I need to sell tons of kids clothes ... WWYD?

[ilovemygirl]

I have an insane amount of kids clothes to get rid of. I've just been saving everything for the last five years and it's built up to a HUGE amount that ridiculous. Even after sorting out 8 bins of things I'm saving on the chance I might have another baby there are still 10 bins left with literally over 1000 items of clothes that I want to get rid of.

I brought it all to Once upon a Child already and they took an underwhelming amount to say the least. Our local consignment shops limit clothing to no more than 30-50 items per season so it will take forever to do it that way. Time is limited for me right now and there's less than zero chance I will find the time to sit and tag and iron and hang it all for the local consignment sales.

I haven't used ebay in years and I hear it's a nightmare to deal with now. I'm thinking of posting huge lots by size on craigslist. I have no idea what price to ask for though. I know I could just donate it all but we could really use the money ...

So, WWYD? Any ideas or advice? 

[frugalmama]

thredup? It's pretty easy 

[SuzanneRielle]

Once Upon a Child has various constraints on what they can take at any given time.  They focus on brands that sell well in the store, and if they are overstocked in a particular size or type of item, they won't be able to take more.   If you still have things that are of value, you can list them for sale on LoobaLee.com.  It's a completely free Mom to Mom online resale shop.  No fees at all.  And, you get some perks like being able to editing your listings, setting your own prices, not having to deal with buyers who don't want to pay, and maintaining an account record of all your listings, sales, purchases, etc.  We try to eliminate the risk and problems for you in selling online.  If you have any questions, you can pop over to Facebook and ask :)  ~Suzanne @LoobaLee

[Imakcerka]

nice little plug there.
 

Originally Posted by SuzanneRielle 

Once Upon a Child has various constraints on what they can take at any given time.  They focus on brands that sell well in the store, and if they are overstocked in a particular size or type of item, they won't be able to take more.   If you still have things that are of value, you can list them for sale on LoobaLee.com.  It's a completely free Mom to Mom online resale shop.  No fees at all.  And, you get some perks like being able to editing your listings, setting your own prices, not having to deal with buyers who don't want to pay, and maintaining an account record of all your listings, sales, purchases, etc.  We try to eliminate the risk and problems for you in selling online.  If you have any questions, you can pop over to Facebook and ask :)  ~Suzanne @LoobaLee

[Drummer's Wife]

They really aren't worth selling unless they are Gymboree, Boden, Janie & Jack, GAP, etc.  if they are sought after brands, you can sell on gymbofriends.com.  If not, I'd donate them or pass them along to a family who has kids those sizes. 

[Bokonon]

With that much volume, I'd sell it in lots by size on CL.  I do donate a lot of my kids' clothes to Goodwill and to friends, but 1000 items could easily get you hundreds of dollars if you put some time into sorting them, take pictures of each lot, and briefly describe each item in the lot (ie., EUC Old Navy pink long sleeve top, 2T).

I've sold lots like that and they all sold quickly and I got at least $.50 per item.

[Contrariety]

We sell ours every year at our yard sale.  We usually price name brand jeans, 2-3pc outfits, and nicer things at $2 ea.  Shirts, lesser brand jeans, and stuff for $1.  Not so cute stuff goes for $.50 and onsies and the like for $.25.  I know a lot of people think that's high prices for yard sales, but we sell it!  It's still cheaper than the thrift stores around here, and it's not garbage stuff, so we price it high.  The first year we did it, we had both boy and girl stuff from newborn up to 24 mos and made at least $200.  Obviously YMMV, but we've always had success with it.  Anything left over gets bunched by size and sold on craigslist for $5-$10 a bag depending on how much there is.

[Polliwog]

I agree. I wouldn't try selling online (like on EBAY) unless they are in great condition (usually no wash wear or fading and hung to dry) or you are doing a bulk lot of play condition clothing. Shipping is expensive, though. Do you have a local children's consignment sale? I can sell almost everything there but my kids' clothing is pretty much all name brand clothing with minimal wear. But, if you price right, almost anything will sell.

(BTW, membership at Gymbofriends has been closed for a really long time.)
 

Originally Posted by Drummer's Wife 

They really aren't worth selling unless they are Gymboree, Boden, Janie & Jack, GAP, etc.  if they are sought after brands, you can sell on gymbofriends.com.  If not, I'd donate them or pass them along to a family who has kids those sizes. 

[Ellien C]

check out "thredup" as mentioned. That let you pack whole boxes of stuff and you don't have to take pictures, so that might save you some time. I can't remember exactly how it works, but you could build a reputation for being a "box packer" (all boxes are the same size) and get rid of it fairly quickly.

[momct]

If I were in your position I would make up several in season medium size lots and put them on Craigslist.Do an overall shot of each lot and mention some of the brands for each. Sell them cheap to get rid of the bulk of your things. Save the very best and take them to the consignment shop. Repeat again in September for fall/ winter items.

[4Marmalade]

Originally Posted by momct 

If I were in your position I would make up several in season medium size lots and put them on Craigslist.Do an overall shot of each lot and mention some of the brands for each. Sell them cheap to get rid of the bulk of your things. Save the very best and take them to the consignment shop. Repeat again in September for fall/ winter items.

This is pretty much what I do.  I just recently posted an ad for spring/summer size 2 clothes that my two youngest have outgrown.  I charge less than $1 an item.  I really just want the stuff out of my house and if it helps me buy some needed things for my dc's, then great.  If it doesn't sell after a while I usually donate to our food bank or woman's shelter.

[zebra15]

I would either list on Craigslist or keep going back to Other Mothers/Once upon a child.  I keep a box going for the kiddie resale shoppe and eventually they will take everything, it just takes time and patience.  Right now they are probably buying for spring/summer and certain sizes.

I've found selling online to be a PITA in most cases. 

If you are in an area with decent weather I would also try to have a yard sale and price things a $1 or so and negotiate from there.

I totally understand needing $.

[hotmama23]

Now I don't know how well it will sell compared to adult clothes, but you could sell your baby/children clothes in bulk online? That is if you're intending to get a buck or two. Do you know if there are any women's refuges or maybe even orphanages in the area? I'm sure they could be places where you can give some bags (did you say you had 18 bags?! That's insane!). Hmmm otherwise you can get friends together and start a garage/yard sale? (Maybe hold it at the house with the best 'family' location, if you get my drift...would probably get more sales then). OR what you could do is use the material from t-shirts and pants and make these???? There are other ways to reuse old fabric if you're crafty enough and look online. TWID (That's what I'd do)

Let us know how you get on.

[SunRise]

I often wonder about renting a booth at a farmers market and selling 2nd hand clothes. Or just set up the clothes on racks in your garage and have a weekly yard sale until it is gone. Sell for a dollar - 2 dollars a piece.

I think selling online would be way more effort, work and schlepping boxes to the post office then profit & earnings. Although it really depends on the condition, quality and brands you are trying to sell. I may just donate a lot and be done with it.  I have successfully sold every cloth diaper I have listed on ebay, but other things not so well. I get the impression selling kids clothes, in bulk, was very chancy. I had very little interest in a brand new sling. Brand new robeez, didn't sell.  I sold a cute winter jacket (toddler sized; french brand name clothing) but other things I thought were cute - zara jean jacket - didnt sell.

Edited by SunRise - 3/1/12 at 4:13am

[serenbat]

Sell for a dollar - 2 dollars a piece.

totally depends on your area- in mine stuff goes for 50 cents and a buck (NEW even with tags on it)- on line it really only breaks even for most things

personally I found a used clothing store 4 hours from me, we go twice a year- takes 10 mins to turn in stuff and I get credit-  have gotten $225.00 in credit  so far in three years and turned it right around a got stuff I needed, most of the stuff I turned in were second to me - could never do that good in my area and not the hassles of wondering if an online person will pay

[crunchy_mommy]

If I were you -- I'd take the majority of clothes to Goodwill or whatever. That will cut down on the overwhelming amount & all you to focus on just the items worth selling. If you don't have any 'good' stuff (well, I don't really buy into that, but the name brands that will sell well), I'd consider just donating it all to be rid of it, it might not be worth your time to sell. Or you could box them up and sell them ridiculously cheap, like $3/box or something, or have a "fill a brown bag for $2" yard sale.

Also, if you have a big group of friends or mom's group, you could invite everyone over to sift through the stuff & take what they need (either for free, or swap, or a quarter a piece or something).

[kcnjuju]

Iwould love to by some

[Jen Muise]

I'd sort it into bags by size/sex and sell them as bulk lots on kijiji or craigslist, for about .50 - 1$ per item, depending how desirable the stuff is. 

[GirlBoyGirl]

Originally Posted by Drummer's Wife 

They really aren't worth selling unless they are Gymboree, Boden, Janie & Jack, GAP, etc.  if they are sought after brands, you can sell on gymbofriends.com.  If not, I'd donate them or pass them along to a family who has kids those sizes. 

That's not true, I sell all my clothes and very few are "sought-after" brands.

My biggest way of selling clothes is Craigslist. I make "lots" of clothes, usually on the smaller side (no more than 35-50 pieces unless you make the lots very cheap), take really good pictures, list everything I have in that lot in a CL listing and then put them in a bag (label the bag so I can easily find that lot when someone comes to buy it). The lots are of course the same size and season.

Its time consuming but so are yard sales and consignment sales, etc.

Or you could just doa giant yard sale, put everything in boxes by size/season/whatever and just have a sign $1 for everything or stuff a bag for $10 or whatever you want to do. This would yield the lowest amount I am sure but at least you would get it over with in one shot.

[DiannaK]

I HIGHLY recommend children's consignment sales -- these are seasonal, usually in the fall and spring, and in my area, they are HUGE - like 1,000 sellers. You price and tag your items, and the sale administrators get a cut of your proceeds. If you volunteer, you get to shop the sale early, and keep more of your profit. I've made at least $500 each time I sold - and while it's true that brands like Gap, Janie and Jack and Gymboree sell quickest/for the most money, I've also sold simple Target and Walmart brands as well. You simply have to price it right. This season, my husband found a wooden rocking car toy like new at the Goodwill for $30. We brought it home, put it in the basement, and I sold it for $75. Toys sell wonderfully. 

I'm posting a link to my site to a post to help you get started - it may be too overwhelming to try and sell this spring, but you could go ahead and start slowing preparing for the fall, especially if you have a basement or attic where you can prep stuff. I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have -- I love seeing people clean out their closets and make some $$.

Tips on Getting Ready for a Children's Consignment Sale