TotSwap

Tipsy Tuesday - Top 10 Selling Items

2011-01-11T16:13:00.000-08:00

What should you sell at the TotSwap Consignment Sale?

So many times consignors just think clothing...yes, clothing is great to sell at any of our events, but shoppers are looking for a lot more!

Here is a list of our top 10 hottest items:

10. Sports Equipment
9. Furniture - childrens sets, toddler beds, etc.
8. Higher end brand name clothing (Gymboree, Ralph Lauren, Hannah Anderson, Lilly Pulitzer, etc.)
7. Books - for ALL ages, not just childrens anymore!
6. Educational Games/Toys/Books
5. Video Games & DVDs
4. Baby Equipment - strollers, pack n plays, high chairs, etc.]
3. Games & Puzzles (with ALL pieces)
2. Outdoor toys - bikes, play equipment, etc.
1. Toys of all size, but particularly large toys and outdoor toys

Start by tagging these items first, this will ensure that they get tagged in time for the sale. Leave your smaller and less profitable items for last!

Tipsy Tuesday - Why Consign

2011-01-04T10:57:00.000-08:00

It's Tipsy Tuesday! Most of the kids are back in school and I hope everyone had an amazing holiday break! Now it's time for many of us to get into the swing of things and register to consign at one of our Spring Sales!

Consignors sell their items for a number of different reasons...here are a few of them and if you were on the fence, maybe one of them will convince you to give it a try if you haven't done it before:

1. Earn some spending money - My guess would be that the number one reason why families consigns is to make $$. We spend a lot on our kids including school, activities, clothing, toys, food, etc. So why not try to get a little of that money back on items that are in great shape? Consignor checks vary from as small as $10 to as high as $1500!!

2. Clean out their basements, closets, etc. - Kids toys and clothing takes up a TON of space...doesn't it always feel so great when you can purge and clean out your house of items you no longer use? Consigning is a great way to get paid for cleaning!! :)

3. Recycling - So many of the kid toys on the market are made of plastic and it would feel so strange to just throw a toy away...what a waste!! Consigning is an excellent way to recycle your unwanted toys, clothing, equipment and more!

Why do you consign? Please share your reasons with other moms!

Tipsy Tuesday - Getting Your Kids Involved!

2010-12-28T08:48:00.000-08:00

It's Tipsy Tuesday! For most of us, the kids are off between Christmas and New Years so it can be a hard time to get your items organized and tagged for the sale season. Here is a tip I learned from Laura L., a great consignor, volunteer & shopper...get your kids involved!!

Kids are getting new clothes and toys at this time of year so have them help you clean out what they currently have to make room for the new. Put your old things away in bins or bags by season and size. If clothing or toys have missing pieces, tears, stains, etc. put them in the recycle bin now! They should only be sold or donated to organizations that can recycle them in a useful way.

Have your kids help you by going through their toys/clothes and pulling out what they no longer use or want. Can you encourage them to help you by earning a few dollars on these things? What a great lesson to teach your kids at a young age!

I have three kids so I find my kids to be super helpful when it comes to sorting through their books. From the oldest to the youngest, what my oldest no longer wants he passes down to his 2 siblings and eventually my youngest has this HUGE pile of books!! I know that I can go through his books each season (he's too little to do it on his own) and pull out a bunch for resale!

Having your kids help you can be tricky because often time they discover a new found LOVE for a toy that haven't played with in ages! This can be good because it brings life to an old toy, but usually by the next day they have forgotten about it and then it "somehow" ends up in the sell pile! :)

Tipsy Tuesday - Where to Start

2010-12-21T19:42:00.000-08:00

It's Tipsy Tuesday! Since a lot of consignors are just getting started with tagging for the new sale season I wanted to catch you early on with these great tips when entering your items into the online system.

1. Organize your items - In my opinion, this is half the battle! Once you can organize your items by category (clothing, toys, shoes, etc) entering and tagging is a piece of cake! When organizing your clothing in particular, make sure you seperate them by gender and size. If you do this, you will breeze through the entering process online!

2. To Discount or Not to Discount? - By clicking the little box next the word "Discount" on the tag screen, you are agreeing to sell that item for 50% off on our Discount day. I strongly recommend taking advantage of this option. You would be amazed at the number of times shoppers come back to the sale over the weekend particularly on our first & last sale days! By discounting your are getting that last push to sell your item - you don't want to bring it home do you? If you are planning on donating, then it would silly NOT to discount! I see so many items being donated on Monday that would probably have sold if they had been discounted on Sunday. You aren't planning on picking your item up anyway, so you might as well try to sell it on Sunday.

3. Gather your tools - I have that includes packaging tape, tagging gun, barbs & blue painters tape. This along with cardstock is pretty much all I need to get my items tagged! I keep it in the same place so I know where to find it each season. I might end up grabbing a few other things, but this is mostly all I need.

I find that the most efficient way to enter items is a little bit at a time. Most of my items are pre-organized b/c I do that as I am cleaning out the kids closet. When I start tagging I usually grab a bin/bag of clothing and bring it to my computer. My favorite time to tag is after the kids are in bed in front of the television. I enter the bag/bin, print the tags, and then attach them to the items! That's it! I am done! This way I can tackle as much or as little as I want at a time without getting confused on where the tags belong.

I could go on and on with more entering tips, but will save some additional suggestions for the next Tipsy Tuesday!

Tipsy Tuesday - Identifying your Tags

2010-12-14T11:13:00.000-08:00

Now that consignors are starting to register & tag I thought it would be a great time to start...Tipsy Tuesday!! I will share a tip with you and feel free to share your tips here as well...

Why not use a unique color for your tag? Or identify them in some way to make them unique? It is harder on your eyes to look for your blue striped shirt, white polke dot shirt, plaid pants, etc. If your eyes are just looking for a particular tag it will help you to find your clothing items more quickly!
1. Tags don't all have to be white...our scanners can read most tag colors EXCEPT DARK COLOR, stay away from neons & dark shades. Pastels are a great choice or if you are a scrapbooker, you might know where to find unique cardstock colors (AC Moore, Micheals, etc.).2. Scissors - why not try to cut your tags using a pair of scissors with a different kind of an edge! There are a lot of inexpensive scissors you can get that will cut your tags with some sort of rickrack or wavy edge!3. Sticker or Stamp your tags -After you have printed your tags, stamp or stick them with a character, initial or design that is unique. I prefer the stamp b/c you can use it over and over and it never really needs to be replaced.
4. Mark your hanger - Instead of looking for a particular tag, looking for a ribbon or piece of yarn that is attached to your hanger. I do want to warn you that it is not as fool proof as marking your tags! Items fall off of their hangers all of the time throughout the weekend. They are not always placed back on the same hanger. For that reason I don't recommend this option as highly, but it is a good way to grab a handful of your items quickly at pick-up!Once you have picked your "theme", stick with it! You can use the same supplies from sale to sale and then you won't have to remember what you used last season. You will always know to look for the pastel blue wavy edged tag with the "G" stamp on them! This little bit of extra work will make your pick up process go much quicker!

The volunteers are AMAZING!

2009-09-25T11:05:00.000-07:00

Wow! TotSwap was CRAZY yesterday!

As soon as the doors opened in the morning the consignors were coming in with vans and SUVs full of stuff and the Volunteers were putting things away almost as fast as they were getting unpacked. It was AMAZING! Denise has really got a great group of hard working folks for volunteers.

I haven't any idea how many shoppers there were last night but it certainly seemed like it was a lot! After some initial technical glitches, Robyn had 5 registers up and running for 6 hours straight!

A lot of items sold last night but there are certainly more good finds to be had today and through the weekend. I'm sure I'll see things on Sunday that I hadn't seen before just because there is SO much to look at that I can't see everything, even on multiple days.

I'm already thinking ahead to the next sale Columbus Day weekend. I have some books that I made tags for but didn't get time to put them on the books so I'll take care of that this weekend (in the evening when I'm not at TotSwap) and then I'll look around and see what else I can find to sell and find space in my house.

Gaitherburg is Just Around the Corner!

2009-09-21T08:22:00.001-07:00

Wow! Time has flown and the Gaithersburg sale is this week! I still have a few bins of things to get entered and tagged but I'm on course to get most of my things dropped off on Wednesday and do the "clean up" Wednesday night to take up with me on Thursday when I volunteer. I'll probably be up late tonight entering things so I can tag them all tomorrow night after work but a few nights of shortened sleep are well worth it in the end.

Did you see that Robyn increased the consignor split from the spring sales for folks who volunteer for 2 or more shifts? 60% is a pretty nice deal...and more than the local consignment stores offer!

I'm sure I'll come across more things to sell at the other sales to (I'm planning on selling and volunteering at all 4). Once I get everything up to Gaithersburg I'm going to start looking around for housewares to sell at the other sales.

See you all in a few days!

The Unique Boutique

2009-09-20T17:13:00.000-07:00

While we all know about the great finds Totswap is known for in the larger rooms with all the toys and clothes, many shoppers have not realized how amazing the Unique Boutique is. For those that are too busy to attend (or host) home parties, it gives you a great opportunity to try, touch and feel products before you buy them. Plus, you get the added bonus of knowing you are shopping with local small-business owners (many of whom are also moms), who pride themselves on great customer service!

For anyone who has been thinking of hosting a home party as an excuse to get your friends together, it the Unique Boutique gives you a chance to compare some of the great home party companies to see what would be the best fit for you and your friends (and which company YOU want FREE products from).

Lastly, many of the vendors offer discounts and/or raffles during the event so if you like free or discounted stuff, it is definitely worth spending a little time in the Unique Boutique.

Another GREAT way to make some cash!

2009-09-20T16:56:00.000-07:00

I wanted to make sure you all know that there is another GREAT way to make some instant CASH at the Totswap this season! While you are busy going through all of your kid's toys and clothes, make sure you take a break and go through your jewelry boxes, coin jars, and cabinets to find any gold, silver or platinum you may have that you no longer wear, no longer want, is broken, orphaned, ugly...you name it. Also keep your eyes peeled for any US silver coins dated pre-1969, sterling flatware, or even dental gold. If you are not sure if an item is real, BRING IT anyway! We will test it on the spot for you!

You may walk away with $100s of dollars that you never expected just by taking some time to go through your home and finding items to bring. The Gold Ladies will ONLY be purchasing items during consignment drop-off, NOT during the actual Totswap, so be sure to come see us in Gaithersburg this Wednesday from 12pm-8pm and Thursday from 9am-12pm.

(We will be at all four locations during consignor drop-off times only) For more info on what we buy, or to book your own Gold Party or Fundraiser check out our website: www.thegoldladies.com

Gearing up for Gaithersburg (and beyond)!

2009-09-04T07:57:00.000-07:00

Wow! I can't believe that the Gaithersburg sale is just a few weeks away! My summer just FLEW by and I didn't get to everything I had intended to so now I have to step up my game.

I have managed to clean out excess toys and videos from the living room but I haven't even begun in the basement! Yikes. Well, I guess it's good that this is a long weekend and the pool is still open so hubby can take the kids off to the pool for the day :-)

So, as I get into full swing, I thought I would share some "tips" with you to make this process as easy as possible.

1) Get a friend to consign too! Sitting around and chatting with someone while you are tagging makes the time go by quickly.

2) Volunteer! You get more of a return AND you get to shop early (seriously, this is the biggest benefit). Oh, and if your friend has consigned too, you have a buddy to shop with.

3) Sort before you enter! Other than the description, everything that will appear on your tags is in drop down menus so it is easier if you don't have to keep changing your choice (for example, enter all you 18-24 months clothes at the same time)

4) Be realistic when you price things and use the suggested pricing guide on the TotSwap site -- it is really helpful and generally spot on. If you wouldn't buy it for $4, then don't price it at $4 because someone else won't buy it for that either!

5) Package things to sell, include all the parts (must have working batteries), and make sure it is clean!

Well, I must run but more to come... Good luck all!

Another Gift Certificate Winner!!

2009-08-17T06:30:00.000-07:00

Did you know that we gave another $15 Gift Certificate away to a Facebook Fan?

Our Facebook page is www.facebook.com/totswap, come on over, become a fan to win giveaways throughout the season.

Totswap from a vendor's perspective - part 3

2009-08-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

As I walked into the Unique Boutique room, instead of pulling my typical aversion technique to avoid these companies like the plague cause heaven forbid I actually talk to someone, I stopped, and talked with the ladies at almost every table. I picked up more info on the companies, grabbed the catalogs I was interested in, bought a few items and even booked a party! I found out that none of the women were going to bite. =) They had all worked very hard to set up a beautiful display on their table, and were all thrilled to let me know how they got into direct sales. Some of the women I clicked with and I keep in touch with those ladies today.

Within two months, I signed up with a direct sales company which allowed me to stay home with my son for several more months. Now, I work part time as a freelance attorney and am involved with several direct sales companies. I love being able to get my products at cost and even more importantly, I have found direct sales to be so rewarding because it gives me the flexibility to be home with my son an extra 20+ hours per week. I love being able to share my story and experience with others in the same position and help them find a solution that allows them to earn extra money, stay home with their children, feel successful, or meet any other goal or dream.

I'm thrilled to say that I will be a vendor at the Gaithersburg and Frederick Totswaps this fall. I truly hope that instead of running past me, you all will stop, say hi, and if, like me, you need some extra money, and time with your children, that you will stay a while and find out what direct sales is all about.

Feel free to check out my site: www.PinkStudio.vpweb.com or e-mail me: PinkStudio@live.com

And a winner has been chosen!!

2009-08-08T17:46:00.001-07:00

Check out TotSwap on Facebook to see if you won!! www.facebook.com/totswap
The winner is posted on our page!

Totswap from a vendor's perspective - part 2

2009-08-04T07:24:00.000-07:00

As I said before, I was a full time attorney prior to having my son. I never thought I would want to be a stay at home mom, until I realized how much my little guy needed me, how much I needed him, and how everyday brought new experiences that I wanted to share with him. I had been combing the papers, calling everyone I knew, and trying to figure out any way to make enough money to pay my mortgage and other monthly bills without having to go back to work (at least not full time). Everyone I spoke with said pretty much the same thing...it is hard when you first go back, but it will get easier. That was not what I wanted to hear. I was looking for a magic bullet.

I left the main room in the Gaithersburg Totswap, walked through the housewares room, and ran smack into the answer I had been looking for. There, in front of me, was the Unique Boutique. Tons of women who looked genuinely happy and relaxed. They all had tables set up with just about every product you could imagine. Some of the companies I had heard of like Mary Kay and Tupperware, but there were also many I never knew existed. I had never hosted a party of any of these types of companies, but had gotten a few products over the years at friend's parties. I knew that I loved all the products I had tried, and that I really did think the quality of the product had been better, and I loved that I did not have to go to the mall. The consultants had been really nice, followed up with me later, and made me feel very comfortable with my purchases.

Feel free to contact me at: PinkStudio@live.com or visit my website

TotSwap Gift Certificate Giveaway!!

2009-08-03T13:34:00.000-07:00

Are you a FAN of Totswap on Facebook yet?? Become a FAN of the TotSwap Consignment Sale by this Friday August 7th for a chance to win a $15 Gift Certificate!!

Following this link to become a FAN today:
www.facebook.com/totswap

We will randomly choose 1 FAN to win a $15 Gift Certificate to use at any of our Fall 2009 TotSwap Sales!! And if you have shopped with us in the past, then you know that $15 can go a LONG way at TotSwap!

See you at the sales!
Robyn

Totswap from a Vendor's Perspective - Part 1

2009-07-28T20:45:00.000-07:00

My first experience at Totswap was in Gaithersburg in 2007.  I was a first time mom,
and a full time attorney who was about to run out of maternity leave.  I could not
fathom going back to work and leaving my sweet little peanut with anyone else.  I went
to Totswap to pick up several more essentials, but, was somewhat weary that none of the
items would be good enough for my sweet little baby boy.  When I got to the fairgrounds
and entered the building, I realized quickly that many of the items for sale still had
their tags, but were being sold for 1/3 (or less of the retail price).  I also realized
how critical it was to come early and get the best deals, and then come back on
Saturday as there seemed to be many new things out that I had just overlooked late
Thursday night.  The consignment part of the Totswap was fantastic for me and I still
buy most of my son's clothes, shoes and toys at the Totswap.
But, that was not what changed my life...

Feel free to check out my site: www.PinkStudio.vpweb.com or e-mail me: PinkStudio@live.com

Ready to go!

2009-07-27T11:11:00.000-07:00

I'm SO ready for another round of TotSwap sales!

Both of my girls went through a growth spurt at the end of the spring and will be wearing a size larger this fall than what they were wearing in the spring. So closet cleaning was in order. I've cleared out my younger dd's closet and started to put away the hand me downs I pulled from the attic that I had saved from my older dd. As I cleaned I sorted things to donate and things to sell at TotSwap. And now that the sales have opened, I can go ahead and start entering my items! I always say that I'm not going to wait until the last minute, and I've been getting better, but this time I'm really going to clean house and get things entered early!

As I was cleaning out my dd's closet, I listed some things on ebay that hadn't made it to TotSwap, but other than a few items, I think I would have been able to take home more money from selling them at TotSwap. It also takes more time per item to sell on ebay than it does TotSwap. I'll definitely finish the closets switches and get things ready for TotSwap. All of the sales are close enough for me to participate in so I will have 4 opportunities to sell my stuff! I can't wait!

Please be sure to read back in the blog for tips on tagging and organizing things. I'll probably end up repeating some of the things I've blogged about before but I may forget bits here and there so be sure to look back.

Let's start tagging!!

Registration for Fall Sales, NOW OPEN!!

2009-07-20T04:22:00.000-07:00

We hope you are all enjoying your summer!! We are excited about the upcoming Fall 2009 Sale Season. We have been busy implementing changes to make this season even bigger & better!!

Registration for ALL Fall sales is now open...

The summer season is a great time to tag. Once the kids go back to school our schedules tend to get a bit hectic. Take advantage of the break to clean out those closets and make some cash! You will be glad you did!

Due to many requests from our consignors, we are happy to announce that we are expanding back to Frederick!! We are in the process of getting locations firmed up for both our Howard and Frederick locations. When we do, we will let you know. However, you can still register and start tagging your items.

Due to space constraints, we will NOT be featuring Home Swap Home in our Gaithersburg location this season. If you have home decor items that you would like to consign, please bring them to either the Howard County, Frederick or Timonium locations.

The Dates for the Fall season are as follows:
Gaithersburg - September 23-27
Howard County - October 7-11
Frederick - October 21-25
Timonium - November 4-8

REGISTER NOW!!

Stay tuned...more Fall details coming.
New improved volunteer incentives...Consignors & Shoppers will want to volunteer!! :)

2009-07-16T19:56:00.000-07:00

We are excited to announce the Fall 2009 Sale Dates!!! AND we are returning to the Frederick area this Fall!!

The sale dates are as follows:
Gaithersburg, September 23-27
Howard, October 7-11
Frederick, October 21-25
Timonium, November 4-8

Watch your email, we will be opening registration on Sunday night, July, 19th! So get started by cleaning out your closets and organizing the things you are no longer using to cash out at the TotSwap Consignment Sale!! :)

A Quick Note About Preparing and Tagging Items

2009-04-09T14:10:00.001-07:00

I just remembered a comment someone made last weekend and Timonium which reminded me that I meant to blog about it...

Here are some helpful hints for preparing and tagging your items...

1) Tape is your friend, but use it wisely. Don't use packing tape on things that will tear (books, games, toys with labels, etc.). Do use packing tape on plastic bags to keep them shut. Kids know how to (and will) open ziploc bags. If you don't want small parts to go missing, tape the bag shut. Don't tape over every corner of your tag -- the tags are removed at check out so the "detaggers" need a corner to pull the tag off. Use painter's tape on books and other items that might tear with packing tape.

2) Ziploc bags are your friend...use them liberally! If a toy has a part that can come off, go ahead and remove it, put it in a plastic bag and attach it to your toy (see information about tape above). Put shoes in bags and tape your tag to the bag. Use bags for multiple items (socks, cups, bottles, bibs, etc.). Please DO NOT put your tag inside a plastic bag and then tape the bag shut. The tags are removed from your items at check out and they are difficult to get to inside a sealed bag.

3) Hang thing that can hang. Onesies, bathing suits, and other clothing items sell MUCH better if they are on a hanger in the appropriate size rack rather than in a plastic bag on the table.

4) If it can be assembled, assemble it. Things sell better when you can see the form and function. If you want the box to go with it, attach is somehow.

5) If you have something that is stored in a container, say a bucket of Legos, put the Legos inside a bag, inside the bucket, and then use tape to make sure your bag stays in the bucket and the lid is attached, but not covering the Legos (taped to the bottom or side). Folks want to see what they are buying and they want to see that it is there.

6) Put game pieces that are inside the game box, inside a plastic bag. If someone opens the box they can see what is in there and not loose anything.

7) When ever I'm selling a "higher end" item (say over $20) :-) I will put the retail comparison in the description. At Gaithersburg I sold a tricycle for $60 but it was probably because either the buyer knew what they were buying, or because my description included that it retails for $130.

8) Use your tags to let folks know about your item -- retail comparison (sells for...), subjective comment (my daughter LOVED this), detailed description (custom made for 5th birthday), etc. Buyers like to know about what they are buying. Evenflo Highchair $75 vs. Evenflo Highchair, folds compact, lightweight, retails for $200. More information is often better.

Good luck!

Two Down, One to Go!

2009-04-09T13:48:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally found a moment to deposit my check from the Gaithersburg sale and now I've got to find time to take my Timonium one to the bank too! I love having some "fun" money :-)

KUDOS to all the AMAZING volunteers at the Timonium sale last weekend! There were some awesome ladies and gentlemen that pitched in before, and after, their shifts. From this consignor's perspective, the volunteers are there helping me sell my stuff. If it wasn't for them, and their hard work, folks would walk out without purchasing anything...and none of us want that! So thanks folks! :-)

Speaking of selling things, I am AMAZED at how much sold at both the Gaithersburg and Timonium sales! By Sunday afternoon, the tables and racks were bare! It was a wonderful thing to see!

Between Gaithersburg and Timonium, I've sold over 1000 items! After Gaithersburg I managed to pull together another 200 items that were new to my "inventory" and I still brought home less than I took up there. I hardly have anything left for Columbia next weekend! I guess that means that this weekend, aside from holiday festivities, I'm going to be going through the house looking for more toys, books, clothes and other things to clear out! Hopefully I'll find time to do a room by room search for things. :-)

Now that the Timonium sale is closed, I'm going to go in tonight or tomorrow and transfer my items over from Timonium to Howard County. That will let me spend the weekend searching and get things entered and tagged on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday next week before I drop things off on Thursday. This is a new location so it should be fun to see how this sale goes...

Response to "is it worth it" question

2009-03-27T11:50:00.001-07:00

Someone asked if the return is worth the time involved even if you don't have a lot to consign. My opinion is yes. Most of my TotSwap friends don't consign the number of items I do, but they are all pleased with their payment at the end. :-)

It is really easy to do the "process" to enter the items, print the tags, cut them out, and put them on your things. You will be amazed at how quickly your item count will go up!

You get a 50/50 split if you volunteer 1 shift or not at all but your split increases if you volunteer for 2 shifts so it is worth it to do the two shifts to increase your return. And, of course don't forget that you will then be one of the first folks through the door to shop on Thursday night! :-)

So let's say you end up getting 200 items into the system and dropped off at the sale. Let's say that everything you have consigned is Gymboree outfits and you've priced them all at $8 an outfit (a very reasonable price for an outfit, and likely to sell). If you were to sell everything, and volunteer for 1 shift, then you would take home $800. Even if you only sold 1/2 of your items, you would take home $400. All this for one evening in front of the computer entering items and one or two evenings tagging your items. I don't think that is a bad investment of time, do you?

So yes, in my opinion, even if I weren't going to have 1000+ items, it would still be worth my time to enter things if they are in good shape and likely to sell.

WHAT? The sale is NEXT WEEK??

2009-03-27T11:28:00.001-07:00

Oh my gosh! I need to get a move on! I haven't even deposited my check from the Gaithersburg sale yet and the Timonium sale is in just a few days!

Well I know what I'll be doing this weekend! Step 1 is to transfer all of my remaining items over from the Gaithersburg sale. Step 2 is to enter the things I had meant to enter for Gaithersburg but ran out of time to do. Step 3 is to do a good search of the play room and see what else we've outgrown or just don't use any more and get that entered into the system. I'll save actually tagging things for Monday and Tuesday night while I'm sitting in front of the TV multitasking :-)

My husband was delighted with how much I sold, and more importantly got out of the house, at the Gaithersburg sale. I've been joking with him that by the end of the Howard County (aka Columbia) sale, I hope to have sold enough that we'll only have a bin or two to go into the attic to await next springs' sales.

BTW, because I do pick up my stuff and transfer it over to the next sale, one of the things that I find REALLY helpful is to mark my tags so I can easily recognize them whether they be on a table or on a rack. I use little stickers and I cut the tags with craft scissors so it isn't just a straight cut edge to the tags. This way a quick glance is all it takes. I've seen folks use a marker to write a line through their tags, or a stamp to mark all their things, as well as an assortment of stickers. I tend to consign a lot of books and it makes it really easy to just flip through the books that are left and see mine quickly because I can't always remember the titles I brought and there are sometimes multiple copies of the same one.

So on to step 1...

One Down...Two to Go !

2009-03-16T11:09:00.001-07:00

Wow! What an amazing weekend at the Gaithersburg sale! It was SO busy, especially during the presale! In the end I didn't make my goal of having 1500 items for sale, but I came close with about 1400 :-) If I'm doing my math correctly, it looks like I sold about 58% of what I brought (or about 809 items). Of course, I bought quite a bit too, but that doesn't count :-)

By far, one of the biggest perks to volunteering is getting to shop early. I really like the staggered entry that Robyn did this season. 8 hour/8 hour+ volunteers get in at 4:30, 4 hour volunteers get in at 5, consignors get in at 6, and new moms at 7. If you haven't volunteered before, you should really consider it. Tasks aren't difficult and there is always someone to ask if you have a question. If you can't fit exactly into one of the shifts on line, go ahead and send Denise (the volunteer coordinator) an email and tell her what you are proposing and she'll work with you to sort it out. You will be amazed to see how much sells in just that first hour before the consignors get to shop!

Now I'm getting geared up for Timonium! Transferring items over in the system is easy and takes almost no time so hopefully I'll fine a few minutes to do it this weekend. Sure it is a bit further for me to drive to Timonium, but it is worth it because historically I've sold even more at Timonium than I have in Gaithersburg! This weekend I'll scour the house to find more things to sell (have I mentioned that I have a shopping problem? (LOL) I figure I can come up with another 100 items between the toys, puzzles and books we have around the house...

And what doesn't sell in Timonium will head on to Howard County!

Even the best laid plans...

2009-03-01T08:34:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I've mentioned that I work full time. Which means, in real terms, that I only have the weekends to plan big blocks of time to focus on TotSwap. I can squeeze an hour or two out at night but my big chunks of time come on the weekends. Well, last Saturday we were involved with an examination at the martial arts school where my husband and I train and all the activities of our kids which left only Sunday for my TotSwap time. So the plans were laid...my husband was going to take the kids out to a movie and to lunch and I would get a good solid 3 hours and maybe more. But alas, it wasn't meant to be. My poor husband woke up with a kidney stone and spent most of the day in the emergency room. He still hasn't passed the stone and he is doing all he can to help out, but it has been a LONG week of trying to get all the routine things done around the house never mind trying to do TotSwap things on top of it.

Well, my husband decided that he was going tough it out and give me some time today to do my TotSwap stuff. I started early, as soon as Consignment Manager had finished their daily maintenance at 8:30. The system was SO slow that I finally gave up and rebooted my computer thinking that it was a problem with my system. Nope, it looks like it is the Consignment Manager system that is having issues because I just got a message that it is down for maintenance when I just tried to get back in.

That's okay, I can roll with this... Instead of putting things in the system now, I will start collecting things to sell from the basement playroom and moving them into my guest bedroom (my staging area). Of course, this plan will have to work a bit around the kids who are playing in the basement right now :-) I planned to get down there one night this week anyway to pull things so I might as well start now.

It dawned on me a couple of days ago that there is only 1 1/2 weeks to go before drop off begins on Wednesday the 11th! Is it bad that I'm hoping for a snow day tomorrow???

How to tag things

2009-02-16T07:22:00.001-08:00

In my last post I mentioned how I'm planning on wrapping my peg puzzles for sale which made me thing that I should offer my "tricks" for tagging things that will make everyone's life a lot easier. Keep in mind that when people buy an item, at the cash stand we remove the tag from the item. We have to be able to get the tag off the item so please do not attach it to be able to survive a nuclear bombing. Any of you who have worked detagging know what I mean.

So, here are some suggestions:

Books/Games/Videos (or anything with a paper-like cover that can tear) - Use painter's tape (1st choice) or masking tape to adhere the tag on two sides. Painter's tape is the least likely to tear the cover so it is what I use all the time. Don't use packing tape, or even scotch tape, as it will almost surely tear the cover. Oh, and if you are selling VHS tapes, you might want to use a piece of painter's tape across the bottom of the cover so the tape can't fall out.

Toys - Don't have any loose parts! Use ziploc bags for anything that could be a loose part. Depending on the toy, use a zip-tie or tape to attach the ziploc to the main part of the toy. Again, see the note above about books and games -- remember, don't use packing tape on paper and this includes labels on toys. That Cozy Coupe sure would have been cute if the packing tape didn't pull the stickers off the headlights... Just be wise about where you attach your tag and whether it will do any damage when it is being removed.

Shoes - Again, ziploc bags. Put the pairs in the ziplocs so people can see the shoes. Affix the tag to the outside of the ziploc with packing tape BUT be sure there is an edge that we can get a hold of -- don't cover it completely with tape because we'll end up having to cut through the bag to get the tag off. I usually tape my bags shut and if it is oversized for the shoes, I will usually roll up one side so the shoes fit the bag a little tighter.

Clothes - Do not use straight pins (the ones you would use for sewing). Use either safety pins or a tagging gun to put your tags onto the clothes. Tagging guns work really well and you can buy them through TotSwap or at a fabric/crafts store. Look at the instructions on the TotSwap site to see where to affix the tags and how to hang your items.

I have an old diaper box with all of my TotSwap supplies in it -- ziploc bags of various sizes, safety pins, tagging gun, scissors, painter's tape, packing tape, zip ties and plastic wrap. The box will be in our living room for the next three weeks or so because I usually will enter items one night and then spend the next night tagging things while I watch TV after the kids go to bed :-)

A bit off course...

2009-02-16T07:03:00.000-08:00

Ah, high hopes! Well, I had a great plan but I let my life take me a bit off course. Time to hunker down and get to work now because I still have time before the Gaithersburg sale. I'm looking at my 1500 items goal as a bit overambitious, but we'll see... The more I get tagged for Gaithersburg, the better chance I have of it selling this spring because I'm planning on consigning at all three of the spring sales. Afterall, once I have everything tagged, why not? It won't earn me any money if I just bring it home and put it all back up in the attic!

I definitely need to take advantage of today being a holiday but the babysitter is open -- BTW, did I mention in my last blog that I work full time? :-)

So, I'm almost done transferring items over from previous sales -- I have just one storage tub left! Then it is on to entering new items. I planned ahead for this though, and sorted things into spring/summer and fall/winter when I took them out of my daughters' closets and dressers so I am somewhat organized. LOL

My goals for this week are: transfer over the items in the last bin, enter the spring/summer things that came out of my daughters' closets over the last year, sign up for my volunteer hours (I definitely want to get in on the 8 hour volunteer presale), and prepare our peg puzzles for sale.

I've found that peg puzzles seem to sell really well at the sales and since my girls have outgrown them, it is time to pass them on! The best way to package them for sale is by wraping them in plastic wrap (Saran Wrap or the like) so they can be seen full assembled. Be sure to tape the edges of the wrap down so pieces can't fall out. People don't buy puzzles as quickly when the pieces are in a bag (probably because they don't want to take the time to figure out if all the pieces are there). I can sit one night and wrap puzzles while I watch TV :-)

Next week I'm on to books and the playroom so I really have to keep on task this week!

Introductions

2009-01-25T08:58:00.000-08:00

Hi! My name is Christina and I'm mom to 2 girls (5 and 3 yrs). I've been consigning and volunteering with TotSwap since Robyn started her Gaithersburg sale. I have to admit, I'm a Totswap junkie :-) I buy WAY too much for my kids through the year so each time the sale comes around, I seem to have bins and bins of clothes to consign as well as other assorted stuff around the house. I try to top my item count each sale (because I'm trying to reclaim my house from the toys and clothes). My goal this sale is 1500 items.

I hope, through this blog, to help other moms organize their "inventory" and maximize their profit. First, and most important to maximize your profit, is to volunteer for two 4 hour shifts. You'll receive your consignor fee back, get 55% of your sales, and get to be one of the first to shop at the presale! Do you have any idea how much is sold on presale night...? LOTS!! There is still quite a bit left the next day, but definitely the best pick of things is the night of the presale.

Like Denise mentioned in her posting, I too don't want to wait until the last minute to prepare for this sale, and with a goal of 1500 items, I can't afford to! I've decided that I'm going to set a goal for myself for each week between now and the Gaithersburg sale. My goal for this week is to sort through my bins from the previous sales and transfer over my items. I'll let you know how that goes!

Don't Wait Until the Last Minute

2009-01-21T06:34:00.000-08:00

I am trying something new this sale, I am not going to wait until the last minute to enter all of my items! If you are like me, you are probably a procrastinator when it comes to consigning your items. Even though the sale is still 2 months away, I have started all my piles and have started entering my items. I really want to make more room in my house and I know if I start early, I will be able to sell more. With the economy not doing well, this is a perfect time to make some extra money and become more organized. I am also looking forward to some great shopping at this sale. This will definitely be the biggest sale yet!

Denise's TotSwap Pricing Tips

2008-02-04T16:21:00.000-08:00

Are you having trouble deciding how to price your items? Did you end up picking up a lot of clothing that didn't sell at the last sale? Here are some tips that have worked really well for me. First, make sure you are not pricing your items too high. People are more willng to pay the higher prices for name-brand items but not clothing from Walmart, Target, etc. I found that just by lowering things $1.00 or $2.00, seemed to make a difference. If you have an outfit that you tried to sell for $5.00, make it $4.00. For a really nice dress, instead of $10.00, make it $8.00. Also, consider discounting on the last day. Toys are great sellers and if you would like to make more money on your toys, package them well. Put all the pieces in a plastic bag and tape it to the toy. Presentation makes a difference. Also, it is helpful to say things on the tag such as "all pieces included", "game is complete", "working batteries included", etc. We would to hear any additional tips you may have.

All Set Up!!

2008-01-22T12:09:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the TotSwap blog!! We were finally able to set it up and hopefully now everyone else can see it!! The plan is to use this posting with some helpful hints on consigning your items...HOT ITEMS, pricing suggestions, tagging your items, etc. We will also include some postings about some great family resources we have come across through our consignors, volunteers and shoppers. We hope you find this blog useful and we are also open to any ideas or suggestions you may have for future posts!