I am very fortunate that a dear friend of mine introduced me to the world of consignment sales before I even had my boys. Luckily that meant I visited many resales while I was pregnant, and had a treasure trove of adorable outfits and supplies ready to go upon arrival of my first baby, Griffin. And the best part? I got all of the gear at a fraction of the price that it would’ve cost brand new.
For all you newbies out there wondering what the heck a consignment sale is, this is for you! Consignment sales are pop-up events where parents can resell their used baby/toddler/kid gear to recoup some of their money back, and thrifty mamas like yourselves can purchase it on the cheap.
Why is this such a wonderful opportunity? As any parent knows, babies, toddlers and kids grow out of things in the blink of an eye. You might only get a couple wears out of a certain outfit before it no longer fits. Same with shoes, toys, high chairs, zipadee-zips, bouncers, car seats, stroller, bikes, bumbo chairs, boppies, etc.
Just naming all of those items made me cringe thinking of the money that goes into raising children. Kids are expensive! But consignment sales provide the opportunity to purchase all the things without the normal guilt that comes from spending money on items that may not get used. The sales also give you the chance to make some money! And who doesn’t love a good side-hustle?!
This sounds like a dream! How do I get started? Google “consignment sales near me”. It will provide a list of the different resales in your area. Then visit their website and socials to find more details. Most are week-long pop-up sales that come to an empty warehouse building twice per year to provide spring/summer gear and fall/winter gear.
If you are looking to consign they will provide details on what you can sell, how to package the items for the best chance of being sold and steps on preparing for the resale. I highly recommend visiting a resale first to get a better idea of how to price each of your items. Remember that these items are slightly used, so selling for more than the price you purchased them is highly unlikely. Another good note is that the more pre-packaging you do to put together full outfits and full sets of toys/gear, the better chance you have of selling your stuff.
If you are looking to buy then you can usually purchase a ticket to get into the sale early and find the best deals, or you can visit for free once it’s open to the public. Added bonus is that they always have fifty percent off discount days near the end of the sale, so if you are looking for the absolute best deal then those are the days for you. Just keep in mind a lot of the good stuff is already going to be purchased by then.
I’m always surprised when I meet a mama that hasn’t heard of consignment sales before, because it has been a staple event in the Hopkins household since the boys were little. Twice a year I still attend the Sail Again consignment sale in Mooresville to buy Griffin and Owen all the Nike, Adidas, Under Armour and Crocs gear at a fraction of its normal price. The boys love seeing my clothes haul (it usually fills two full blue IKEA bags at only $150) as well as a couple of the new toys that I find (the most recent being Snap Circuits.)
I can’t recommend consignment sales enough, and hope you help me pass on this amazing secret weapon to more moms!
