8 Easy Tips for SELLING Kid’s Stuff {Spring Cleaning}

If your house looks anything like mine, then it is COVERED in kid’s stuff.  I’m talking cars in the bathtub, socks in the pantry, and baby dolls in the office.  Stuff. is. everywhere.  But this month, we are turning that ship around with an entire series dedicated to Spring Cleaning!  But not the crazy cleaning routines you see posted all over Pinterest that have you scrubbing every inch of grout in your house with a toothbrush or wiping down your 12 foot ceilings with a mixture of eight different ingredients.  Nope.  We are talking straight up mom-friendly cleaning that you can do with a baby on your hip and a toddler at your toes…AND it will leave your house {relatively} spotless!

Spring Cleaning{Click image above for more posts in this series!}

First up – decluttering all of that kid’s stuff and SELLING it to a put a little money in your pocket.  Cha-ching!

We are ridiculously excited to be partnering together with Kid to Kid Houston Galleria for this post {and for the entire series, in fact!} because they are the PROS at children’s resale in Houston.  Seriously – have you been to their boutique?  It is like a well oiled machine with hairbows to match.  The store is immaculately organized, the staff is super sweet and helpful, and it is a one-stop shop for both selling AND buying everything your little darlings could ever need.  {More on the buying part later this month…}  Oh, and they helped me come up with eight easy tips on how to get the most bang for your buck when selling all of those outgrown clothes and out-of-use toys to share with all of you.  So here goes ::

8 Easy Tips for Selling Kid's Stuff

1. Hunt and gather

I’m not gonna lie – this process takes awhile.  What I like to do is go through every article of clothing and every toy lying around the house one. at. a. time.  I think to myself, “Self…does this newborn dress fit my almost one year old?” or “Does my three year old still play with this lights and sounds choo-choo train?”  {The answer to both of those being NO!}  And then I put the things that I am more than ready to part with in a plastic tub, keeping in mind that Kid to Kid takes virtually everything – clothes, shoes, outerwear, costumes, holiday items, toys, baby equipment…  {If you’re not sure whether they take it or not, you can find the complete list here under ‘Items We Buy & Sell’ or you can always just give them a call.  They’re so very helpful!}

2. Don’t discriminate

…but know that some items {big brands, smocked clothes, etc.} will pay more than others!  What I usually do is just bring everything I pile into that big plastic tub straight over to Kid to Kid.  After all, I need to get rid of it anyways, so why not take it there first?  And then anything they don’t take, I just donate to a reputable local cause.  {Get some spending cash AND help out my fellow Houstonians?  Double mom win!}

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3. Watch for wear

Disclaimer :: When I say I take everything I pile into that big plastic tub, I must also mention that it is ALWAYS best practice to inspect the items yourself before putting them in there.  So that super cute boutique outfit of my daughter’s that has a BIG, yucky stain on the front – pass!  Or the awesome wooden puzzle that is missing half of the pieces – pass on that one too!  Well, I guess if you are super crafty and creative you can find a way to upcycle them instead??

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4. Get matchy-matchy

Always, always, always sort outfits, sets, and multi-piece items together – which is one thing that I am kind of a weirdo about to begin with.  I like to hang up outfits together in the closet {so my husband can easily grab them and help get the kids dressed}, and I like to make sure that all of our toys stay neatly put away together {so that my kids can actually play with them instead of hunt for pieces and parts all the time}.  So thankfully, it translates into easy resaling too.  I just fold up sets of clothes together or throw toys that come in several pieces all together in a plastic bag, and voila – they are ready for Kid to Kid when it is time to sell them!

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5. Look good

My rule of thumb with this one is – if you wouldn’t buy clothes that aren’t washed, neatly folded, and {somewhat} wrinkle-free?  Why would K2K?  Or if you wouldn’t be interested in a toy that is broken and covered in an inch of dust?   Then why would they be interested either?  Pretty general common sense with this one.

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6. Get more back

So this next one is totally up to you, but keep in mind that when you opt for store credit over cash back – that you will get 20% more.  I always go in to Kid to Kid thinking that I am going to walk out with a wallet full of money.  But then the racks of cute clothes lure me in and the shelves full of shoes call my name and all of the new Melissa & Doug products just push me over the edge.  So I end up getting store credit {which gives 20% more, remember!}, and I walk out with big bags full of new-to-me stuff instead.

7. Give it a try

If you are new to the resale game, start small.  Grab a few outfits that your little ones have outgrown and a few toys they no longer play with, and take it over to K2K to see how it goes.  Know that there are absolutely zero obligations, and if you are not happy with the value offered to you – then you can take your stuff back and be on your way.  But I know you will love it there…and you will be hooked just like me!

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8. Then, try again!

Once you see how quick and easy it is, then go back again with more items to sell.  Because you know our kiddos will keep growing and growing.  And you know those clothes will keep getting smaller and smaller.  And you know the toys will keep getting pushed farther and farther down in the toy box.

So there you have it!  Eight super simple and totally doable tips to help you declutter that ever-growing mountain of kid’s stuff…and make some money too!  And guess what – to give you a little push to start your spring cleaning early, Kid to Kid is offering all Houston Moms Blog readers 10% off your ENTIRE purchase just by mentioning this post.  For the entire month of March.  As many times as you want to visit.  Pretty sweet deal, huh?

Oh, and don’t forget to come visit us each Monday this month for more Spring Cleaning tips and tricks.  It’s out with the old and in with the new this March, y’all!

[hr] Please Note :: We are so thankful to have Kid to Kid Houston Galleria sponsoring our ‘Spring Cleaning :: Out With the Old, In With the New’ series!  As you are deep cleaning and decluttering your house this spring, we encourage you to check out their amazing resale store down in the heart of Houston.  While there, you can sell all of your unwanted kid’s stuff…and then buy the things that you need!

Kid to Kid Houston Galleria

1737 Post Oak Boulevard

Houston, TX 77056

713.622.2545

 

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Kelly D
Kelly is the founder of Houston Moms Blog and has lived in this beautiful city nearly all of her life. She has a degree in education from Texas State University and was honored to teach special education for eight years to some of the cutest little kiddos you could ever meet. While teaching, Kelly met Cody – a tall drink of water and country boy to the core – and together, they fell in love, got married, and decided to start a family. In March 2011, they welcomed Hayes into the world, a silly but smart little boy with a story you have to read to believe. And in April 2013, their family was complete with the addition of Hadley, a super gregarious and oh-so-cute baby girl. Now, Kelly devotes her days to caring for her own little ones…and would not trade this new job of hers for the world! In her not-so-spare time, Kelly loves meeting up with her girlfriends for margaritas, failing miserably at Pinterest projects, and exploring this big old city with her two favorite little side-kicks in tow.

1 COMMENT

  1. Awesome tips Kelly! Right now I’m hanging on to all this boy stuff for #3 but will surely be selling in the future! 🙂

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