What To Do With All Those Outgrown Baby Clothes??

My cousin gave me a call the other night and asked me that exact question. She has a baby girl....that has just recently turned "1" and now she has all these clothes that no longer fit her. I am a huge fan of Craigslist, however she has not had much luck with trying to sell baby clothes on there. She said last time she sold a lot of her daughters clothing, she practically gave them away. So she is looking for another option. She is getting ready to move and she is trying to move with as little as possible!

I myself have never consigned anything. So I had to do a little research as to what consigning is all about....now I was curious... LOL LOL These are a few things I found out.....

1. Most consignment shops only accept clothing in excellent condition...No stains, No Missing buttons, No holes, etc.
2. All clothing must be freshly washed, pressed neatly and on hangers you can leave. No Wrinkles.
3. Clothing in most instances must be name brand...such as Baby Gap, Gymboree, Little Me, Old Navy, Nike, Reebok, Tommy , department store and such.
4. Clothing must be in season & in style.....most state that is should of been purchased within the last few seasons.
5. Most consignment store Do not take used car seats or Diaper Genies...due to liability reasons. 6. Most take clothing as well as gear...i.e. strollers, bouncer, highchairs, etc.
7. Prices for the items are usually set by the consignment store/shop. Some shops even charge a handling fee per item to take the item, or a ticket fee if the items sells (minimal).
8. Items will be kept for a short period of time (usually 9o days). After 30 days in most stores markdown will begin to help move the items. Usually markdowns between 15% to 50%.
9. Most stores also require you to make an appointment to drop off clothing and items you wish to consign.
10. Most Consignment stores will give you the Consignor around 45- 55% of the selling price. Some stores pay only cash, others let you choose cash or store-credit. Some stores even give a higher paying percentage if you opt for store credit!!
11. If after 90-120 days your item/items have not sold they usually get donated to charity or become property of the Consignment Shop. Some stores do allow the unsold items to be returned to you, but at a small fee (about $2.00 or so).

Man....there are definitely a lot more rules than I ever would of thought. Remember every store has different policies, so be sure to check with the exact store you plan to use if you do decide to consign. These are just policies I have seen over and over again at a few stores.

In my opinion if you feel that you would like to give consigning a try take just a few items in that if you do not sell, you are willing to let go of with for no amount of money. This way if they do not sell you are not upset to see them go. Also check out the store you plan on consigning at. Are there a lot of items on Clearance? Do they seem busy? Ask around..maybe someone has had good luck with one in your town? Is the store neat and organized? If you were on the hunt for something could you find it?

If you try it...please let me know how you make out...Maybe I will try it one day???