Store, Sell or Donate? What to do with ALL your stuff? Our local consignment expert weighs in.

Is it just me or is everyone’s coat closet, shoe basket and dresser drawers overflowing now that the holidays are over?

I don’t know about you, but all that clutter makes me crazy and super unproductive.  Solution? Rotate, clean out and decide what you plan to do with ALL this STUFF, especially the things your kids have outgrown and YOU no longer wear.  You have three options: store them, sell them, or donate them.  Since they call me the Consignment Queen, I suggest sell them.  Here’s why.

Last Fall, I REALLY took advantage of the area’s seasonal consignment sales.  I sold my boys’ clothing and toys at the Upscale Wee Sale in Fort Mill, my own things at Green Jeans Consignment in Southpark and Lake Norman and home goods and décor at The Charlotte Style and Home Exchange sale with my consignor checks totaling almost $2,000!   What?  How?   To help explain, I documented my experience as an Upscale WeeSale seller, but it can be applied to ANY local consignment sale.  Click HERE for a complete listing of local sales thanks to our pals at Consignment Mommies.

From start to finish.

1. I registered online to sell as soon as Kim announced open registration – the BEST sales usually run out of seller spots.
2. Chose my drop-off time and volunteer shifts online as soon as I knew my schedule.
3. I grabbed the “Fall/Winter” bins from the attic, cleaned out both boy’s closets, the main coat closet, garage, shoe hang over the door thinger and baskets, game/puzzle/DVD chest and yes… ALL their toys and books.
4. Threw everything into one room and locked the door – you gotta do it or the stuff grows legs and your kids start whining.
5. Sorted, stacked and hung all my items into sizes and like categories.
6. Logged into My Sale Manager via the Upscale WeeSale website and began entering items into my inventory.
7. When I was satisfied with my pricing, I printed ALL my tags on 65lb cardstock and cut them.
8. Collected all my “tagging” supplies: Scissors, Tagging Gun and Tape (both mailing and painters tape)
9. Attached a tag to each item. It’s important to stay organized – it’s not fun to hunt for an item – keep them in order.
10. Filled bins and boxes with the tagged stuff and loaded the car.

When I arrived at The Upscale WeeSale, I unloaded the car and the check-in process began.  Kim’s volunteers literally check every square inch of clothing on top of a table and under good light.  As much as I thought I qc’d my own items, I still had some “not perfects” to take back home, but not too many.  They also make sure brand exclusions do not get into the sale.  As cute as WalMart brand items can be, the quality is just not the same; not even close.  This policy keeps the inventory standards UP.  Love this!

To get the highest percentage possible and an early pre-shopping time, I always volunteer.  It’s so worth the extra money earned, but getting first dibs on thousands of items is the BEST!  For 9 hours of my time over a two week period, I earned 70% of my sales and was one of the first 50 women in the door to shop!  And shop I did!  I scored Mini Boden, Gap, Crewcuts, Gymboree, Sperry, Lands End, Under Armour,  Nike, winter hats and gloves, two awesome Halloween costumes, 25 chapter books, Legos, Lincoln logs, trio blocks, a tent for Carson’s classroom and I’m sure I’m forgetting something.  ALL of this for just over $300.  And let me tell you; I am very picky about what I buy for my boys.  Everything I purchased was in great shape, trendy and 80-90% off retail!  Whoop!

As a seller, I sold 85% of my inventory and made almost $700!  This may all seem like a lot of work and it is, BUT it’s so much fun and worth every minute and each dollar saved and earned.  For those of you who do not wish to tag your items, most seasonal sales have tagging services.  You receive less of a percentage, but at least you get it out of the house and you still earn back WAY more than if you were to sell at a yard sale or donate and write it off on taxes.

So how do you get involved?  Do your research and find out which local sale may best suit you (timing, tagging service, what they accept, early shopping times, etc.).  Or read these previous ScoopCharlotte blogs: The Best Consignment Sales for You, Your Kids and Your Home and How to Shop Consignment Sales and a list of the Area’s Best from local expert.   Do yourself and your closets, baskets and drawers a favor… clean out and consign this spring.  Questions?  Email me at williamscindyl@bellsouth.net.