Consignment sales are an excellent way to earn money by selling the clothing, toys and baby gear that your children have outgrown or no longer use.

Below are some tried and true tips that make selling at a Consignment Sale easy and profitable.

Many Thanks to our sponsor The Big Red Wagon. With The Big Red Wagon, families earn money on the things their kids no longer use and save money by purchasing great quality items at a fraction of retail. The Big Red Wagon has sales in Medina and Cleveland West.

Register Early to be a Consignor

Registering early is important for a number of reasons. First, many consignment sales offer special deals and incentives for people who register early.  Find details on consignment sales near you here. 

You can earn $10 Wagon Bucks (free money to shop the sale) at The Big Red Wagon. Simply register as a seller and enter Northeast Ohio Family Fun in the referral box.

In addition, each sale has different guidelines on what items are accepted, potential category limits, tagging instructions and drop off requirements. Read up on the guidelines to make sure you know exactly what is expected. If you have any questions, contact the person coordinating the sale. 

Once you understand the key dates, mark them down in your calendar and make a plan to start gather & prep your items (see tips below) so you will be ready when the time comes to drop them off at the sale.

Determine what you are going to Sell

Now that you are registered to consign and know what items are accepted, it's time to start gathering the things you plan to sell. 

Start with big ticket items like kids toys, accessories and baby gear. Then head to your kids closets and drawers and pull out all the clothing items (including shoes) they've outgrown. Next, move to smaller items like books, games and puzzles. 

You want to gather as much as you can and put it all in one central location. Once you have everything together, it's time to start prepping your items.

Items that have been recalled can't be sold. Check the We Make It Safer Website for a list of product recalls. 

Amazing deals at The Big Red Wagon Consignment Sale

Gather Your Supplies & Start Prepping Your Items

Now that you've gathered all the items you plan to sell, it's time to clean and organize your items so they are appealing to buyers. 

Helpful Supplies

• Sewing Kit (Needle, Thread, Scissors) – Used to reattach missing buttons
• Magic Eraser – This is so good at removing scuffs off toys and even shoes
• Wet Wipes / Cloths 
• Hangers – Collect unwanted wire hangers throughout the year or purchase them in bulk off Amazon
• Clothes rack – Not a requirement, but they do make organizing and storing the clothing easier
• Zip Ties – Used to group items together. Great for shoes, small bags of toys, etc
• Ziploc Bags – Both small and large bags will come in handy

How to Prepare your Clothing 

Step one is to wash and dry all the clothing items. If needed, iron any pieces that are wrinkled. After they are freshly washed, hang all the clothes and organize by size and gender. Doing this will help speed up the tagging process later.

If you have clothing sets, bundle them together on the same hanger. You can also get creative and make your own clothing bundles. For example, make a bundle of socks, group together multiple bibs, or create your own outfit bundle.

If you are selling shoes, make sure they stay together by using a zip tie to connect them or place them both in a large Ziploc bag. 

How to Prepare your Toys & Gear

Get your toys and baby gear as clean as you possibly can. Wipe down everything with wet wipes or a damp cloth. Use a Magic Eraser to remove scuffs and even break out the Q-tips to get the heard to reach places. Clean your items will sell faster. 

Just like with clothing, you can create bundles of toys or books. Secure the bundles together with Zip Ties, Ziploc Bags or a combination of both. 

Price & Tag Your Items

Now that your items are cleaned and organized, it's time for pricing and tagging. 

Helpful Supplies

• 3×5 index card or cardstock
• Safety pins
• Clothes tagging gun – Not required, but it can make tagging a large number of clothing easier. 
• Tape

How to Choose a Price

There are many factors to consider when pricing your items. A good starting place for pricing is between 20-25% of the original retail price. However, if the item is in perfect condition, is new with tags still on or is a brand name it could be priced between 30-35% of the original retail price.

Be reasonable with your pricing, after all the goal is to sell your items. 

How to Tag Your Items

When tagging your games, toys, books and puzzles use tape to secure the tag to the items. Make sure to place the tag on the back of the item.

When tagging your clothing items, use safety pins or a tagging gun. It's important to ensure the material isn't damaged by the safety pins or tagging gun AND the tags are placed so buyers can easily find them.

Some placement suggestions for clothing include: 

• Through the original clothing tag found in the shirt collar or waistband of shorts or pants
• At the seam under the right arm of a shirt, jacket or coat
• At the seam on the right side of shorts or pants

Make sure you use the tagging gun correctly, watch the How to Use a Tagging Gun Video

Drop off Your Items & Celebrate Your Sales

Now that all your hard work is done it's time to drop your items off at the sale. Confirm your scheduled drop off time, load up the car (or two) and deliver your items. Then site back, relax and celebrate your sales.

Some Consignment Sales offer special incentives for consignors that volunteer to help during the sale. Contact the person coordinating the sale for details.