How to Prep for a Consignment Sale Faster

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Shoes for Consignment

Every time I prepare for a kids’ consignment sale it gets a bit easier. When I first started out, it used to be a multi-day project. Now, it’s something I can knock out in an afternoon. And that’s largely because of a few small investments that I’ve made along the way. Here’s a look at what I use to prepare for a consignment sale faster and with fewer hassles.

Clothing Racks

Clothing Rack

Having a place to hang clothes while you work is a huge plus. It keeps hangers from getting tangled together, and makes tagging faster, too. I usually hang everything up. Then, I go back and price everything all at once.

When I first started consigning, I had one rack; now I have two: the double rack that you see above, and a single rack just like it. I use the double rack for hanging shirts, shorts and skirts, and the single rack for hanging dresses, pants and other long items.

My racks are similar to these:

double rack
single rack

They’re reasonably sturdy, and they take up very little space in storage.

A Tagging Gun

Tagging Gun

Pinning tags on clothing with safety pins is tedious and time-consuming. I use a tagging gun to attach my tags, just like they do in stores. It’s loads faster, and it really doesn’t cost any more. In fact, as expensive as safety pins have gotten, this way is probably cheaper.

Zip Ties

Shoes Tagged with Zip Ties

I use to attach shoes to each other with ribbon. Now, I use zip ties. It’s faster and more secure. Zip ties can also be used to:

  • attach tags to items that you can’t use your tagging gun on (strollers, cribs, outdoor play equipment, etc.)
  • make sure strappy shirts, dresses and swim suits don’t fall off their hangers
  • Attach pants to shirt hangers (just loop a zip tie through one of the front and back belt loops on each side, and you won’t have any need for pants hangers or safety pins)
  • keep toys with multiple parts together (ex. use one to attach a bag of doll house furniture to the doll house)
  • Wind up cords, so they aren’t a big tangled mess

Tip: The dollar store sells zip ties.

Hanger Holder

A Hanger Holder

It takes a lot of hangers to get ready for a consignment sale, and they become a tangled mess in a hurry. I finally invested in a hanger holder (less than $10), and it’s been such a game changer. It keeps all the hangers neat and tangle-free, and takes up very little space in the basement between sales.

Whenever I come across free hangers, I add them to the rack. By the time I carry it upstairs to prep for a sale, I always have plenty of hangers.

Here are my sources for free hangers

A Consignment Sale Supply Box

Consignment Sale Supplies

I used to run around the house rounding up all my consignment supplies every time there was a sale. Now, I just keep everything in a dedicated box. It’s a huge time-saver having everything in one spot.

Here’s what I keep in my consignment box:

  • Consignment tags
  • tagging guns and extra barbs
  • safety pins
  • zip ties
  • packing tape (for attaching tags to books, games, movies, etc.)
  • plastic bags (for bundling small items)
  • ribbon (for bundling books)
  • a red marker (for marking items I don’t want to sell at half price)
  • A lint brush
  • Scissors (for trimming loose threads)

I used to keep a white-out pen in my box too, but the sale I participate in no longer allows you to correct tags (they had problems with shopper changing the prices on tags).

A Pricing Guide

Consignment Sale Pricing Guide

Figuring out how to price your stuff can be tricky. Save yourself a bunch of time by referring to my printable consignment sale pricing guide . These are the prices that I use when I participate in a sale, and I’ve always been happy with my earnings.

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3 Comments

  1. I’m getting ready for my next one at the end of this month! I’ve participated in the sale now for the past 2 years and you have helped me so much with organization throughout this process! Hoping for a big return this time around!

  2. Keep those blog posts coming too! I love them! Especially the room tours! You are great at what you do 🙂

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