Guest post from Denise of Life With the Lid Up
Ah, consignment sale season. The time of year when the house becomes a total disaster as it gets stuck somewhere between yard sale and retail outlet.
I scour every drawer, closet, and toy shelf to collect anything eligible to go into the sale. I read articles on decluttering and downsizing to maintain my motivation. I pin and tag and sort and size — all in a valiant effort to get rid of the unwanted, the outgrown, and the unnecessary.
The army men lurking under the couch, you have been found. The size 3T footed pajamas, you're no longer needed. You loud, obnoxious, blaring, battery-sucking toy, your time is up. Mama is cleaning house.
And then the children discover the piles. They become like hoarders. Everything is all of a sudden a "favorite."
It could turn into a battle. However, this go around, I implemented a few methods to help ease the madness and they all involved the kiddos.
If you’re planning to purge kid’s items this year, here are a few tips to get your kids involved:
1. Give them choices.
For a children's consignment sale, the bulk of the items you'll be selling will be "theirs." For clothes, size often determines what you consign; however, I still go through closets and ask about correct size, but seldom worn items, "Do you think you're going to wear this?"
For toys and books, I asked each of my boys to find a certain number of items to consign. When we went through the games and puzzles together, I gave choices, such as, "Would you rather keep this firetruck puzzle or the dinosaur one?"
It puts the control into their hands, helping them learn some decision-making skills, as well as taking away some resentment that could arise.
2. Put them to work.
Children can help with some of the work that comes along with getting items prepared for a consignment sale. Mine helped to group and bag smaller items.
The sale I use requires consignors to print out labels for each item. My guys helped cut out the labels. Some kids may be able to help sort sizes and tape on labels.
3. Teach them during the process.
As we were getting some things together, I tried to explain why I put in the effort to a consignment sale. After all, it can be a lot of work. "You see these pants you've outgrown and how tall you're getting? I'll use the profits from the sale to help buy you some new things."
Further motivation may come from saving the profits for a family goal, such as an outing or project. We also talked about the importance of giving items as we made piles for donations as well. Additionally, the kids heard some thoughts about being frugal and how shopping at consignment and thrift sales can be a fun adventure.
Consigning clothes, toys, and baby gear that are no longer needed or wanted is a great way to clear clutter and make a little money in the process. Getting the kids involved is an added bonus!
Denise is a follower of Jesus, full-time wife and mommy to three boys, part-time preschool teacher, and involved with a parent and youth skills building program. She enjoys cooking, watching football, and writing for her blog, Life With the Lid Up.
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