Hint 7 - PRESALE!!!
I'm getting lots of questions about bringing a guest for your presale shopping next Thursday evening. Here's the lowdown...
You may bring a spouse/parent or someone to help you shop, but that person must stay with you at all times (no double shopping!).
What that means is that if Uncle Walter is coming with you to shop, he is not allowed to make a run for the great Grave Digger Power Wheels while you make a beeline for the deluxe double stroller with Vera Bradley print and matching diaper bag. He can hold your items and tell you how cute that pirate costume would be for Johnny, but he cannot shop for himself or his neighbor or his mailman.
Everyone else at the volunteer and consignor presales have worked hard to earn their shopping privileges, so we need to honor their work too.What if you're a Super Volunteer and will be shopping first at 3:00, but your BFF Emogene is a consignor and will be shopping at 5:30? Is it ok if you grab something for her, then walk around until she arrives? No - we're going to be women and men of integrity and let that person start shopping at 5:30.
Your darling children - they are absolutely allowed at the presale. I know my kids are old enough that I cannot buy them anything without their approval. Do know up front that is a crazy busy time and the wait may be long. You will probably enjoy yourself more without kids, but that is entirely up to you!
If you would like to shop before consignors at 5:30, know that you can volunteer and shop even earlier. Work one 3 hour shift and shop at 4:00...work two 3 hour shifts and be a super volunteer and shop at 3:00...work three 3 hour shifts, shop at 3:00 and earn 75% of your consignor sales. I did make more slots at the times I anticipate being the busiest, so maybe if a slot was filled, there may be openings now. Check it out! www.pigtailsandcowlicks.com
Looking forward to seeing you soon!
Hint 6 - SHOES
Yep, we get tons of them, and they sell great! Here is what you need to know:
1. Since we get so many shoes, we will be very picky. Please keep your worn looking shoes at home or pass them on to a friend.
2. Remember that we are looking for fall & winter shoes.
3. Your shoes need to stay together to sell, so...
a. Do NOT use Ziploc bags - they look organized, but shoppers open the bags and the tag gets separated, so we don't know they belong to you.
b. Make sure your shoes are put together in some way - safety pins, ribbons, rope, etc. The absolute DREAM way to put shoes together is zip ties. I found containers of 100 zip ties at the Dollar Tree on 54 for $1.00. They were different sizes, but the small ones are perfect. They are in the auto section. You can also find them at Wal-Mart and such places. Whatever you choose - just make sure they'll stay together!
4. If you want to sell your shoes but they still look a little funky, use a magic eraser - they really do work magic!
Hint 5 - CLOTHES
Ok, today's helpful hint is clothes.
I know from the words fall/winter sale, you probably have a pretty good idea about which items you should be bringing to the sale; however, I am going to use this helpful hint to address a few items I get many questions about.
I've already sent you a great link to videos about hanging your pants correctly. I hope you've had a chance to watch it, because it is fantastic. Scroll down to hint #3 to see the link in case you missed it. I hope you also saw the part about hanging shirts and pants.
Here are a few more specific things about what you should/not be bringing:
1. T-shirts - yes, we accept them for this sale. My kids love to layer their t-shirts with a longer tee underneath. We will not accept spaghetti straps or other shirts that are so obviously summer. If you're in doubt, then save it for the spring sale - it will sell much better.
2. Capris - they just do not sell in the fall. I have seen some Capri sweatpants (not sure of the fashion saavy way to describe them) that I've seen kids wear in the cooler season. We will accept those but not denim or khaki type of capris.
3. Shorts - nope, except if they are the style that is to worn with tights.
4. Shoes - we love boots, sneakers, dress shoes, etc...please leave flip flops and sandals for the spring sale where they will fly out the door.
I'm sure you get the idea - basically, a rule of thumb is if it is for sale now in the stores...and NOT on the clearance racks...we will accept them.
Remember you have until 11:59 pm on Sunday night to enter your items - keep up the good work!
Hint 4 - TOYS
Today's hint is for all those shiny & noisy things your kids love...TOYS
1. They sell like hotcakes! Clean out your closets!!!
2. All electronic toys must work, so that means batteries must be working. We will turn on every electronic thing that comes in at drop-off. This applies to swings, bouncy seats, preschool toys, etc. Do not buy expensive batteries - they just have to work for the week. Dollar Tree/Dollar General batteries may work fine.
3. Please, please, please listen to this one carefully - all of your items must be tapeped/bagged is some way to keep sweet little fingers from playing with your items. It's amazing how quick kids are to realize mom is distracted, so that gives freedom to get out toys to play! Tags also like to be pulled off and thrown on the ground. Put your items in Ziploc bags then use packing tape or zip ties to attach to the toy. It's awesome. Be careful if you have some sort of sticker on the item that could come off with the tape. Try to tape in a sticker-free area.
4. BIG Ziploc bags are good for train/lego/dollhouse sets. You know that bags that could fit a small nation? Yep - they're great. Also good for bedding and items such as that. If you look for them at Target, they are in the area near frozen foods where plastic wrap is...at the very bottom shelf. They're tricky to find, so there is a heads-up if you're a Target shopper.
5. Stuffed animals/dolls are only sold if they "do" something, like Tickle-me-Elmo.
6. Movies - make sure the movies match the box - if you want to hear a funny story, ask me about that story at the sale! It'll crack you up.
7. Books - sell great and also if you want to package them together in Ziploc bags in a set.
8. If you are confused about packaging, simply bring your item to drop-off. We'll work together to figure out the best way to keep your stuff secure.
Hint 3 - HANGERS & HANGING
Very exciting stuff...Hanging!!! It probably doesn't make your heart race, but it is a vital part to the consignment sale because this is how your items will appear to shoppers, so we want them to look good.
Hanging pants and two-piece outfits can be tricky. I explain on the website how to do it, but I found this video from someone with a northern accent that is 1 minute 15 seconds and is perfect to show you what to do. Well, I say perfect...her clothes are not that exciting, and her 2 piece outfit reminds me of something I'd wear if I was breaking into your home. Anyway, her informatin is great, so check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MneYZZK6pM0
As far as other hanging info., here ya go:
1. We accept wire or plastic hangers.
2. Hang your clothes with the hanger looking like a question mark (facing to the left).
3. Where to get hangers? I know Dollar General, Deal$, Wal-Mart, and Family Dollar have had some, but I'm not sure if they are still on the shelves. The closer we get to the sale, the fewer will be around town. Another resource is local dry cleaners. They have extra (usually FREE) hangers if you just ask. Again, do this super soon, because others will be asking too. Ask neighbors and family - most are willing to part with wire hangers.
4. What size hangers? For infant clothing, adult wire hangers will work but looks awkward. Smaller is better. For older kids, make sure the hanger is big enough so shirts/dresses don't slide off. You can use safety pins to keep them in place.
5. Will you get hangers back? I sure wish I could say yes, but it is totally impossible with the volume of clothes coming thru checkout. My advice - buy as much as you consign, and you'll have the same amount of hangers!!!
6. You will see this on the video, but I'm going to repeat it because it is so important:
a. Do NOT use pants hangers - we have so many shoppers that your pants will come off and land on the floor.
b. Safety pin your pants to the slanted part of the hanger - the bottom part will cause the pants to slide and not look as attractive.
c. Pin your two-piece outfits back to back - again, NOT using pants hangers.
7. Have some cheesecake handy for when this is done - it will make you feel so good!!!
Happy Hanging!!!!
Hint 2 - TAGS
1. The last day to enter items online is Sunday, October 16 at 11:59pm. You will be able to print after that deadline, but tyou will not be able to enter or change any tags.
2. When you enter your items online, try to be specific about what category your item is. For example, for clothing, only select "clothing - junior girls" if it is indeed clothes for teens/tweens. If your clothing is for a younger age like 6, select "clothing - little girls (5-6x)". This helps a lot when I'm figuring rack spacing. Do you know we have had over 800 items in some sizes before? Amazing - it's great for me to plan the salesfloor to make your stuff look great.
3. YES - THERE IS A 2T/24MOS. OPTION - I have no idea why, but the system puts that size towards the bottom - crazy, I know, but true. Keep scrolling and you'll see it. Size is another area you really need to be specific about - it REALLY helps me!!!
4. Make your description helpful in case the tag gets separated. This is common with shoes - reading "white shoes" doesn't help as much as "white Mary Janes" - make sense?
5. Please, please, please, please remember to use pastel/white cardstock only. Do no use bright or dark cardstock because the scanners cannot read them. Also, do not use regular paper - it tears and falls off your items.
6. If you'd like to do something fun to make your tags stand out, be creative. Add stickers or stamps to your tags to make them whimsical. Would someone buy your white t-shirt over someone else's because you put a car sticker on the tag? I don't know, but it may help! Please make sure you do not cover up any printed text or barcode with your embellishments.
Hint 1 - STEP BY STEP
Sale is getting closer...so the hints shall begin!
As a consignor, all the information you need to prepare your items can be found on the website, but I like to highlight certain things or address questions that I receive to remind you that you are not alone!
In case you're feeling stressed about getting your stuff together, DON'T! Here are the steps I use to get my items ready, and it really helps me to have a system. I like to break each step into one day so that it doesn't seem like an eternity to complete the overall task.
1. Designate a box/basket/room for your clothes and other items. As you're going thru seasonal clothes, just throw them in your special spot.
2. Wash and prepare your items - it's amazing how stains appear out of nowhere when they've been sitting around, isn't it?
3. Hang your items (making note to hang correctly - more hints on that soon!). While you're hanging them, sort them by gender and size. For other items like toys and baby items, have your ziploc bags and packing tape handy for this step.
4. Take sections of pre-sorted clothes to the computer. It is SO much easier to enter your items online when the sizes are in order...less clicking/changing sizes to do.
5. Take a break and watch an episode of "The Middle" - it is the funniest show on TV. I am convinced the writers have hidden cameras in my home to get their ideas.
6. Print your tags on white/pastel cardstock, cut and put on items.
There, now doesn't that sound easy? OK, I saw you roll your eyes at me thru your screen. That is the overall process I suggest. The rest of the helpful hints will break down those steps further and be a little more precise.
Just now that you can do it!!!!
