Kids' clothes and toy resale: sort, bundle and sell
How to get outgrown kids' items ready for a consignment sale, a swap or a tag sale table.
Kids outgrow things faster than anything else in the house. Selling as you go keeps closets clear and puts money back toward the next size up.
Sort by size and season
- Keep one bin per size. When a size is outgrown, the bin is ready to sell.
- Sell in season: coats in the fall, swimsuits in spring.
Check condition
- Wash everything. Look for stains, holes, broken zippers and missing buttons in good light.
- Toys: test batteries and count the pieces. Tape small parts in a bag to the box.
- Check gear like cribs, high chairs and strollers against recall lists (cpsc.gov/Recalls). Car seats have an expiration date printed on them; many consignment events won't take them at all.
Bundle to sell faster
A bundle of ten size-4 shirts sells faster than ten separate listings. Group by size and season, lay them flat for one photo, and list the brands.
Consignment events and swaps
Many communities run kids' consignment sales and clothing swaps, often in spring and fall. They usually have strict tagging and hanger rules and drop-off windows, so read the organizer's seller page early. Some let sellers shop early, which is a good perk if you're buying the next size.
At a tag sale table
- Sort clothes into labeled size boxes with one price per box.
- Put toys low and up front. Kids find them, parents buy them.
- Have bags ready for "fill a bag" pricing in the last hour.
After
Donate what's left the same day, and start the next size bin.