ack, why do i feel consignment ANXIETY?

[Seitvonzu]

so for about the last month i've been clearing out 5 years worth of baby-child stuff (at least the spring/summer portion, plus all gear/large toys and misc). i washed, ironed,hung, pinned and emotionally processed like crazy (i tried last year and just could NOT do it!)

This was all leading up to a big consignment sale that is this weekend. I tagged something like $2500+ worth for it, had my husband work, worked 2 shifts myself--all to get the "maximum" consigning value.

15 big blue IKEA bags, plus large toys, plus stroller,highchair,exersaucer,packandplay and jumperoo. TWO mazda 5 carloads FULL (just leaving driver seat empty for driver)

i also got all these "perks" for volunteering like bonus passes for all the "special" events. after being down at the venue 2 days this week (plus prepping all the stuff for my husband to be at the venue 2 times this week), i knew i wouldn't want to schlep back down, pay a toll (or go way out of the way) for "shopping" today... for one thing, SHOPPING is what got me into this mess in the first place, right?

so i offered my passes on facebook thinking my mommy friends would snatch them up. heck, they charge 10 dollars for a "new mom" pass and that is 2 hours after my pass is good for .... nobody, not even my best friend who i emailed about it specifically b/c she's not on facebook AND she said she wanted to go to the sale, took me up on the offer. these are friends that shop at consignment stores regularly.... i know the timing was kinda weird (5pm when it's a bit of a drive), but i thought SOMEONE would take a pass.

so now i'm worrying like crazy that this will be just a big effort for NOTHING. i'm having anxiety that i priced things too high, that no one will like my stuff even though i think it's adorable/in great shape/clean/etc, and that nothing will sell. :( i'm actually feeling physically anxious and a little sick, like it will be a huge disappointment.

i cannot tell you how i felt on tuesday dropping off FIFTEEN HUGE IKEA BAGS FULL OF STUFF. the physical relief was amazing. then that night i was up looking for more stuff to tag because it felt so good and i wanted to get rid of as much as possible!!! i sent DH with another full car the next day -- and ALL THAT WAS GONE :) i needed to clear out for years, and it finally HAPPENED. i couldn't have cared less about money on tuesday/wednesday, but now... i'm just nervous. i'm thinking "if my friends didn't want to go on the special night, who is going to go to this thing? whose going to buy all my like-new toys/clothes? why would they pay those prices?

it's awful. i'm not a consignment buyer, and apparently i'm not a great seller either. thanks for listening.... i love this board :)

[daisyd]

I know that feeling...both the relief after cleaning and the anxiety before the event. Sounds like you put in a lot of effort to present the stuff well. It will pay off. Hang in there. Stuff that doesnt sell can always be listed on ebay/CL etc. It's also very satisfying to donate, IME. G/L. Let us know how it goes.

[ellies mom]

:hug:

Just remember, if your friends have kids your age, they may not be the target audience. They probably have much of what they need or like you, trying to get rid of it. The target group is probably those people who are just starting out and don't have anything. And I bet there are a bunch of them out there.

I just sold a bunch of stuff last week. I wanted it gone. I definitely didn't want to bring anything new back into the house. OK. That isn't entirely true. I took the money from selling the girl's stuff and put it toward a new sewing machine for myself. So I guess I didn't bring something back in.

[wellyes]

As a consignment sale shopper, let me just say, I love sellers like you! Thank you for taking good care. Buyers notice clean, well presented items for sure. Ironing is just the icing on the cake. I think you'll do fine.

To be honest, sometimes I only consign stuff to get access to that early consigners-only sale. I usually buy a ton then, and have at least 1/3 of my sales on those day too (always the best stuff). I hope you have a good system where you will get to see what sold soon --- ours updates the database by midnight each day of the sale, so you can see what's gone and what's still left. It would make you feel better to see that.

[KpbS]

I would have totally bought your stuff!! I don't consign or shop those sales anymore--with 2 DSs it makes more sense for me to buy new or occasionally off eBay than used boy clothing. And I've bought too far ahead for DD and with the random hand me down for a friend, I just buy to fill in the gaps. Gotta have some restraint! ;). I bet you'll make out like a bandit! Did you designate your things to be donated if they don't sell? You still can donate if you don't pick them up (in our area it goes to women's shelters) and that way it won't come back. Take a deep breath! You've done the hardest parts for sure!

[KrisM]

I would have taken it! I've never been to a sale like that and would love to go. ours are mom2mom where we sell our own stuff at our own tables. I love finding sellers with nice stuff :)

[WatchingThemGrow]

WOW!!! That's impressive! You worked so hard to make so much stuff available to others at a reduced price. I'm guessing you will get your stuff back if it doesn't sell, right? The sales I've done have the option of printing up little stickers for the tags so you can bring it back to the next sale. The clothing under 2 years seems to not sell very well IMO. There's always a ton of it, and it's usually priced by 1st timers, and it actually looks stained when people don't realize it is. (I always sort at these events to get early entry.)

It's an anxiety-producing event, for sure. It's exhausting to get everything ready, and I've only ever done like $500 worth! You must have done a LOT! What an awesome thing to get all that stuff out of your house. It must have been like a room-full, right??? I'm hoping to collect more from around our house and do a 3rd sale since Oct. The last time I let everything leftover go to charity. Then I realized I let our size 90 shorts go out in that pile, and that's the size DS2 needs for this summer !!! Argh! Let us know how your sales ring up. It's fun to watch!

[Seitvonzu]

i'm so glad i posted about this. i have a bit of a sore throat and have been exhausted all day even though i fell asleep at 9 last night. i think it might be a bit of a cold in the works... maybe that's coloring my mood.

i wasn't going to donate b/c the sale i do allows you to transfer old tags to their next sale. there next sale is actually in a more convenient location for me, but i wanted to have this done WELL BEFORE EASTER (i throw a big party and the next sale is the 15-17.... uh, no thank you. my decorations are going up THIS WEEKEND ;) ) so anyhow, i decided about a week ago that i would make everything donate-- if you do that , you basically participate in 50% sunday. so lots of stuff goes then (because it's really cheap). there were a few things that i priced on the high side and didn't mark "donate"-- those were things i'm pretty sure i wasn't ready to get rid of anyway ;)

i had nearly 500 items :) i think i marked something like 20 "not donate" -- all clothes. NOTHING big is coming home.

you would think getting rid of that many things would mean my house was now completely breathing a new life.... it doesn't feel like that AT ALL. one of the organizers (an older woman) asked me "where did you keep it all?" honestly? i have NO IDEA :) i do think i'll be able to organize some storage areas a little better...but in getting everything out the door, our basement is in a bit of chaos :) (i do know that there is nothing on the shelf in my daughters closet- so that's LOTS of vertical space)

thanks again for all your encouraging words. the sale DOES have a feature where you can check your sales each night (the tagging is pretty high tech)...i think i'll wait until tomorrow :) (probably i won't be able to wait though!)

[MamaMolly]

Awwww, mama! It will work out just fine. And I totally understand about the anxiety. I participated in a local sale and had LOVELY, clean, name brand, well displayed clothes. I sold maybe 3 items. The toys I brought sold like hotcakes. People here just don't want to pay $2-$5 for EUC/NWOT Gymboree, Hanna, Gap Kids, Lilly Pulitzer, etc. What ever.

I was bummed, but then when we went to MIL's house a few weeks later I took an entire suitcase of clothes (35 lbs, according to the airline!;)) to the local OUAC and got almost $100 for what they took, which was only about 2/3 of the stuff. Happy dance!!!!!

I'm sure people will be thrilled to buy your clothes. That is what they are going to the sale for!

[mypa]

Keep us updated. I've been close but have never done a consignment sale. Watching how yours go may take me over the edge.

[belovedgandp]

I am you, except I just pulled out the firs two boxes and tagged 40 items today. That is maybe 5% of what I have to go through for a sale at the end of March. I don't shop these sales and usually just donate or give to friends, but my youngest is turning 3 and I have so many clothes and toys that we just don't need I decided to go for it.

I did one 18 months ago and was pleasantly surprised. I know my pricing was all over the board but things sold. I probably went a little high, but if it didn't go until 50% off day I didn't feel like I got robbed either. When I did it then I took 400 items 300 were clothing and 100 infant, baby care type things (all super small). Every single item sold and about 1/2 the clothing did. I felt good about it and it was out of the house.

As for the friends, I know mine that are serious also tend to be loyal to a sale or two a season. They consign and volunteer at those only.

[Seitvonzu]

Hooray-- i just checked my inventory and 133 things have sold. i believe that was just last night, because it hasn't changed since i checked several hours ago (and i'm guessing SOMETHING else would have sold in those hours, since i have 300+ more things and friday mornings are very buys)

the best thing-- nearly ALL of my "large" (i.e. EXPENSIVE) items have sold :):) and several of my more expensive boutique things :) YAY! :) i'm feeling much more confident now :) thanks for all the hand holding :)

and i'm going to say- consigning at these sales is NOT easy. but i think this time, it was worth it

(even the physical labor i'll be in for on sunday when i have to tear down)

[elephantmeg]

yeah you! great update!

[WatchingThemGrow]

That's awesome! Was that just the night for volunteers/consignors?

[MamaMolly]

Hooray-- i just checked my inventory and 133 things have sold. i believe that was just last night, because it hasn't changed since i checked several hours ago (and i'm guessing SOMETHING else would have sold in those hours, since i have 300+ more things and friday mornings are very buys)

the best thing-- nearly ALL of my "large" (i.e. EXPENSIVE) items have sold :):) and several of my more expensive boutique things :) YAY! :) i'm feeling much more confident now :) thanks for all the hand holding :)

and i'm going to say- consigning at these sales is NOT easy. but i think this time, it was worth it

(even the physical labor i'll be in for on sunday when i have to tear down)

How much loot did ya get?!?! :popc1:

[Seitvonzu]

yes- this appears to just be from last night which is volunteers/consigners/and new moms pre-sale (that's limited to a certain # and they have to pay to get in)

so far i'm almost to 800 dollars (you know, with them taking a cut out of that.... ) -- so even if the rest of the stuff didn't sell until 50 day -- i'd still be doing pretty well :) and i'm hopeful that at least a bit of the stuff will sell today and tomorrow (it's pretty much confirmed now that they won't update sales until the end of the selling period, which i think tonight ends at 7)

it's quite exciting :) i still have quite a bit of stuff because i couldn't sell anything not "seasonally appropriate" and i have lots of that (yes COATS -- i'm looking at YOU) :)

and of course, as i clean the fracas that is my basement i find other stuff that can go :) it's sorta fun :)

[belovedgandp]

Good for you! I love the feeling of purging. Nice when it pays off too.

[zag95]

I'm gearing up for 2 consignment sales: one for my kiddos (DD 2 is outgrowing DD1's things and I'm putting them up for sale!)
and a plus size one for ladies.

I went to our KMart, which is closing today and bought about 250 hangers (pants and clothes hangers) for $1 for the box.

I'm hoping to purge as well- didn't do too bad on my first try in the fall, so I'm motivated to do it again!

Glad to hear you are having success! Happy sales!

[MamaMolly]

so far i'm almost to 800 dollars (you know, with them taking a cut out of that.... ) -- so even if the rest of the stuff didn't sell until 50 day -- i'd still be doing pretty well :)

:bowdown: I'm so happy for you!!!!