids’ clothes!

If you decide to purchase laundry soap, don’t follow the manufacturer’s instructions. I know, it seems counterintuitive, but you really don’t need that much soap to clean clothes. You’ll find that the amount of soap you need is often less than directed.

Ditch the dryer

Use a clothesline to save money on your utility bills and avoid frying clothes you want to consign. Don’t have room outside? No problem. Hang your kid’s clothes indoors on drying racks or on the shower rod. Make sure you flat dry sweaters to avoid pesky hanger marks and stretching the garment.

Wear it more than once

Though kids tend to get dirty, they are less sweaty and stinky than adults – that’s good news! Because the most effective way to save money on laundry is to do less of it by wearing clothes more than once. I know some of you may be thinking yuck, but hear me out. There really is no need to wash jackets and sweaters every time your kids wear them. Washing clothes less often cuts down on laundry expenses and it extends the life of your kids’ clothes.

I’ve given you the dirt on how to save money in the laundry room, now it’s your turn. What tricks do you use to save money when doing laundry? How do you keep your kids’ clothes looking like new to sell at consignment sales?

Yazmin Cruz is a staff writer for the money and coupon blog, BargainBabe.com.

10 Tips for Working with MySaleManager.net

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Guest post by Elizabeth Renfroe of Children's Market at First United Methodist Church in Jacksonville, Alabama

1. Read your sale’s guidelines from cover to cover.

Make sure you know how your items need to be prepared, what’s accepted, and what you can’t bring. Don’t forget to find out how everything needs to be sorted or grouped for drop-off. There’s nothing worse than putting a lot of work into entering and tagging your items, only to have them rejected. If you don’t understand something you read, ask your organizer!

2. Sort Your Items by Size & Category

Sort your items by size and category and put them into manageable stacks or groups before you start entering items online. If you put all of your boys’ size six items together, you’ll save time when entering your items. Within your groups or stacks, separate the items you want to discount and donate. Those boxes will stay checked or unchecked on the form until you change them. By entering all of your boys’ size six discounted or donated items at once, you won’t accidentally donate or discount something you wanted to sell for full-price or pick up. (If you’re donating items, discount them!)

3. Bookmark Your Sale's Consignor Info Page

Bookmark your sale's consignor page so you can reference their policies & procedures and quickly access their login links if you need them. (Note: Bookmarking your actual MSM login page may cause some cookie trouble for some folks, especially those using multiple sales.... we recommend saving your sale's consignor page and grabbing the link there)

4. Explore the Choices

Take a moment to explore the inventory input choices under Work with Active Inventory, ilike categories and sizes. Every sale can customize their category descriptions and size ranges. You need to select the best descriptions and sizes for the items you are consigning.

5. Use Thoughtful Descriptions

Be logical about your descriptions. One of the great things about Sale Manager is ability for sales to search active inventory when tags are lost. If your shirt only has “shirt” in the description on the tag, they won’t be able to find it in the system to sell. Try putting the brand name and item type in the first description line (Old Navy t-shirt), then descriptive words in the second, like blue/green plaid. Use common terms in your region for your descriptions. For example, in the south, we would look up rain boots, but never think to look for galoshes. Cute words like jammies won’t help someone trying to find pajamas in the system.

6. Move Past Sale Inventory

Move leftover items from past sales into your active inventory. From your consignor homepage, select Work with Consigned Inventory, and then Work with Inactive Inventory. In that window, check all leftover items that you’ll be bringing to the current sale. Don’t forget to remove anything that you’ve sold or passed on to someone else since the last sale, too.

7. Internet Explorer is Best for Printing

Use Internet Explorer as your browser when printing your tags. It’s the best browser to print your tags correctly. You can use other browsers, like Chrome, to enter your items, but always print using Internet Explorer.
a. Reminder: Turn off your pop-up blocker. It’s under Internet Options: Tools: Pop-Up Blocker. If your tags still aren’t opening in a new window, check the bottom of your IE window. You may see a ∅symbol on the lower right side. Right-click on it and allow pop-ups on that page. Either of these steps should resolve an issue if your tags aren’t opening in a new window.
b. If you get a message about “cookies disabled” when you try to log in and work with your account, follow the steps in this document from the developer of My Sale Manager to easily resolve the issue. http://www.mysalemanager.net/helpdocs/loginproblems.pdf

8. Do a Bit at a Time

You can print a few tags at a time or enter all of your items and print your tags at one time. Make sure you do what is manageable for you, so you don’t get frustrated and quit. Tagging is just like eating the proverbial elephant. Do it one bite (or task) at a time.

9. Print a Test Tag

Align the print cartridge and even consider replacing it before you print your tags. Print a test tag and make sure it prints clearly, with straight lines and empty space between the bars and lines. Your barcode should look like this one:

10. Don't Tape Over Barcodes

When attaching your tags with tape, do not tape over the barcode or use an excessive amount of it to secure the tag. The barcode needs to be clear and easy for cashiers to access, but not so loose that it will fall off. One piece at the top and one across the bottom below the barcode should be plenty to keep the tag secure and easy to read.

Elizabeth Renfroe coordinates Children's Market at First United Methodist Church in Jacksonville, Alabama. They’ve relied on MySaleManager.net since 2008 to keep things running smoothly.

No More Sharpies - Keeping Your Items Resell Ready

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Ahh.... The back to school routine. Buying "new" (or new-to-you) clothes, stocking up on school supplies and ... {shudder} labeling all of those new items for school. If the thought of breaking out the Sharpie and labeling your kids back to school items makes you have resale anxiety, then here is a fabulous solution. These sticky labels hold up wash after wash BUT can be removed before you start tagging for next season.

I love me some Mamasource.com so when I saw this voucher, I had to share:

Personalized Kid Labels on MamaSource
$20 for a $40 voucher

Reader Question - Are they REALLY removable?

I have personally used similar heavy-duty sticker labels and removed them. Most of the companies don't post details about removability (hey, they are selling longevity here!). However, I've removed them from tags on blankies, t-shirts, even beach towels. There is a small amount of residue, but with a few washes it is completely gone AND it is much less noticeable then a big permanent marker in the label!

How to Predict Your Child's Clothing Sizes for 'Next Season'

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Until we can figure out how to STOP THESE KIDS FROM GROWING, we'll have to do our best to predict our children's height & weight changes from season to season. I can remember Jack's first toddler winter. The poor guy had capris & belly shirts by the end of the 7-month "cold weather" season. Major mommy fail! .... Mostly because I had to go and pay {gasp!} RETAIL.

If you need some help predicting your child's height and weight changes from season to season, here are two processes to help.

The Accurate Way - Using CDC Growth Charts to Predict Children's Growth

Step 1: Get Your Child's CURRENT Height & Weight

Step 2: Download the CDC Growth Charts Below

{module_literature,i,109206}
{module_literature,i,109207}
{module_literature,i,109208}
{module_literature,i,109209}

Step 3: Plot Their Current Height & Weight on the Chart (red line)

Step 4: Follow their CURRENT CURVE and move over 6-9 months (depending on the "last wear time" of the season you wearing) (green and blue lines)

Step 5: Take the New Estimates and Check The Sizing Charts Below

{module_literature,i,98732}
{module_literature,i,98733}
{module_literature,i,98731}

The Easy Way - Using Parenting.com's Generic Growth Predictions

Step 1: Get Your Child's CURRENT Height & Weight

Step 2: Add ONE HALF (six months) of the numbers below

Birth to 12 months - Add 10 inches in length and triple their birth weight (in one year);
12 to 24 months - Add 5 inches and 6 pounds each year;
2 to 10 years - Add 2 1/2 inches and 6 pounds each year;
Puberty - Girls: 9 inches and gain 15 to 55 pounds each year;
Puberty - Boys: 11 inches and gain up to 65 pounds each year.

(note: recommendations above are from Parenting.com)

Step 3: Take the New Estimates and Check the Sizing Charts Below

{module_literature,i,98732}
{module_literature,i,98733}
{module_literature,i,98731}

Now, if anyone can figure out how to predict shoe growth... clue me in!!!!

10 Time Saving Tips for Taggers Using MyConsignment Manager

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 04:00:00 GMT

"Easy", "simple", and "flexible" are all terms used by sellers to describe the MyConsignment Manager tagging system used by seasonal consignment events all across the United States and Canada. Their system has proved to be life-changing for sellers who previously tagged items for sales using hand written information or even sticking barcoded stickers on index cards.

Here are 10 tips to make your experience using MyConsignment Manager even better:

1) Sort items by size and type before entering them. Once you've selected the category and size, those options stay selected until you change them. All you'll have to type in is the description and the price.

2) Enter items in groups of 8 or 6 depending on how many tags your sale has chosen to print per page. Not only will you save cardstock, your tags print in the same groupings as your items.

3) Read carefully your sale's procedures and deadlines. Make note of registration end date & time and the inventory lock date & time. Once registration ends, no more sellers can sign up and once inventory locks, no new items can be entered and no existing items can be edited or deleted.

4) Don't wait until the last minute to prepare your items! If you ignore this warning and wait until the last minute anyway, focus on entering everything first and save the hanging & bagging, cutting tags and pinning & taping for after the inventory lock time.

5) If you are pressed for time and it is okay with your sale's owner, use the "power tagger" function to make several tags with the same price and a blank description, then hand-write the description in later. Be aware that if you do this, the sale will not be able to search their database for your items if a tag comes off and you won't be able to see any descriptions online when viewing SOLD items.

6) Use the manage inventory screen to easily print inventory sheets or print lists of donated items for your tax records. Some sales mark items "donated" for you, but even if your sale does not, you can still generate a list of all items not sold. Mark off any items that you picked up or were not accepted a check-in and you'll have a list of donations with values to use at tax time.

MyConsignment Manager makes it easy for sellers to sell with several sales in the same season. The key for sellers is to communicate early & clearly with the sale owner.

7) When selling at multiple sales in your area, ask all the sale owners for the same seller number before you start printing tags. If you have the exact same seller number at each sale, then you can transfer inventory between sales without retagging.

8) If an item doesn't sell after two sales, it probably needs to have a lower price. Use the manage inventory screen to quickly mark items not printed, edit their price & discount/donate info, then reprint and replace the tag before taking it to another sale. Selling for slightly less is better than picking it up unsold again, right?

9) Use caution when reprinting tags that were transferred from a sale with a different owner sale. Because MyConsignment Manager offers many different tag formats, some descriptions are too long for some tags. To avoid getting stuck with tags that won't print, make sure to generate them before the inventory lock date. That way, if you need to edit your descriptions, you'll be able to do so.

10) MyConsignment Manager's quick & easy tagging system can be used even if the sale uses a manual system for check-out and seller payout. Packages start at $5.00 for printing 300 tags when sellers use the system to print tags independent of a specific consignment sale. Be sure to check with your sale owner before starting!

Jennifer Upton has used MyConsignment Manager for twenty-two Kentucky Kids Consignment Sales events since 2006 and can't imagine doing it any other way!

Friday Funny: E-Card Contest Favorites

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 13:34:00 GMT

Ok, I fully admit that those e-cards are driving me BONKERS on Facebook. However, it's like a train wreck... I just can't help but stop, look and take them in!!!! When they are relevant to YOU, they take on a mystical, magical power.

Admittedly, we are having a littttllleee tooooooo much fun reading all of the submissions for our latest e-card contest. Soo fun! Here are a few of my personal favorites:

If you'd like to submit your OWN e-card to the contest, click here.

Recycled & Refashioned: Wire Hanger Crafts & Ideas

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 13:14:00 GMT

Oh... for the love of wire hangers! Every consignment season, there is a mad frenzy to scoop up these little goodies. But... just for fun... let's say you have a surplus of Mommy Dearest's favorite clothing hangers.

What to do?

What to do?

Here are a few wire hanger crafts to help you use up your extra stash.

Mood Lighting

Via TreeHugger

Via All Free Crafts

Via Syahdiar

Via Room & Serve

Magazine, Photos Displays & Storage

Via Ohhh Mhhh...

Via Lenny and Deva

Word Art

Via Family Chic

Via Southern Living

Shoe Organization & Such

Via Oh So Pretty Diaries

Via Instructables

More Crafty-Goodness

Via Emily Anderson

Via The Thrifty Crafter

Via Crafts 'n Coffee

Via Sally Goodin

Via Mommy's Blessings

Via San Diego Kids Zoo

Via The Fun Times Guide

Wreath Ideas

Via Creative Baby Shower Ideas

Via Eddie Ross

Via Ruffled Blog

Want to see even more upcycled crafts & goodies, Find us on Pinterest & Follow Our Pins!

Friday Funny: Spend Time Not Money

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 04:00:00 GMT

The above graphic layout & design is the copyright of ConsignmentMommies.com. Sale owners: You are welcome to use it on Facebook, Twitter, your blog, etc... as long as no edits are made. As a matter of fact, we'd LOVE you to share it with your fans... that's what we are here for!!

WeMakeItSafer and ConsignmentMommies Partner for Safer Resale

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 18:04:00 GMT

WeMakeItSafer and ConsignmentMommies join forces to make safety a priority in the growing consignment sale event industry.

To say consignment sale events are sweeping the nation would be an understatement. Spurred by both the economic and environmental benefits of reselling items one no longer needs, there are now over 5,000 seasonal kids consignment events each year.

However, with any type of resale, especially those focused on children’s products, there are risks. The older an item is, the greater the chance that it may have been recalled for safety defects at some point in the past. Couple that with the fact that most parents never hear about recalls on the items they own, and there is potential for unsafe products to make their way into the resale cycle.

WeMakeItSafer and ConsignmentMommies are taking a stand to help drive awareness and a commitment to safer products, not only in the consignment event sale industry, but in all of children’s resale.

Starting today, consignment sale event holders and resale store owners across the nation are being asked to take the Safety Pledge, a promise that they will inform consignors that they must check for recalls, and that they will help educate shoppers about the importance of registering their purchases for future recall alerts.

To make it simple, WeMakeItSafer’s “Recall Search” application and “Items I Own” product registry application are now available in mobile format by visiting WeMakeItSafer.com from any mobile device. These tools make it easy for consignors to check for recalls and shoppers to register purchases with their mobile phones right at the event or store.

In addition, WeMakeItSafer has made online Recall Finders available for free to any resale event or store owner to add to their website or facebook page.

To learn more about Consignment Sale Events, or to find one in your area, visit ConsignmentMommies.com. To take the pledge, visit the Safety Pledge Page at WeMakeItSafer.com

Safer Children’s Consignment Starts Now!

---

ConsignmentMommies.com is a free, online consignment sale and store directory and premiere resource for shoppers and consignors to get advice and share ideas. Founded in 2009 by a mother-daughter team from North Carolina, the national website lists more than 1,800 sales and 750 stores with over 5,000 ratings and reviews provided by the ConsignmentMommies.com community of consignment shoppers and sellers. Follow ConsignmentMommies.com on Twitter @ConsignMommies or become a Facebook fan at facebook.com/ConsignmentMommies

WeMakeItSafer is a high-tech, social venture that builds applications for consumers, manufacturers and retailers to improve communication around product safety information and recalls. Founded in 2009, WeMakeItSafer makes recall search, product registration and inventory scanning applications available to the public. Since launching its recall applications in 2011, users have checked more than 3 million products for recalls. Follow WeMakeItSafer on Twitter @WeMakeItSafer or become a Facebook fan at facebook.com/WeMakeItSafer

GUEST POST: How to Get Your Husband to Understand Consignment

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 04:00:00 GMT

In honor of those FABULOUS consignment daddies and for those daddies that need a little coaxing into our secret saving mommy world, here is a wonderful article by Jennifer Rogers, Owner Rhea Lana's of Russellville.

Why your husband doesn’t understand consignment:

1. Shopping, in general, doesn’t appeal to most men.
2. Working, without pay, for the opportunity to shop earlier, doesn’t compute in most male’s minds.
3. Since most men think of things in “Small, Medium, and Large” sizes, they aren’t going to see the thrill of finding a 6x dress, 4 slim pants or wide shoes.
4. Most men are happy with two pair of shoes for themselves.
5. If your living room and bedroom were strewn with sports equipment with price tags, it would be easier for them to understand.

How to help your husband understand:

1. Explain that when you shop early you may have the opportunity to select from two items that are exactly alike but priced differently. You can get the lowest priced item.
2. Estimate the amount of money you will make from the items that are piled around your home during consignment season.
3. Offer to share part of the closet/attic space you’re gaining by selling all the baby equipment you’re going to sell.
4. Use sports analogies to help them: “Honey, preparing my items is like practicing for the big game. When I sell them it’s like hitting a home run. When I get my check, it’s like scoring a touchdown in the conference finals!”
5. Compare one bag of Gymboree clothing vs. one bag from your favorite consignment sale. (Of course, this could backfire on your next trip to the mall, so be careful!)

Jennifer Rogers is the Owner Rhea Lana’s of Russellville and a member of the RL Corporate Training Team. She has a B.A. from University of Arkansas in Advertising and Public Relations and is married to Prince Charming for 20 years and mom to Ryan, Lauren, Erin and Sheridan.

Smart Moms Get "Green" with Consignment

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 01:29:00 GMT

Green is the new black among savvy moms! Good for moms’ wallets and the environment, this trendy seasonal sale phenomenon has exploded across the nation and is making a huge impact on the environment along the way!

We recently polled My Consignment Manager, a consignment software provider; Rhea Lana’s Franchise Systems, Inc., a national children’s consignment sale franchisor; and independent children’s consignment sale owners to gather insight into more than 750 of these seasonal shopping events. Based on the resale patterns at these children's consignment sales for spring and fall 2011, ConsignmentMommies.com can extrapolate that industry-wide:

More than 8.2 million children’s clothing items were purchased;

Kids’ shoes were a popular buy with more than 850,00 pairs sold;

Nearly 81,000 outdoor plastic toys like Cozy Coupe cars and outdoor playhouses weighing as much as 100 pounds each found homes with new families;

Consignors sold more than 72,000 Fisher Price Little People toys; and

Baby gear is in demand with shoppers purchasing more than 43,000 gently-used strollers and high chairs.

Giving Back: New Project for Consignment Sales

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:53:00 GMT

Guest Post by Martha Montiel-Lewis
Consignment is a booming trend in the United States. In theory it is a win-win situation for everyone involved. Mothers get to sell their gently used children and maternity items while others are able to buy items at a fraction of retail price. Local communities also benefit by receiving some of the items that do not sell during the sale. But, WHAT IF we took this amazing concept of consignment and made a difference globally? That is exactly what we are trying to do with the DAR Project.

What’s in a name? Why the Dar Project? “Dar” means “to give” in Spanish, and at its core, that is exactly what this project is about – giving.

Our Mission

The DAR Project partners with consignment sales around the country to collect children and women’s maternity items for distribution to low income communities both domestically and abroad. Additionally, with the donations, DAR helps teach communities in countries abroad “to fish” by empowering locals to start their own small resale business as a way to provide income for their families and their communities.

What We Need

As you can imagine we have our work cut out for us. Shipping is NOT cheap and we need your continued support to make what we do possible; that is to give out some of the most important human needs for a child - clothing and toys. We are trying to raise $7,000 to fund our first trip to Central America and give HOPE to these children and women. Please consider helping us make our mission possible by contributing a small monetary donation.

Help make DAR Project possible!

Spring Break: How to Engage Your Consignment Trainees

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 13:12:00 GMT

Ah, spring break! For some, that means 10 uninterrupted days with your cute little mess-makers. To help you maximize your army of consignment trainees, we’ve scoured the web for a few ideas for spring break consignment cleaning for you and the kiddos!

Barbie Hair Salon

Barbie (or any doll) can fetch a pretty penny at consignment sales… but only if she’s looking her fabulous self. You know: hair did, fancy outfit on and all. Here is an good tutorial on how to get those Barbie locks looking red-carpet or at least, consignment sale ready. Now, if your kiddo applied scissors to your Barbie, well… time for the dumpster or some art, like this. Although, I’m a little creeped out by the last part.

Kiddie Car Wash

If the weather in your neck of the woods is like mine, it is totally time for sprinkler magic! Take your Cozy Coupe, tricycles and other outdoor toys out of storage and create a fabulous car wash. Make sure you dry off all “metal” toys to minimize rust. Then, take some baby oil and add a little “sunscreen” to all plastic toys (Cozy Coupe, plastic slides, playhouses, etc). The baby oil will help prevent sun fade and keep your toys in tip-top shape!

Crazy Toy Match-Up

Ok, no, this is not super glamorous… but spring break is a great time to pull out all of your toys and encourage a great matching game. I am personally a great “picker-upper”… and a notorious stuffer (there honey, I admittedly publicly!). So, that sometimes means I’ll throw a whole pile of crazy mis-fitted toys into a box in the playroom and hope for the best. We are using one of our spring break days to literally DUMP everything on the floor and then match it up. I’ve got tons of Ziploc bags – especially the “biggos” you can pick up at the Dollar Tree.

Plastic Toy Spa Day

Even the manliest of boy toys needs a little man-scaping. Take all of your “non-battery-operated” action heros and figures and soak them in WARM (not hot) water. Pop in a denture cleaner or two for a bubbly tub effect, brush with a soft toothbrush and rinse. You can invite Barbie to the party too. That girl loves her some pampering. For more toy detailing, check this out!

Anyone else have fabulous spring break plans??

Such a Good Boy Mom: A Journey of Laundry Lessons Learned

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:04:00 GMT

In my pre-baby world, I was a dance teacher, graphic designer and lover of all things hot pink and sparkly. So, when I got hit with the "Wow Chrissy, you are such a good boy mom" message one day, I was at a complete loss. Was it the dirt under my nails from the worm digging? The look of "gosh, I hope they don't use that as a sword and hit someone in the face?"

Nope.... I've finally figured it out. I think that crazy nutty lady was trying to compliment my laundry skills. After all, a boy is NOISE WITH DIRT! Ask any "boy mom" and they will tell you this is one of the necessary skills one must learn when trying to keep little dirt digging, worm finding, pocket stuffing little angels looking cute and put together.

Here are my "laundry" rules when dealing with my sweet little dirt monsters:

1. Buy as many DARK color as you can

Jack Jack is a strawberry loving-fool... and we have some "new pink" shirts to prove his zest for their sweet red juice! I learned early in my boy mama days to buy dark to disguise a messy boy!!

2. Check Pockets

Any mama who has washed rocks, crayons, construction paper or gummy worms will tell you this is a lesson learned the hard way. It's an extra step in the laundry cycle, but will save you time cleaning out the dryer and rewashing all of the other clothes.

3. When in Doubt, DON'T Dry It!

Popping your clothes in the dryer will SET IN STAINS if you haven't removed them fully. I always do a spot check of the "hot ticket" items before I pop them into the dryer. Once you "bake in" those stains by drying, the next steps of stain removal will be a lot more challenging! If the stain is still present between washer & dryer, I pretreat again and wash it with the next set of clothing items. Or, I soak in my favorite "Magic Potion" (see below).

4. Invest in Pre-Treaters and Scatter Them Around

I have a pre-treater stick in the laundry room, downstairs in the kitchen and one in the car. When I see stains on clothing, I treat as quickly as possible and then throw them in the laundry pile.

5. Invest in Play Clothes and Leave the Good Stuff for Appearances Only

I always have a backup set of "dirty clothes" in the car. Inevitably, our day turns into a park adventure or an afternoon playing at the lake with grandma. And that usually mean dirt. And mud. And worms. (Jack is really into worms these days...) I have some ADORABLE preppy, cute clothes that I've picked up on consignment but I save the nice stuff for "appearance only" and have tons of play clothes that I won't feel guilty getting muddy & stained. I love that I can pick up great play clothes at consignment sales for $1-2 a pop! SCORE!!

6. Find a Magic Potion

My friends at Wee Trade Kids in Florida shared this "Magic Potion" with me and now, I swear by it!

- 1/2 Cup clorox color safe bleach crystals
- 1/2 Cup Cascade Dishwashing Crystals
Mix together to dissolve in HOT water. Throw in your items & let them soak overnight (24 hours works best). Rinse Well then Toss in washer and wash as normal. (Always do a spot test first to check for color fastness)
If you still see spots or you don't wish to try this process first. Wash clothing like normal & lay out on green grass on a sunny day. You'll be amazed what sun will bleach out naturally!

7. Be Armed

Being a boy mama means I can play sword fight with the best of them... For laundry & stains, I try and have the tools of the trade organized and ready for my dirt war. My favorites:

Magic Eraser is PERFECT for scrubbing dirt off of shoes. I'll do this periodically to prevent the boys shoes from becoming a red clay mess!
OxyClean is a great laundry additive - for tough loads, I'll toss in an extra scoop or two.

What are your best laundry secrets? For our best collection of:

Finding Treasure: A Strategic Plan for Shopping this Spring Season

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 04:00:00 GMT

By: Deborah Freeman, Just Between Friends Douglas County
Even if it's your first sale, you'll feel like a pro with these tips!

Prep: Shopping always goes smoothest if you prepare yourself ahead of time. Here's what works for me.

1. Get the largest and sturdiest laundry basket in your house. Tie a belt to the handle so it will be easy to pull. (If you have a dog leash that will also work.) Now when you're shopping, you can put your clothes basket down at a rack and pull it around w/o having to carry it on your hip. Also be sure to take advantage of the hold area. Many events will hold your items up to an hour!
2.   Grab some string and construction paper. Trace your kids' feet onto a piece of cardstock or construction paper and then cut it out. Write their name on the “foot”. Tie a piece of string to the foot, and then take the string and cut it to the length of your child’s inseam. Now you have important measurements for each child. You can also write on each foot what specific items you are looking for. This is info that is easy to forget when you're looking through racks and racks of clothes, and then you'll get home and realize you forgot to get your daughter summer hats, etc.
3.   Wear comfortable shoes and bring a water bottle and a snack. There is a lot to see and look through at the sale. Think of the sale as all of your favorite brands and stores all under one roof. Instead of numerous trips to the mall you can get what you want at the prices you really want. Plan to spend time at the sale, so plan to be comfortable bring a snack and bottled water.
4.   Find a sitter! Even if you have an older child, it is near to impossible to successfully consignment shop if you have kids with you. And, it can get really crowded in a consignment sale, making it hard to keep up with kids who are walking.

Shopping the Sale: Approach a consignment sale strategically, and you'll find what you need without getting overwhelmed.

1.   Strollers/Baby Equipment/Furniture is your first stop if you are in need of a new car seat or other piece of equipment. At most sales, you can pay for large equipment separate, and they will put a sold tag on it for you while you shop the rest of the sale.
2.   After equipment, shop the shoes first. If you're looking for shoes, especially in the larger sizes, hit that section right away. Kids can wear shoes out fast, and there is usually a smaller selection of shoes than clothing. Don't forget to use your footprint cut-outs to make sure shoes will fit! I also buy at least one pair of shoes a size bigger, for the growth spurt that inevitably hits mid-way through the season.
3.   Boys' clothes after shoes. I'm not sure if it's because boys are harder on their clothes, or because there is just less variety in boys' clothes, but there are always fewer boy racks, and the boy clothes are often priced higher. Hit those before the girls' so you can find the better clothes and better bargains.
4.   Re-evaluate your picks before heading to the next section. Sometimes, when I'm in a shopping frenzy, I will pull way too much stuff off the rack. By going through my choices before heading out of the boys' section, I can weed out some of the more questionable items.
5.   Be careful in the girls' section! The girls' section of consignment sales is some kind of shopping cryptonite. There are too many cute things on the rack, and I often find myself pulling things off the rack my daughters don’t need. One, maybe two, fancy dresses per season is all most little girls will need. If you have an older girl, remember her preferences too.
6.   Don't forget accessories like socks, hats, etc. Check the end caps of the racks for accessories such as socks, hats, bows, backpacks etc. Last year I bought my daughter a gallon bag filled w/ Gymboree hair-bows and clips for $2. Awesomeness!
7.   Save toys and books for last, and be discriminating. The toy section can be overwhelming, to say the least. Head into it with specific ideas for your kids. You can find some great deals on books, so save some energy to refresh your child’s library.

Now that you've got a PLAN, get ready to find some incredible bargains for your family! Happy shopping.

Guest Post: 10 Tips for Organizing Your Consignment Prep

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:01:00 GMT

It’s that time of year again…kids consignment sales are popping up all around my neck of the woods. I love these sales because it means that I can get clothes, books & toys for my daughter at a fraction of the retail prices in usually nearly new condition. And it means my clients can clear out some of their unwanted items! From a Professional Organizer’s perspective, consigning can be a great way to declutter but only if you do it right and follow through. I can’t tell you how many partially started consignment projects I’ve come across in client’s homes – the best of intentions but they get stopped somewhere in the process and the things pile up. Don’t let that happen to you!

There are definite benefits to consigning:

Most sales offer the chance to get in before the regular buyers so you get first dibs
You can clean out closets & playrooms making space for new things as your child grows & changes
You can make some good money off of things that may have just been tossed or donated.

So with this in mind….here’s my top 10 tips for making the most out of consigning:

1. Find a Sale

Find a sale that works for you based on location, timing and policies. Read the policies VERY carefully to make sure that you clearly understand how they run the sale, how much you receive, what items they accept and what happens to things that don’t sell. I usually feel more comfortable at a sale that I’ve shopped at so I have a better idea of the market and how items are merchandised.

2. Prepare Your Items

Prepare your items by gathering them all in one place (a guest room or the garage or someplace where things can stay undisturbed for a bit – a sort of ‘staging area’), making sure each is in excellent condition. Check clothing for stains or tears, sanitize toys, check books for missing pages or markings and be sure all parts are with games & puzzles, etc. Check all pockets for random objects and wash clothing in fragrance free detergents.

3. Choose Your Items

Choose your items according to season & marketability. Most consignment sales happen twice a year or sometimes quarterly, and they only want items for the upcoming season. This may not be an issue in some climates but around here, the February/March sales are spring & summer items. The August sales are when the school & winter clothes show up. Toys and styles that are popular will sell better than those from seasons past.

4. Gather Your Materials

Gather your materials that you need to get items ready to take to the sale according to the policies and requirements of the sale you’ve chosen. Be sure you follow their rules or you may not find yourself welcome again! For most sales, here’s a general list of what you may need:

Hanging clothes rack
Laundry basket or plastic bins for toys & accessories
Wire hangers (start collecting those dry cleaners hangers and ask your friends for theirs!)
Index cards
Safety pins
Sharpies
Packing tape
Ziploc bags (I like the freezer bags as they are more durable)

5. Use Your Materials Effectively

Use your materials effectively. Many sales will provide bar codes on their websites to print up and use when tagging your merchandise. Most sales I’ve done have you put the codes (either bar code or your consigner ID number or other identifying information) on an index card that gets pinned or taped to the item. Packing tape works much better than scotch tape as holds up better. Ziploc bags keep little items together such as Polly Pockets, hair bows, or Matchbox cars). Use large safety pins as they are easier on the fingers. Secure clothing with safety pins to the hangers in at least two places. Items will stay on hangers until the first shopper comes along and you don’t want your things crumpled on the floor.

6. Be realistic about pricing.

Be realistic about pricing. Visit other sales, consignment stores, etc. to get a sense of the going prices. Have a pretty good idea of what you would pay for something at one of these sales and price accordingly. Generally 1/4-1/3 of the retail is a good rule of thumb, but that doesn’t always work for really expensive items, even boutique or high end brands. People will pay more for these so you can go a bit higher – people are pretty brand conscious these days – but not too high.

7. Combine items

Combine items when selling if appropriate. Don’t have too many items together but pairing a dress with tights or gym shorts with a hoodie can work really well. A series of books packaged together in a Ziploc bag, a matching set of hat/gloves/scarf, or a Littlest Pet Shop play house with a few pets included will most likely sell better than individual items by themselves.

8. Don’t be emotionally attached

Don’t be emotionally attached to the items you are selling. Just because you loved it, doesn’t mean that anyone else will care. Price it as if you’ve never seen it before and ask yourself what you would realistically pay for it.

9. Start early!

Start early! Don’t wait til the last minute to decide you want to do this. It’s fairly labor intensive if you decide to consign a lot of items (and many sales have a minimum number they will accept). Scrambling at the end just causes a lot of stress and potential for error.

10. Evaluate after the sale

Evaluate after the sale. If items didn’t sell, there could be several reasons. Maybe they were priced too high. One way you can tell is that most sales have a half price day. If most of your items sold on that day – it may mean you over priced. Maybe you consigned the wrong items. If everything sold except the sports equipment – then perhaps it’s not a good market for that type of item. Maybe they weren’t packaged attractively or appeared shabby. People want items that look as new as possible. What happens at this sale will help you do better at the next one!

You may have your own ideas about how to consign – this is definitely not an exclusive list – but should give you a start if you are thinking of dipping your toe into consigning!Some sales worth visiting in the Nashville/Franklin, TN area include Encores Consignment Sale (this one is huge and very well organized), Little Sprouts (smaller sale but nice items), Monkey Business (generally higher end & boutique brands held in Westhaven), and Reruns are Fun! (held in the Factory).
Liz Jenkins is a Certified Professional Organizer in the Nashville, TN area and owner of A Fresh Space. You can find more information at her website AFreshSpace.com, facebook, or twitter. Liz specializes in residential organizing, home offices and small businesses, working with frazzled families and those having children with special needs, and helping people declutter, simplify and rightsize their lives.

Share Your Haul: Three Mamas Share Their Finds

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 02:54:00 GMT

We love to see & share your consignment sale hauls! Here are a few fabulous collections for your viewing pleasure!

Check out Peach State Mom Blog's haul from the Like New Consignment Sale in Fayetteville, all for just $44

17 outfits
8 Books
1 Blow up toy
1 Pool Floatie

Check out Jenny from What the Blog and her finds from the Charlotte Moms of Multiples Sale, all for $179

1 Step2 Toddle Tune 1 Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Home
1 Playskool Poppin Pals toy
1 FP Little People Ark
1 FP Little People Airplane
1 Munchkin duck toy/faucet cover
1 Crayola tub crayon set
1 FP Corn Popper push toy
1 wooden puzzle
1 board book
4 DVDs
1 CD audiobook
1 Stearns Life Jacket
6 swimsuits (4 2-piece shirt/shorts sets, 2 1-piece suits)
37 shirts/dresses
26 skirts/pants/shorts (clothes are all Carter’s, Children’s Place, Old Navy, Gap or Gymboree)

Check out Your Retail Helper's Finds for just $129

16 shorts
4 swimsuits
1 life vest
9 shirts
1 shrug
1 pair of pants (brand new with tags from Children's Place)
2 pair of capri's

VIDEO: Consignment Sales in Tennessee Valley

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:42:00 GMT

We absolutely love Heather with the Tennessee Valley Moms Network! Thanks for the shout-out!

If you live in the Tennessee Valley area, check them out!

Interview: Tagging Tips from Little Red Hen of Tagging

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 02:59:00 GMT

It's that time of year... TAG TIME!! So to provide a little motivation and encouragement, we looked to our expert friend, Kristen of Little Red Hen Tagging Service in Knoxville. Not only does this woman run one of the nation's top tagging services, but she's also managed to get her husband involved in the ironing too! POWER MAMA!!!

What’s your best “quick tip” for streamlining the process?

Make sure that you have an ample supply (it's best to overestimate) of all items required to tag, so that you don't waste time running about to source additional hangers, pins in assorted sizes, index cards, ziplock bags and the like. Have a dedicated tote or basket for these items in addition to your tagging gun, tiny scissors, a lint roller, calculator, pens, highlighter, etc.
Once you have a block of time in which to tag, you want to make hay while the sun shines, not be stymied in your efforts as you search high and low for (or worse - run out of) an essential item required for tagging.

Best money-making tip?

I'd say to purchase items with good resale value at the outset, be they new or used. If the items make it through your children unscathed, you can roll them (back) into a future consignment sale.
Also, make sure that the presentation of your items is top notch: Ironed carefully, every button fastened, zippers fully up, hung on child-sized hangers and pinned securely.

What’s your pricing strategy?

I typically price at 35-40% of estimated retail price, with careful consideration of where an item falls in a Tier category (some brands have higher retail value than others, usually based on original retail price-point) and its current condition. I always take advantage of Half Price days, allowing all items to go for half price. It's amazing how one's bottom line can be boosted by this final day of a sale.

What are your favorite brands? Best selling brands?

My favorite brands are ones that wear well and have high resale value at consignment sales. Personal favorites for our market in Knoxville, TN include: Gap, Gymboree, Ralph Lauren, plus all the boutique brands. Experienced consignment sale shoppers go beyond the first impression of an article and look for the brands that they know will last, and have good resale value.

How do you STORE all of that stuff?

We are blessed that our house has a 400 square foot finished attic, in which we have built an extensive hanging rack system.

Is your hubby REALLY that good with an iron?

Yep! He learned to iron as an Officer Cadet at the Australian Defense Force Academy (the Australian equivalent of West Point) in Canberra.

Little Red Hen? Where does the name come from?

Over the years, I've often joked with my family that I feel like The Little Red Hen, from the tale about a Hen who is innovated and motivated as she provides for her chicks. In the story she asks for help each step of the way, but no-one is willing to pitch in. Her response is a resounding, "Very well, I'll do it myself!" When I launched my tagging service, I wanted a memorable logo that other mothers would relate to. Most of us have felt like The Little Red Hen at one time or another, often with a sense of wishing that someone would take on just one task for us so that life wouldn't be quite so stressful and overwhelming. It's gratifying to lighten my clients' respective loads and to help them make money on items that otherwise would have been donated or remained in storage.

What’s your favorite supply item?

My Avery Dennison Mark tagging gun (Mark III Fine Fabric) has made the tagging process much more efficient, and enhances items' overall appearance at consignment sales.

Favorite supply trick?

I'm on the hunt for hangers year-round, and sort them into totes in our garage. Often clients will donate hangers that they don't need. If you develop relationships with local consignment sale owners, you may also be able to nab hangers from unsold items that are headed for donation.

Anything else you want to share?

The other day I was asked what I most enjoy about our tagging service. Other than the satisfaction of helping others recycle and make some money on outgrown items, it comes down to the delight of approaching a client's stash - big bags of assorted items that I can prepare to their best advantage. Each time it's a bit like being a kid at Christmas (not knowing what each bag will contain, and the delight of sorting through it) and when the items are ready for sale, there's a sense of accomplishment and a job well done. Better yet, it's a job that stays done!

Kristen Yartz, 40, is the mother of two and the owner/operator of Little Red Hen Consignment Tagging Service, which she launched in response to the oft-heard remark, “I’d like to consign but I don’t have time!.” Little Red Hen offers complete tagging services (with no up-front fees) for busy families, as well as Consulting Services for independent tagging start-ups across the country.

12 Ways to Make Money with Consignment in 2012

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

We’ve compiled a quick reference list of the many ways to make & save with consignment sales! If you’ve been wanting to “take the plunge”… NOW IS THE TIME! Our community of swap savvy mamas knows that you can make some serious money with consignment sales and stores throughout the year…and here are the best tips all in one spot!

Difficulty Level: Easy

1. Shop Consignment Sales

Save over $600 each season

10 Tips for Successful Consignment Sale Shopping

2. Sell Your Kiddos Outgrown Clothing & Unused Toys

Average consignors make $200-300 / season

How to Consign at a Seasonal Consignment Sale

3. Volunteer & Maximize Your Earnings

Many sales will offer an increased earning % and/or early shopping privileges

Difficulty Level: Moderate

4. Shop Garage & Thrift Make $1,000 -$15,000 per season	Making Money with Consignment Sales: Off Season Tips
5. Become a Power RE-Seller Make $1,000 -$2,000 per season	10 Tips for Power RE-Sellers Note: Legend has it that some professional resellers can make $30k plus each year. These seasoned pros are well-connected and well-informed.
6. Become a Manager or Paid Volunteer with Your Favorite Sale Make $500 - $2,000 per season	Some consignment sales will hire seasoned volunteers or veterans. If your local sales don’t have paid positions, you could also ask for an increased consignor percentage by working extra. Note: for most of these positions, you should have volunteered / been active with the sale for many years!
7. Tag For Your Favorite Sale	Many sales offer a valet or VIP consigning service where they tag & price items for consignors (similar to a consignment store’s drop n’ go set up) Tagging Services - How to Start Your Own
8. Start Your Own Tagging Service	If your local sales aren’t offering a tagging service or aren’t ready for the logistics, you can always start your own Tagging Services - How to Start Your Own
9. Shop Sales to Resell on Ebay	If you have a good pulse on ebay trends and in-demand items, you can find hot deals at consignment sales and then resell. Shopping Consignment Sales for Ebay 101
10. Turn Your Crafting Into an Upcycling Business	Stay tuned for more ideas! For starters, check out our Upcycling Little Tikes: 13 Ways to Pimp Your Cozy Coupe
11. Be a Vendor	If you have a great family-friendly business, craft or service, you can be a vendor at many seasonal sales. You’ll get a booth and a captive audience of savvy mamas!

Difficulty: Hard (But Rewarding!)

12. Start a Consignment Sale

Buy a franchise or start your own from scratch… 2012 is the year to take the plunge!
Start Your Own Sale Resources

15 Places to Find Hangers

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

If there is one acceptable thing to "hoard"... it has to be hangers. Inevitably, you will be that crazy mama driving two towns over to buy Walmart's last set of hangers at 11pm the night before drop-off. So, to avoid being "that mama," we'll help you start early with some free & cheap ideas for hoarding, er, gathering hangers.

Important: You should always check with your sale on hanger preference. Some love wire hangers, some love plastic, and some just want you to get your clothes to the sale!!

Free Hangers

At checkout – it never hurts to ask for a few extra. Word on the “street” is that Carters, Old Navy, Target or Walmart give more freely than others.
Craigslist (Search)– just do a search for hangers!
Post a Want Ad on Craigslist – If you don’t see any OFFERS for hangers, post a “want ad.” (always use common sense when buying / selling on Craigslist!)
Freecycle – available in many cities (great for finding cast-off toys & goodies too!)
Companies with Uniforms – Mechanics, some Restaurants, Banquet Halls
Dry Cleaners – Some give freely, others are more reluctant (I personally blame the growth of consignment sales... story later). If so, asking for recycled hangers may help too!
Thrift Stores or Goodwill - Many Goodwill locations have boxes of hangers you can either “take” or buy for super cheap
Facebook – Sometimes all it takes is… Anyone have some wire hangers I can take off your hands?

Almost Free / Cheap / For Sale

Your Sale Organizer – Many sale organizers will order shipments of hangers in BULK and offer them at cost to their shoppers. Shipping is VERY expensive for hangers, so going with the group will save you!
Dry Cleaners – If your dry cleaners won’t offer FREE hangers, they may allow you to purchase hangers at cost or piggy-back on their next purchase. You’ll save big on shipping.
Walmart - Mainstays Wire Hangers, 10pk, Black
Dollar Store

Best Online Resources

The key to ordering hangers online is SHIPPING. Depending on the quantity and distance from the distributor, your shipping costs could be DOUBLE the hanger cost! Walmart has hangers for less than 10¢, so do the math first.

The Lingo on Hangers

Wire Hangers – Those things you HATED in your closet but now can’t get enough of… yep, those... What’s the deal? Click here
- Gauge - This refers to the weight of the hanger, #14.5 is consider standard and #13 or #10.5 are considered "heavy duty." (lower numbers mean thicker wires)
Caped Hangers – These are wire hangers covered in paper. The paper makes for easier pinning of the items and less sliding. Many sale organizers swear by these for presentation and item security
Junior / Kid-Sized Hangers – Some sale owners prefer smaller sizes, check with your sale’s website for details.

Tag [Gun], You're It! Understanding the Buzz of Tagging Guns

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

What? A whole post on tagging guns? Hey... Tagging guns are a HOT topic on the Consignment Mommies forums and Facebook pages and we just couldn't help but dedicate an entire article to these time-saving treasures!

Many savvy swap mamas (that tag hundreds or thousands of clothing items) will tell you that this little "life saver" is a treasured secret amongst the consigning elite! (And... I’m a big dork and I think it’s just more fun!) To help a mama out, here are some tips & tricks when working with tagging guns:

The #1 Rule

Make sure your consignment sale of choice accepts items tagged with a tagging gun! You realllllyyy don’t want to show up at drop-off and have to retag your items! Talk about speed safety pinning!!

Best Practices

Always tag through an armpit seam or the size tag in the clothing (if it has one). Even “fine needle” tagging guns will leave a hole where you tag. Damaged goods won’t sell, so use caution!!
Purchase a fine-needle model to minimize the damage to clothing
If an existing “price tag” is on an item, cover that tag by taping or stapling your card stock or index card tag to it. That way, folks won’t have 2-3 tag options to “search.”

Security Tips

Double barb for extra security – if you are worried about the tags falling off of your items, you can “double barb” the item to decrease the chance of it breaking at the sale
Use tape on your tag to reinforce. As an extra precaution, you can also place a strip of Scotch or packing tape on the tag where the barb will pierce it. This reinforces the card stock so it doesn’t get ripped or torn by the barb. (NEVER place tape over the barcode area of your tag or it may not scan)
Use 1-inch barbs – Avoid using long barbs (2-4 inch versions). This will make your tag hang low and will increase the chance of it detaching.

Where to Find Them?

Best Gun for TONS of Tagging: Avery Fine Fabric Tagging Gun Can Handle the Volume & Will Last ($20-25 each)

http://www.amazon.com/Tagging-Kit-top-Avery-Dennison-needle/dp/B003YYIJ16

Best Values for “EVERYDAY” Tagging: Economy Tagging Guns are Inexpensive and Very Effective ($5-10 each)

Consignment Sale Advice

MoxieJean.com Giveaway: TWO $25 Gift Certificates

Friday Funny: Shopaholic

Repairing Tagging Gun or Safety Pin Holes

You’ll need:

Directions:

Prevent Tagging Gun Holes:

About the Author

Sale Owner Deal: Vistaprint $15 for $60

Celebrating Mother's Day with Mommy-Daughter Owner Teams

Chrissy Freeman (daughter) and Shari Kilgariff (mom)

Jennifer Ehmke (daughter) and Kathy Catalano (mom)

Shannon Wilburn (daughter) and Pam McKnight Willingham (mom)

Rhea Lana Riner (daughter) and Leah Rogers (mom)

Kristin Jedamski & Debbie (mom)

Jessica Sabo & Joy Sabo (daughters) and Janice Sabo (mom)

Picture: Left-Janice Sabo-Mom & Co-Owner Middle-Jessica Sabo-Little Sister & IT Dept/Co-Owner Right-Joy Sabo-Co-Owner

More Mother-Daughter Consignment Sale Teams

Getting Ready for Consignment Season NOW! ConsignmentMommies.com Featured on WGHP Fox 8

Earth Day Stats: How Consignment Mommies Are Helping Save the Planet

Rate Your Favorite Consignment Sales for a Chance at THREE $50 Visa Gift Cards

Contest Notes:

Zip Ties: Get Wrapped Up in these One-Cent Wonders

Where to Find Zip Ties

Special Thanks to these Sale Owners / Organizers for their Contributions:

Check Out More Ideas on Our Pinterest Boards

ConsignmentMommies.com in Parenting Magazine

Guest Post: How to Use a Tagging Gun from Little Red Hen Consignment Tagging Service

Why Use a Tagging Gun?

#1 – Choose the Right Gun

#2 – Have Extra Needles on Hand

#3 – Choose the Correct Fastener Size

#4 – Set Up Your Gun Properly

#5 – Pre-Punch Your Tags

#6 – Minimize Clothing Damage with Proper “Punching” & Tagging

# 7 – Be Patient with Jams

#8 – Safety First

Happy Tagging!

Consignment Supplies on the Cheap: the Dollar Tree Consignor

Stock Up on These Supplies

Zip Ties

Magic Erasers

Packing Tape

Painter’s Tape

Giant Ziplocs

Bins, Baskets & Hampers

Plastic Wrap

SKIP: Safety Pins

SKIP: Hangers

Guest Post: Best Toys to Buy at a Kids Consignment Sale from Baby Cheapskate

Mama Feature: 10% Off from Picture Your Street

Guest Post: Consigning On a Dime from SavingCentsably.com

Seams Karmic – Be Kind. Kids Clothing Consign. (Sponsored Post)

ConsignmentMommies Teams Up with Frugalissa Finds Blogger to Help Knoxville Moms Navigate the World of Children’s Consignment

20k Fan Celebration - Mary Kay (#17 of 20)

Giveaway #17 -Mary Kay Coffee of Cocoa & Cream Gift Set from Karen Jensen Independent Beauty Consultant

20k Fan Celebration - $20 L'Amour Shoe Credit from WeeTradeKids.com (#16 of 20)

Giveaway #16 - $20 Credit for L'Amour Shoes from WeeTradeKids.com

20k Fan Celebration - All Things New Outfit (#15 of 20)

Giveaway #15 - Fabulous Outfit from All Things New Kids

20k Fan Celebration - $25 Gift Certificate to LittleSproutsResale.com (#14 of 20)

Giveaway #14 - $25 Credit at LittleSproutsResale.com

20k Fan Giveaway - $25 Gift Certificate from PictureYourStreet.com (#13 of 20)

Giveaway #13 -$25 Gift Certificate to PictureYourStreet.com

20k Fan Celebration - $20 Gift Certificate from WearYouGo.com (Giveaway #11 of 20)

Giveaway #11 - $20 Credit at WearYouGo.Etsy.Com

20k Fan Giveaway - Thirty-One Gift Pack (#12 of 20)

Giveaway #12 -Thirty-One Retro Metro Bag, Timeless Wallet, and Scarf

Groupon for Toys R Us - $10 for $20 Worth of Toys

20k Fan Celebration - TWO $20 Gift Certificates or TWO Cookbooks from Rhea Lana's (Giveaway #7-10 of 20)

Giveaway #7 & 8 - TWO $20 Rhea Lana's Gift Certificates Giveaways #9 & 10 - TWO Rhea Lana's Cookbooks

20k Fan Celebration - Custom Wreath from MadeinTheBranch (Giveaway #6 of 20)

Giveaway #6 - Custom Made Wreath from MadeintheBranch {$35 Value}

20k Fan Celebration - FIVE Just Between Friends Gift Certificates (Giveaway #1-5 of 20)

How to Save Money on Laundry

Run full loads only

Skip the hot water

Try homemade laundry products

Ditch the dryer

Wear it more than once

Giveaway #7 & 8 - TWO $20 Rhea Lana's Gift Certificates
Giveaways #9 & 10 - TWO Rhea Lana's Cookbooks

Personalized Kid Labels on MamaSource
$20 for a $40 voucher