JBF Corporate Blog



Make Your Items Best Sellers!
Monday, January 18, 2010
By: Michelle Wiginton

Our monthly guest blogger, Kate Holmes of www.HowToConsign.com, knows what makes shoppers buy. A second-generation second-hander, her mother owned two consignment shops and raised four children herself on that income. Kate is the author of a best-selling operations manual for the industry and its acknowledged “Consignment Guru." Kate’s wardrobe, home, and hobby gear are almost all previously-enjoyed.

So you’ve decided to get all those underloved, gently-used items together and let them be loved by another family. Congratulations, you’re over half the way to passing on previously-enjoyed items to another family...and to fattening up your family’s budget at the same time.
 
If you’re like our Moms, you want to get the most monetary return out of outgrown clothes, toys, and gear...but where to start? Sometimes it can be overwhelming, so let’s look at it step by profitable step:
 
Gather your items up gradually. If you’ve put a basket or bag in each child’s closet or the laundry room to collect outgrown clothes and a basket in the family room or basement for no-longer-played-with equipment, you’re ahead of the game. You have your batch all collected up.
 
If not (what Mom is ever as organized as she’d like?) start with the most obvious places first, the places where you store things you’re no longer using. From too-small clothes to past-interest sports gear, attic to basement to garage, these are the items which might need the most freshening up. Once these are gathered up, venture into closets, toy boys and bedroom shelves. Take a look at your local sale’s web site for lists of what they can sell. You may be reminded of things you’ve placed in a bottom drawer or the garage loft and forgotten all about.
 
Okay. Now it’s all in a pile and you’re ready to make your items best sellers!
 
First, of course, is cleanliness. Freshly-washed clothing sell best. And that means freshly-washed within the last few days, not when you packed them away. Using a fragrance-free detergent and fabric softener is safest, since many families have sensitivities to scented washing products.
 
Next is wrinkle-free. Wrinkle release spray works on minor wrinkles. If they still don’t look as great as they did new, take a few moments with an iron or garment steamer. The more brand-new your clothing items look, the more they’re worth. A touch of spray starch on a crisp shirt or dress can sell an item lickety-split!
 
Ready to hang your clothes? As you follow our hanging guidelines, go one step further. Hold each garment parallel to the fluorescent lighting in your laundry room or kitchen. These lights show color variations indicating spots, stains, and fading. Work on removing stains (my favorite online stain removal chart is on Mrs. Stewart’s Bluing web site http://www.mrsstewart.com/pages/stainremoval.htm .) If stains or fadingremain, put these items aside for donation to your local charities.
 
Next, check zippers, buttons and fasteners. Clip any loose threads and make sure hems are secure and pockets hole-free. If you have accessories that match an outfit, they often enhance the value of the item.
 
If you’re bundling small items into a larger group, do so by color or style. All the dark socks in one baggie; the whites make another batch. Onesies can be sorted by pastels or brights: new Moms have a definite preference and will grab up whichever batch makes them smile.
 
Shoes are good sellers, but they need to be sparkling clean. Magic Eraser is a must-have tool. Baby wipes do a great job on most shoes. Be sure to clean the soles as well as the sides of shoes to give them a fresh appeal. Replacing shoe laces can turn a so-so pair into a sure sale.
 
That same Magic Eraser will also work wonders on toys and equipment. (And a regular eraser in hand as you page through your children’s books can up their value!) If you’re refurbishing a bike or metal ride-on toy, remember auto polish. That extra sheen means extra dollars for you.
 
Now that’s what HowToConsign.com calls turning your cluttered closets into cash!
 
For more information on making your underloved possessions worth more, please visit www.HowToConsign.com, where consignment guru Kate Holmes of Too Good to be Threw helps you be eco- and economy-conscious.

Comments

What awesome tips! I wish I'd read this before my latest consignment outing, but will definitely be taking notes for my next one!

Tanya, Friday, March 26, 2010

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