Swapping Kids Clothes with Swapdom

With twins, our closets are literally busting at the seams each season as we have racks (and piles) of clothes in two different genders, multiple seasons and numerous sizes.  We've told you a little bit about our consignment sale experiences, but we always have favorite outfits that we know would make someone very happy to find.

We'd dabbled in online trading before - but found the previous site we used to have a few problems.  Primarily, the person with a young child needing sizes we'd outgrown, had little to offer us when we were looking for larger sizes to grow into.  It was really a bummer to have to tell someone "no-go" and not clear out my clothing stash - and at the same time - not get what we needed!

I was thrilled then when I was introduced to Swapdom!  It's absolutely the perfect solution.  Here's the basics of how it works:
1 - You photograph and post items you no longer want.
2 - You browse to find the items that you love, and then indicate what items you see as a "fair trade" for the things you like.
3 - You sit back and wait as the awesomeness of Swapdom goes to work like a fabulous matchmaker.

You see, that's the magic of Swapdom.  Their algorithm connects the person who wants your stuff, with the person who has stuff you want - and creates a multi-person swap so that everyone wins!  This video does an excellent job at illustrating the process.



Swapdom - How it works from Swapdom on Vimeo.

They make it easy and affordable to get the things you want - while supporting a sustainable environment by encouraging reuse.  And as any mom with little ones knows, going shopping out of the house can be close to impossible.  This convenient system lets you shop from your couch!  Even when you ship your item to your trade partner, their relationship with UPS allows you to print your label from home, never having to wait in long post office lines.

Getting started, I've uploaded three little gems, and am excited to get my first connection for a swap!

The possibilities of what you can post are really endless.  Here's some things I'm looking forward to adding:

- Last year's kids coat's and swim suits

- Bottles from our baby days

- Hair bows from GiggleBuzz

- The huge box of "baby toys" we've accumulated

Swapdom just launched their kids division, so jump in now and ensure that your items will get tons of exposure as people discover the site.  And spread the word!  This is too cool not to share.  With all of our friends joining us, the variety for kids swaps will get even better.  In the meantime, you can always trade in that pile of outgrown kids clothes for some swanky sunglasses or a new necklace for yourself - we won't tell anyone!  Swapdom has been working with swapping fashionistas for a while so they've got tons of experience in creating happy swapers throughout the country.

As if you needed another reason to love Swapdom - they're giving away a top of the line Phil&Teds Stroller for their facebook fans and members!  Click here to like their page and enter the giveaway, ending 2/28.

Come on and connect with me on Swapdom - check out my profile and make a swap!  Your heaps of outgrowns will be shrinking, while your mailbox will be full of lots of lovelies to fit your little ones.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Swapdom but all photos, opinions and experiences are my own.

Just Between Friends Consignment Sale Coming Soon in Pittsburgh!

If you've been a reader for while, you may know that we LOVE to shop consignment sales!  We were lucky enough to have read about them a long time ago over at The Fabulous Baby Striblings  and have been hooked ever since.

In the past, I've shared my Consignment Shopping Haul and my 10 Tips for Kids Consignment Shopping Success - both are great reads if you're new to this fabulous way to stock your kids closets.

As the seasons change, we'll be needing to fill up on fall sweaters, jeans and leggings.  Lucky for us, the Just Between Friends Kids Consignment Sale is coming up very soon here in Pittsburgh!  

The Just Between Friends Fall/Winter Children's & Maternity Consignment event kicks off for everyone on September 20th.  There is an exclusive pre-sale for volunteers, consignors, first-time parents, foster parents, military families and teachers on Thursday, September 19th!    

What: JBF Pittsburgh Children's & Maternity Fall/Winter Sale
When: Fri., Sept. 20 – 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sat., Sept. 21 - 8am-4pm (NEW Merchandise!) & Sun., Sept. 22 - 8am-2pm (Many items 50% off). 
Where: RMU Island Sports Center in the Golf Dome, 7600 Grand Ave., Pittsburgh 15225
Admission: $3 on Friday (under 18 is free - or print your FREE admission pass below for Friday). Admission is free Saturday & Sunday.

Want to outfit your kids in great brands?  Looking for some new toys or baby gear for less?  You  won’t want to miss the Just Between Friends Children’s & Maternity Consignment event.

Want to turn YOUR clutter into CASH at the Fall Sale?  It's not too late to sign up to sell any new and gently used items your family has outgrown at the JBF event. Consignors prepare and price their own items using an easy, online bar code system. They earn 60% of their sales or if they join the team and help out at the event, 70% of their sales. Anyone interested in consigning can sign up for the Pittsburgh event on the jbfsale.com website (click here).

Team members are an important part of the JBF event. JBF Team Members shop FIRST and earn 70% on their consigned items.  Anyone is welcome to join the JBF Team as a voluteer.  You can register for a short 4-hour shift to guarantee early admission at the pre-sale event!

For our local readers, we have a VERY special opportunity for you to shop at the Thursday night pre-sale on September 19th.  Enter using the rafflecopter below for your chance to win a pre-sale pass to shop early and snag up all the best deals.

Hope we'll see you there!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget - you can vote for us EVERY DAY!

Dress 'em Up

I'm not ashamed to admit that my kids wear clothes from consignment sales.  Why not?  They seriously wear them for 3-6 months max, and then they've gotten so stinkin' big that their tummies and ankles are beginning to show.  We go to about 4 sales a season - some on half price day and some on their regular sale days, in order to fill our closets (maybe a little too abundantly).

As these sales begin in the next few weeks, I think back fondly to last year's post - Ten Tips for Kids Consignment Shopping Success and thought it was worth re-posting.

This weekend, I'll actually be co-chairing our Mothers of Multiples spring consignment sale, and once it's totally finished, I'll come up with a list of tips for Consignment Selling Success for when your full closet needs emptied.

Enjoy!

Ten Tips for Kids Consignment Shopping Success

I've already shared some of the great deals I snagged at my recent consignment sale visits, but wanted to share my top ten tips to remember before hitting the sales floor.

1.  Find Your Sales and Make a Game Plan: One of my favorite mom bloggers pointed me in the direction of http://www.kidsconsignmentsales.com.  This awesome site is super convenient for finding the sales in your local region.  Next, consider your game plan.  This past week, there were five sales in our area, so strategy is a must.  Consider opportunities to shop a pre-sale or half price day late in the sale in order to make the most of your time.

2.  Go As Early as Possible: Not only will you have your "pick of the litter" with the clothes, toys and gear, but you can also snag some of the best deals this way.  Because sellers each price their items independently, there may be duplicates of the same items at a range of prices.  For example, one recent sale had six almost identical items (a popular battery powered ball blower toy) in stock.  Prices ranged from $5-$15 for the toy, with the highest priced item not necessarily the one in the best condition.  Earlier shopping allowed us to pick up the best quality item for $8.  Many sales offer pre-shopping events for new parents, new grandparents, military veterans and their families, organization members, consigners and volunteers.  The early bird catches the worm and some of the pre-sales require online registration so check the sale's website for opportunities.

3. Bring a Bag:  Sales are unlikely to have shopping carts so think creatively about how you'll tote your items around while shopping.  We hung lots of clothes on the handle of our stroller, and used an ikea bag for overflow.  We have a Mommy Hook and plan to get a second one for our future sales which was perfect for hooking toys with handles and loops.  A cart on wheels or wagon would be especially helpful.  We even saw women with clothes baskets attached to their belt loops with strings that they dragged around the sale.  What creative problem solvers!

4.  Get to Know Your Sale: What are your options for pre-sales?   Do they have a policy against strollers?  What payment methods are accepted?  Do they have a half-price sale and if so - what are the details.  I really recommend scouring all the links on the sale's website (FAQs, Info for Shoppers, Videos etc.).  You'll get a good look at what to expect.  When you arrive, consider chatting with a volunteer.  Most sales have a "holding area" that you can utilize so you don't have to carry around your large items.  They can also provide great details about bathrooms, checkout procedures and any sale discounts.  One piece of advice learned from my own failure is to really ASK about the half price sale.  Do not assume that because it says "half price" that all items are discounted.  Some sales put red dots on sale items, some put dots on items exempt from discounts.  Communication is really key for getting all the deals you were expecting at checkout.

5. Be Prepared for Anything:  You won't know what to expect before the sale - so expect the unexpected.  Our first sale was fairly small, and we walked right up to the checkout counter.  So boy was I surprised when, while shopping new mom pre-sale at our second sale (which was huge), we encountered an ENORMOUS line.  I'm talking 2 hours waiting in line to get through the checkout process.  Lucky for me, I had extra formula powder and the babies were pretty well behaved.  Also when shopping with kids, realize the possibility that there may not be a bathroom as many sales are held in usually unoccupied buildings.  Both my babes got changed in a corner behind a sales rack, and I was glad to have an extra blanket to protect them from the floor.

6. Shop for Everything You Need: There are certain pieces of clothing your kids will always need.  "Dress Clothes" for example will likely be part of your child's wardrobe in every size.  My family goes to a horse race every spring, so I will be shopping ahead for both babies for lots of seersucker and khaki pants to prepare for the seasons ahead.  Use my Baby Clothes Inventory Sheet to keep up with your current stock and identify future gaps in your needs.

7.  Grab a Half Price Deal: On half price day (available at many sales) you can really get some of the best deals.  Yes, things may be slightly "picked over" and you'll unlikely find the hot item Bumbo Chair.  But when you have every thing you really need you can shop half price for future sizes, or great items at low prices for gifts or even potential resale.  Remember these sales have everything - clothes, books, toys, bedding and other necessities and you'll be glad later that you got such an incredible savings.

8. Come with an Empty Car: Yeah I hear ya - you don't plan to buy anything big.  But you really never know.  We ended up having a FULL back hatch of my SUV and an exersaucer riding home on my mom's lap. Do yourself a favor and make room before you shop!

9. Consider Consigning: What a great way to make some money to reinvest in your shopping!  I am the absolute worst at letting go of adorable clothes.  It is easier for me at least, to give up clothing that I purchased second hand.  I think of it as "clothes sharing" - someone owned it before my kids, and someone will own it after my kids.  Coming in with that expectation makes parting a little less sorrowful.

10.  Get Ready for the Next Sale:  Don't forget to sign up for the sale's mailing list to be sure you're ready for the next event.  Most hold events twice a year and mailing list signups are available at checkout.

Now grab your purse and get shopping!  If you're already a veteran consignment shopper, leave a comment and tell us about your BEST consignment sale deal!

Shop Till You Drop

Spring means sunshine, green blooming flowers, and apparently (in Western Pennsylvania at least) consignment shopping.

Before having kids, I'd heard of these sales - but barely.  An acquaintance of an acquaintance worked at one, and I'd catch a fleeting glimpse of a yard sign advertising a sale at intersection.  We had thrown around the idea of visiting one of these sales while I was pregnant, but decided it was way too close to our vacation to bother.  If I'd only known then what I know now!

I've seen blog posts on other sites about consignment shopping, and wile I'm certainly no veteran to the experience, and some tips for new shoppers.

We visited five sales over the past two weeks, and have fully stocked up on equipment, toys, clothes and accessories to last us into the fall.  For just around $300, I have outfitted both babies with almost all of their non-consumable needs for the next 6 months.  A-M-A-Z-I-N-G

Some of my favorite buys were:
Step 2 Wagon: $6
Brand new Swimsuit from Gymboree: $4
Brand new hat from Gymboree: $3
Ralph Lauren Khaki Pants for Brayden: $2
2 Bumbo Seats + 1 Tray: $35 total
2 Exersaucers in excellent condition: $40 total
Searsucker Dress for Julie for Preakness: $6
Little Einstein DVDs: $2-3 each
Little People Play Sets: $4-6 each

We may NEVER shop retail again.

Stay tuned for when I reveal my "Top 10 Tips for Kids Consignment Success!"

Twin Tips: Baby Clothes Inventory Sheet

If there's one skill I can proudly share my abilities for, it's process development.  In my former professional experience, I loved nothing more than figuring out how to make something more efficient.  I love to consider all the options, and come up with a streamlined process that makes things easier for myself and all involved.

Now as a stay-at-home mom with twins, my "job" is caring for them around the clock, and there's definitely room for process development and improvements!  As I go along this journey, I'd like to share my "twin tips" that seem to make things work a little more smoothly for me.  For twin moms - try them out for yourself.  For moms of singletons - many will work for you as well.   For those of you who aren't moms, these little ideas might answer the question "how on earth do you do it?" that I get asked ever so frequently.

First up, the Baby Clothes Inventory Sheet.

Long ago in a time that now seems very far away, I was a planner.  My friends picked on me relentlessly about how I had "control issues" and tried to plan life to the most minuscule detail.  The birth of my twins has broken the planner in me mercilessly.  I finally gave up after creating a google spreadsheet (linked to a form document, accessible from my Droid) that tracked my ounces pumped, times and amounts consumed, and "outputs" of my twins.  One document I created during my time as a planner - and now being resurrected for use during my consignment shopping - was my Baby Clothes Inventory.

It's amazing the sheer amount of STUFF that twins need.  One unique challenge for mothers of multiples (boy/girl especially) is that it all becomes a blur when considering the amounts you have in what size, for what gender.  For example, it seemed like I had a TON of fuzzy sleepers.  And I did - but they were all in size newborn for Julie (hand me downs from a friend) and in size 0-3 months for Brayden (which we'd purchased because he was expected to be a big baby).  Had I not had my handy Baby Clothes Inventory spreadsheet,  I would have been out of luck and left struggling when Julie quickly outgrew her clothes.

Now, I am using my inventory to assist with consignment shopping, in order to help plan for the future while snagging great deals.  Download my Baby Clothes Inventory template HERE.

A few notes of use about this document:

• You can't edit it in Google Documents.  To download a usable copy,  go to "File" (under the title) and   then "Download" which will start the download of the Microsoft Excel file.
• The spreadsheet is designed for Boy/Girl twins with a column for N (Neutral) especially helpful for things like yellow newborn clothes and the sort.
• Each item tallies at each size level.  This total is the total number of Boy+Girl+Neutral.  This will prove that yes, indeed, you have a TON of fuzzy sleepers.  

If anyone is interested in this and has a tough time with excel, please feel free to email me and I'd be glad to make changes for you if needed.  

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think!