Spring/Summer Haul + Tips for Consignment Shopping

A couple of weeks ago, I made a post about simple kids wardrobes. In it, I talked about how I go to the consignment shop each season, trade in the kids old clothes, and pick up necessities for the coming season. I do this twice a year — once for the spring/summer seasons and once for the winter/fall seasons. Last week, I did my “big” spring/summer haul. I thought I would share some of the details here because I really love this method. It works extremely well to keep my kids wardrobes simple and affordable.

Below, you will see photographs of the haul. The items that I purchased are as follows.

For Roman:

• 2 T-Shirts
• 1 Plaid Button Up
• 1 V-Neck Shirt
• 3 Pairs of Shorts

For Marina:

• 4 Pairs of Shorts
• 1 Denim Skirt
• 3 Tops
• 4 Dresses

Note that several of these pieces are actually brand new, with tags. Additionally, a few pieces are designer brands, including Guess. If you’ve shopped for childrens’ clothes recently, then you know that if purchased new, this haul would easily cost between $250 – 350 dollars. In total, I spent $85 on this entire haul. The total was $97 and I had $12 in store credit after trading in several pieces from last summer that my kids had long-since outgrown.

As far as value goes, you really cannot beat it. For any skeptics out there, like I used to be, note that all consignment stores are not created equal. I had been jaded by consignment stores for childrens’ clothes up until I found this place. I found that a lot of the “new-age” consignment shops were overpriced. I would find pieces in these consignment stores that were priced the same way that they were priced brand-new in store. I found that some of the other “old-school” consignment shops never had what I was looking for. I could score a great piece once in awhile, but it was like finding a needle in a haystack. I simply do not have the time to be scouring like that. Shopping is not my favorite thing. I need quick and convenient.

The place that I go to now, Once Upon a Child (for locals it’s on Route 46 West in Fairfield), meets every requirement that I have for shopping. The prices are amazing. The quality of the clothes is fantastic. And the store is so helpfully organized. Everything is arranged by size and color. I make a mental list of what I want to get before I go in and it’s such a breeze. It also prevents me from going “off-list” and buying other junk that we don’t need.

If you decide to check this place out, and do a trade-in, you need to know a few things. First, they only accept clothes in excellent condition. If a piece is worn, torn, or faded, they will not accept it. Second, they only accept pieces suitable for the upcoming season. This is unfortunate, because right now I want to trade in all of the kids winter clothes, but I can’t because they are only accepting for spring/summer. Third, it’s very busy — for good reason — so when you drop off clothes to be traded in, they take time to inspect them, even if you get there first thing on a weekday morning, expect to wait 25 – 45 minutes. I usually drop my stuff off, grab lunch, and then go back in. Finally, do not be insulted if your clothing is not accepted for a trade in. I always leave with at least a few of the pieces that I had hoped to trade. They are extremely specific about what they need at any given time, and if they have an abundance of something, they won’t accept it, no matter what condition it’s in. I usually donate what they don’t accept right away, rather than bringing it home again to create further chaos in our closet.

That’s all of the advice I have. If you have any of your own tips, or if you know of any other great consignment shops, please let me know in the comments. I hope that this post was helpful for you. Even if you don’t have little ones, please pass this on to someone who does. With the way that kids outgrow their clothing, there isn’t a parent out there who won’t benefit from this method. 😉

P.S. This is not a sponsored post and I am not affiliated with Once Upon a Child in any way. I just really like this store and hope that others may benefit from my experience.