I am thrifty, I am mindful of my resource consumption (“green”), I am community-minded. These are basic elements of me that make me a perfect candidate for large consignment sales/swaps. I learned recently of a 11th Annual RMCC MOPS (Mother of Preschoolers) Consignment Sale in my backyard and figured I would go scope it out on the first day even though my husband and I really plan to shop the second day. I thought I would document what it is like for other first-time thrifty and/or green mom-to-be types.
I found out about it online via craigslist but here is the official flyer for the one I attended:
These organizers did a great job with basic consignment/swap rules. Sections were clearly organized, sizes for clothes were clearly labeled, everything was in great condition, and most importantly everything was priced. They are very clear that there is NO BARTERING! However that doesn’t mean that you can’t find great deals. One detail of the flyer is that pink and yellow tags are 50% off on the 2nd day of the sale. This is why I am returning on the 2nd day with my husband and good girlfriend who also happens to be a mom.
This is what this sale looked like in snapshots:
maternity section! woot!! woot!! at a fraction of what you would pay new
clear labeling of sizes and gender
easy to follow signage 
look, a whole crate of “what to expect when you are expecting” that will be $1.50 on the 2nd day 
kudos to the organizers for holding it in an exhibit hall at the fairgrounds, lots of space
I was surprised to find many new or close-to-new items complete with instructions and warranty infoHere are some crazy deals I saw:
3 great condition nursing tanks for $5… not my size though 🙂
the holy grail of pumping systems for $100 (you decide if you would do 2nd hand though) 
since consignment many of the same items are at different prices so do compare… e.g. book on left would be 50 cents on 2nd day, book on right will still be $3
When you are ready to check out there were several steps. First you took your bundle of items to a sorter who bagged your items and pulled your tags…
You then queue for the cashier with your bagged items and a basket of tags for them to tally…
Finally you hand your tags over to the cashier as well as your payment
I mostly wanted to scope the place out today but ended up buying 19 undershirts ranging from 0-12 months with most being in the side-snap style for $7 (they would have been under $5 had I bought them tomorrow but I really wanted some side-snap shirts). Plain shirts and onesies of varying sizes are big on my list right now for one of the baby shower activities we are going to do.
This was my first large consignment sale but I already gleaned some advice that I would love to share with other first-timers or people that are new to this world:
- Go with a plan of items you want to pick up or else you could feel lost and overwhelmed.
- When looking at furniture or anything else that involves safety-related features be knowledgeable about those features, warranties, and recalls. I am thrifty, but I am not cheap. I will not put my babe in harm’s way to save some money… I doubt you would too.
- Also be prepared knowing which items you would feel comfortable buying second hand and which ones you won’t. You do not want to do this internal battle while you are at one of these sales.
- Know about as many sale specifics beforehand as you can (e.g. coupons, extra discounts, what you can bring in, time of opening, etc.)
- Know what kind of payments are accepted beforehand… cash vs. check vs. plastic.
- If you are a first-time mom-to-be like me also remember that you do not need to pick everything up at these sales if you have generous friends lined up donating items to you as well as items you may receive from your baby shower.
These sales/swaps also look like great ways to make some easy money. For this one sellers registered up to a month-and-a-half in advance. They will receive up to 70% of what their items sell for and the other 30% becomes a tax deductable donation to MOPS.
Look online (e.g. mommy boards, twitter, blogs, craigslist) for these sales as well as IRL at schools and community bulletin boards. In the Denver area I know of the @kidsclosetCO twitter account that is a semi-annual consignment sale organizer.
If you have any other resources for these kinds of sales please let me know. Also if you have any other advice for this newbie please pass it along.
Whoa MAMA!!! The Mile High Mamas Spring Denver-Area Consignment Sale Schedule… IT IS HUGE!!!
An old friend runs one of these in Arkansas & Missouri with her little sister: http://www.birdieboosale.com/
Thank you for the mention! We will be in Denver in the fall and can't wait to meet you. To learn more about us visit http://www.kidscloset.biz or email Mandy at arapahoecounty.co@kidscloset.biz.
We are currently looking for a venue and a charity that accepts clothes/toys please let us know if you have any suggestion!
Thanks Again!!
Consignments are GREAT! But I'll stick to being a buyer only. I tried to sell once, but my procrastinating self never got my stuff to the sale. And they required all these volunteer hours to be part of it – which I totally understand. But I just didn't have the time. Ugh.
I can't believe how organized everything is ~ so much better than when I used to go to these types of things when I was a kid. I think now I'd be willing to give it a try, especially now that I'm on the hunt for a prom dress. I just can't see spending $400 on a dress my daughter will only wear once. Thanks for the tip.
Thanks for including the schedule on your blog!
Here's a great resource for searching for sales… its a growing site and they are adding sales all the time.
http://www.consignmentmommies.com