Top Seller Tips!

I'm pretty conflicted this time of year because while I'm excited about Little Treasures fall/winter sale, it makes me realize the summer is passing by much too quickly!  I sure hope you and your kids are having fun, because the next time I see you, they'll be back to school.

Anyway, with a little over 8 weeks to get ready for the big sale, we are amazed that nearly 200 of you have already signed up to consign with us!  And we've already dusted off the barcode printer and are filling orders.  

So, since we have plenty of time to get our things ready at this point, I thought I'd take the opportunity to send along some tips from some of our top sellers over the years:

• Price reasonably.  People know brands and what they cost new or on clearance.  $4 for a shirt from Wal-Mart or even Old Navy will not sell because they can get it new from the stores at that price (or even cheaper).
• Boys clothes (sizes 3T and up ) are IN DEMAND, so don't feel like you have to under price them to sell them.
• Shoes are hot sellers, too.  If they are in good shape and polished up a bit, they'll sell.
• Make your tags look neat and easy to read.  Use good descriptions.
• Pin shirts to the hangers so they're always right where they belong.  
• Group just-for-play clothes together for a better deal.
• Hang everything.  Except socks and onesies.
• Package toys in groups and sell like items together -- create a boy grab bag or a girl grab bag.
• Group books together based on topic, gender or age.  Sound, pop-up or lift-the-flap books can be priced individually.
• Tape everything closed, ziploc bags, games in boxes...tape it all!  Saran wrap puzzles.
• The more care and attention you pay to preparing your things, the more money you'll make.
• Don't give up on those stains!  Bleach pens can make white items good as new.  Be sure to share any of your own stain removal tips with us...email info@littletreasuressale.com.
• Have your own successful selling tips to share?  We want to hear those, too.  Shoot us an email.

Stay tuned!  It's my goal to blog more this season...happy tagging!

Shopping the seasonal consignment sale

When I shopped my first seasonal consignment sale in Tennessee, I couldn't believe I ever paid full price for anything.  After one scan of the room I saw everything I needed and more for my 2nd child, Cole.  We get wiser and wiser with each kid, don't we?  This is why I want to jump up and high five all the new moms and expectant moms who shop our sale for their first baby!  

So if you've never shopped Little Treasures seasonal kid's sale, you're in for a big surprise. Possibly lots of little surprises, too.  So for all those first-timers, here are some tips to help you make the most of your experience:

• Consider "tag-teaming" with another Mom. You shop a while, she watches the kids. Then switch. Navigating a stroller at the sale is difficult and so is keeping up with young children who will become distracted by the amount of toys.
• BYOB -- Bring Your Own Basket, as in laundry basket.  We'll also provide some.
• Leave large purses & diaper bags at home or in the car.
• Make use of the discard racks for unwanted items. This way a worker will put the clothes back on the appropriate rack.
• Expect a long line at check out on the first day, but it moves very quickly. And it's worth the wait. 
• Familiarize yourself with recalls if you intend to shop toys and equipment.
• Write down all the sizes you need to shop. Trace your kid's feet on paper for shoe shopping.
• Remember, most everything has already been washed and dried several times, so they may run a bit small.
• We accept cash, check, Visa or Mastercard.
• Sign the mailing list and keep your contact information current by contacting us through the website with any changes.
• We will have new items arriving on the Thursday of the sale.
• Do not miss our 1/2 price sale.  It blows my mind every season when I see some of the steals people get on Sunday!  We always have great stuff left...don't assume everything is "picked over."
• Prices are non-negotiable. 

Happy Shopping!

Wise beyond her years

Last season we had a new consignor named Addison join Little Treasures.  Mom and I thought nothing of it other than our usual excitement over new people from all over the region continuing to join our sale.  But on drop-off day when Addison signed in, we realized that she was a spunky 11-year-old girl.  We were obviously intrigued and her mother announced over Addison's shoulder that she found out about the sale and signed up all on her own.  She decided she would clean out her closet, sell her clothes and she planned a big shopping spree after the sale for new clothes.

With Addison's (and her mom's) permission, we want to share what she told us about her experience with Little Treasures...as our youngest consignor ever:

"I really enjoyed doing the Little Treasures consignment sale because it gave me a chance to go through the clothes that are too small on me and earn money to buy new ones. I enjoyed the excitement of getting the clothes ready. My mom helped me iron the clothes and set the prices, so we got to spend some quality time together. It was fun trying to come up with prices that we both could agree on. I think that this is an easy way for other girls to earn money by selling clothes and toys that they do not use anymore. I did not have to work very hard and I got a lot in return. I also liked waiting to see how much money I earned. It felt like a big game and I could not wait to see how big a winner I was.

My plan was to take my earnings and go on a really big shopping spree, but instead I donated some of it to a needy family for the holidays. It made me feel great to give to others and I actually had more fun shopping for them than shopping for myself.

I hope that other girls do the sale so that they can see how much fun it is to spend money that they actually earn themselves."

-Addison, age 11

What a smart, young lady, huh? We look so forward to having Addison join us at our spring/summer sale this March!   

The Reclamation Pledge

Well, I don't know about you, but now that Christmas is over, I am once again up to my eyeballs in toys and stuff in general.  

My New Year's resolution?  I'm reclaiming my house!  Or at least a major portion of it.  For those of us who are now re-entering sanity and our children are no longer toddlers, here's a pledge I've taken and I invite you to say it with me:

• I will no longer consider Little Tikes acceptable furniture for my living room.
• I will dig to the bottom of the toy box and a) throw out all random pieces of toys; and/or b) reunite them.
  
• I will part with all Happy Meal toys.
• I will have a space to call my own...and it's not the laundry room.  I will enjoy my new reading room, craft room or (fill-in-blank) room and it will not include any of the following: plastic food, broken crayons, dried up playdoh or motion sensitive, talking characters.
• I will no longer decorate my curio cabinet with puzzles, books, bubbles and games. 
• I will park my car in the garage.  I will be able to do this because I will sell or give away approximately 5 bicycles, 3 trikes, 4 unusual ride-on toys, 1 jog stroller, 3 umbrella strollers, 1 child picnic table, 6 kid lawn chairs and more than 2 dozen balls of various sizes.
•  I will still cherish the small fingerprints on my glass doors.

Happy New Years everybody!