Just Between Friends Sale

I've blogged about the Just Between Friends Sale before see here. Most of you have probably heard of it but for those that haven't it is a children's consignment sale held twice a year at different locations all across the country. The one I attend is where it all started and as I understand is the motherload as far as the size and amount of goods at each sale. The building it's held in is 58,000 sf of space and has over 1,500 consignors with an estimated 200,000 items. It's HUGE!!! 

This year was my first year to consign and I am officially hooked!!! Consignors set their own prices for their items and make 65% of the sale of each item. If you volunteer you can make an additional 5% for a total of 70% on your sold items. Which I did this year also for the first time. I only had to volunteer for a 5 hour shift and I received the additional 5%, I got to shop early (which is HUGE) and I also received a skip the line pass for checkout (I didn't even realize how amazing this benefit was until the day of and when I was finally ready to check out and the line was at least 1 1/2 long).  

I had 140 pieces that I put into the sale to be sold and I sold all but 9 items. I haven't received my check yet (it's mailed to you within two weeks of the sale) but I made approximately $400!!! Isn't that AMAZING!!! It is relatively simple to prepare your items and they have an online barcode tagging system that makes it very easy. I had a lot to prepare this time because it was my first time and I was doing 3 years worth of clothing. This fall I will have a lot also since I was only able to put clothing for the spring and summer seasons into this sale. But after I consign in the fall/winter sale this year I will have a lot less each time to have to prepare and sell which will be less time consuming. I have already got my bins ready to go and labeled for my fall/winter items. And after the new baby outgrows all of our large baby items, such as strollers, carseats, bouncers, toys I will consign all of those items as well. 

Here are some of the things I had laid out while preparing.

This year I was on a mission to buy all of Jackson's spring/summer wardrobe during my shopping trip and also to maybe get a few things for the new baby. I scored big time on Jackson and I also got a book I was wanting to read for the new baby, breast milk storage container, Medela unopened microwave bag sterilizers and a few outfits for the new baby. Here is my haul in the picture below minus the two pair of shoes I got for Jackson and the two new Duo Maternity nursing bras I bought (I forgot to include in picture).

Jackson's items minus two pair of shoes.

All of the items minus the shoes and bras.

  I spent $220.83 on all of it! MAJOR SCORE!!! I would have easily spent double that if I had purchased all of this at retail shops. Some of the clothing items for Jackson and Kate still had the original tags on them and were brand new. The two pair of shoes I got for Jackson were both brand new and would have retailed for at least $50 for just those two items, I paid $11 for both. The milk storage container I bought was only $4 and it looked brand new and it retails for around $20. All the clothes were name brand with the exception of a few Target and Walmart brand play shorts I bought for Jackson that looked brand new. In total for Jackson I got 4 pairs of play shorts, 5 play shirts, 6 pairs of khaki and navy shorts (Gymboree, GAP, Old Navy and Polo), 13 Polo type shirts (8 were GAP, the rest were Old Navy, Children's Place, Polo), and two pair of shoes (Keds sneakers and Kenneth Cole leather flip flops). Most of the items for Kate were Carter's, GAP, Old Navy and a few brand new outfits from Target. Also got a swaddle wrap and the cutest Gymboree bathing suit for her.

I encourage all of you to check out a sale near you. I know that not all of the sales are as large as the one I attend but it would totally be worth your time to check it out. And if you have lots of baby and children's clothing laying around you are wanting to get rid of I would strongly encourage you to think about consigning. You make wayyyyy more money at the JBF sale than you would selling in a garage sale or taking to a consignment store. And if your interested in volunteering, it's totally worth it for the shop early pass (which you also get to do if you just consign, but if you volunteer you get in before all the consignors do) and the skip the line pass. If i hadn't had the skip the line pass this year I don't know if I would have been able to stand for another 1 1/2 in that line because this pregnant momma had literally shopped till I about dropped.