How to Store & Sort Children's Clothes For Resell

Reselling outgrown childrens clothes is a hot market. Since children grow so quickly, often nice pieces are outgrown before they are worn out. Why not resell them for a few extra bucks? On the flip side, buying gently used pieces for your children is easy on the pocketbook and eco-friendly as well. Keep reading for tips on how to make money selling your children's clothes.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• at least 2 plastic tubs (or boxes) with outgrown clothes
• Masking tape & marker for labeling
• 3 boxes for sorting

1. Let's assume you filled your tubs with outgrown clothes last season. The process starts in July/August for fall and winter items and in January/February for spring and summer clothes. Pull the tubs out for sorting and start with the tub that is "Last season, Too small".
   
   For example, in July you'll head to the closet and pull the "fall/winter, too small" tub.

2. Place the 3 sorting boxes out in front of you. Label them as you see fit, but here are some examples: eBay, Craig's List, consignment store, donate, hand me down, trash, garage sale, etc. In this example, the boxes will be eBay, consignment and donate.

3. 
    
   Clothes ready to drop off at the consignment store.

   Start pulling items from the plastic tub and filling the sorting boxes.
   
   In the eBay box, only place in items that are in excellent condition and are name brand. For example, Ralph Lauren, Gymboree, etc. boutique brands, and upper end department store (Nordstom, Neiman Marcus) private labels.
   
   The consignment box will be the middle of the road pieces. Things like Circo, Faded Glory, Osh Kosh and Carter's that are in excellent condition or some of the designer pieces that are wash worn.
   
   The donate or trash box will include things that are really wash worn, stained, have holes, etc.
   
   Ask yourself, "would I buy this?" and if the answer is yes - $10 eBay box, $5 consignment box, or $0 trash box.
   
   Be sure to neatly stack the items for the consignment store.

4. At least one tub is empty. Now, begin to fill this with the items from your child's closet that are already too small. Label "last season, too small" and store. If you have time, and/or want to, take a peek in the "last season, might fit" tub. You might find pieces that you know will be too small, and you might want to start pulling out the pieces that will fit. Be sure to sort and put away!

5. In a few months, September/October or March/April, the weather has begun to change and you'll need to finish pulling the old season from the closet. Head back to Step 2 and sort the last of the clothes in the "last season, might fit" tub.
   
   Once that tub is empty, you're ready to pull the remaining out of season clothes from your child's closet. Be sure to get out the "last season, too small" tub as well. Sort the clothes into what you know won't fit, and what might fit. Fold clothes and finish filling tubs.
   
   The entire process takes 6 months to complete, but you'll be in the tubs and closet rotating clothes every 3 months.

Tips & Warnings

• Wash clothes inside out in cold and line dry to keep them looking new longer. Many eBay buyers prefer line dried items.
• Keeping the tubs in the bottom of the closet makes it really handy. As you run across outgrown pieces, toss them in. It will be less to sort later.
• Try to remove stains before tossing something in the "donate" pile.
• Not all consignment stores pay out the same. Do some research or call around before dropping off your boxes.

Resources

• Line Drying Children's Clothes
• Wylie Mom'seBay Store
• Save Money. Print Free Coupons Anytime.
• Earn Gift Cards & Cash For Using Seach Engines

[ceholmes]

on 8/29/2009 great info! 5*

[glgirl]

on 8/19/2009 Great tips!

[WylieMom]

on 8/15/2009 The best way to build good feedback is the buy a few things as well as sell a few things to start. For example, when I started I needed a scale and "poly tech" bags to ship clothes in, so I purchased those on eBay. It also helps beginners learn the auction process. Other than that....time! It seems that just over half of your customers will leave feedback, so patience is needed to! Maybe I'll write this all up as an eHow. Great comment and questions...thanks! :)

[practicalmanife]

on 8/15/2009 Thanks for this eHow Angie, it is very helpful. What I always hear is the question of how to get a good rating on Ebay--it is hard to start selling today when most people have been building a good rating for years. Do you have any suggestions?