Consignment Shopping- What to take {Thoughtful Thursday}

Last week we talked about the newness of spring and new-to-me consignment shopping. Today, lets finish prepping ourselves for The Big Sale!

Thoughtful Thursday a weekly series on asJulesisgoing.com

I would say 98% of the time, I do all my shopping {grocery & otherwise} with my kids. I like it that way; they learn how to shop and I learn patients. BUT when we start talking consignment shopping, clothes trying on three different kids, crowed racks, allΒ among the crazies that are consignment shoppers...it's just silly to try to take your kids.

I also like the idea of shopping with a friend but it never fails, two things happen. First, we either don't get any shopping done because we wanna hang out or we don't end up spending time together. Second, we have awkward conversations about how ugly clothes for each others children or we go home with something we and/or our husbands don't really like {or they do} because have completely different tastes.

This year I have a baby sitter lined up and a shopping date with my hubs planned!

Check List for Children's Consignment Shopping:

  1. Buddy/Spouse
    • When considering who would be a good shopping buddy ask the following questions:
      • do I like what their kids wear
      • do they like consignment shopping
      • will they help you stay within your budget
      • are they willing to help you dig, sort through, and make tough decisions
  2. Vehicle
    • Based on what you plan to buy, make sure you have enough to store all items you intend on buying.
    • Think size if you are planning to get larger toys or baby equipment at the event.
    • Remember to leave room for the driver and any passengers πŸ˜‰
  3. Portable Container
    • You will be walking in circles around lots of other determined women {and some men}, squeezing between crowded racks, and carrying all your finds. Remember to take something to aid you in this.
      • Stroller- easily maneuvered, as light weight as possible.
      • Hanging Rack {with wheels}- this is best if you have one, are planning to but tons, and are mainly looking for clothing.
      • Laundry basket- possibly with a rope/bungee cord attached to one side so you can pull it when necessary.
      • Tub {small enough to carry when filled & heavy}- this can work like a laundry basket. Both can be put inside a stroller or hooked on the bottom of a rolling rack to help in holding small items.
  4. Measurements/measuring devices
    • Not all clothes are standard so having your child's measurements ahead of time means you don't have to have them with you to try items on, you can just measure clothes themselves.
    • A fabric tape measure can not only help you measure clothing items but also aid when trying to make decisions about furniture, toys, or baby equipment.
  5. Shopping List
    • There are going to be a slew of awesome items. You don't want to go crazy buying up everything in your child's size.
    • Know what you already have/don't need, and exactly what you Do need.
    • Stick to your guns.
    • Don't know how best to create a good shopping list? Read This.
  6. Budgeted Cash
    • Having a budget is key to getting in and out of a consignment event without getting into trouble.
    • Cash helps you stick to your budget way better than checks and definitely more than credit/debit cards.
    • Many events don't take checks or credit/debit anyways. To be safe- take cash. You don't want to have to put back all your awesome finds.
  7. Calculator
    • With so many low prices, it will be easy to feel like your way under your budget.
    • Keeping track as you go {or laying everything out one more time BEFORE you reach the checkout} will make you very aware of how much you're spending and keep you from overspending.What to take when Consignment Event Shopping

The Morning {afternoon/night} of the sale:

It may be a long wait to get in, hours of shopping, and eternal check out. Consider the following 5 tips for your sanity:

  1. Eat a good meal before going so you don't get shaky, grouchy, or mean while shopping.
    Taking a drink/snack with you.
  2. Dress comfortably. Light weight jacket, comfy pants, t-shirt, hat, tennis shoes, pull your hair up and out of your face.
    Avoid carrying excess like a purse or anything else that is now absolutely necessary. As little to keep up with as possible: put keys, phone, money in your pockets or stroller.
  3. Know what time starts. Every state/town has different regulations or times for who can come when. Check their website, Facebook fan page, or other forms of advertisements.
    Arrive early so you have plenty of time to calmly shop but beware, some of these women are for reals about their consignment shopping. If you're not up for tight spaces and pushy mammas, you may not want to be first in line ;O)
  4. Take your phone {ideally a smart phone} so you can call a life line to help make tough decisions: i.e. Family/friend to their opinion on an item, Google regularly priced item.
  5. Take a chill pill. If you don't have any prescribed, {hardy har har} just take a deep breath every time you feel like acting childish and fighting over silly, well-priced items.
    Treat everyone like Christ would, workers & even crazy consignment shoppers.

HAVE FUN! Come back & share your adventure.

UPDATE:
I know I shared my favorite consignment event in the last Thoughtful Thursday but just in case you don't have one in your area, here is an online consignment shop: "ThredUp". And you can get $10 off your first order using the code: GIMME10! Have fun!!! {valid thru 2-22-13 midnight}
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How-to Consignment Shop withOUT Kids {Thoughtful Thursday}

I have to remind myself, "It is coming. It Is coming. Spring time is coming!"

Thoughtful Thursday a weekly series on asJulesisgoing.com

I am so ready for some color sprinkled all over the ground, warmer {not hot} days, and the general cheeriness of the spring season. Another thing I love about season change is consignment shopping. Eek! My fave? Duck Duck Goose, the "BIG Sale" in Little Rock, AR!

Don't get me wrong, I don't really like spending money on clothes I just LOVE a great deal. We haven't had to spend much over the past few years due to God's blessing of hand-me-downs from friends and family as well as within our own closely born babes! This year though...this year, the year of limbo and growth, has brought us to the place where Every child needs nearly an entire spring/summer wardrobe. My kids are eating like there's a famine coming and sleeping like its going out of style- that's coming, too. The Growth Spurts! This year I plan to be proactive in this inevitable circumstance.

I need to be able to shop in a reasonable amount of time, thinking through purchases, as well as get all the things I need for the season without duplicates. Soooo, I'm fixing all of that. How am I going to get the right sizes without taking the kids, you ask? THAT is what I want to share with you today. I think this could work for consignment shopping or clothes shopping in general.

Check list for prepping to go
Children's Clothes Shopping:

{note: I'm not a genius, these tips come from years of watching the experts πŸ˜› }

  1. Purge
    • Set aside all clothes for that current season {for me right now Winter}. The kids will still need these a bit longer.
    • Then pull out all clothes that are the next season that will not fit {spring/summer for me}. I'm talking, if you have to, do a fashion show, try on all clothes that may be on the line of not fitting {if and When they have that next growth spurt}.
    • Next, identify all clothes that you haven't been putting on your child due to them being stained, shrunk, stretched out, holey, whatever.
    • Finally, depending on if it just doesn't fit or if it's really used: Consign, pass down to the next child, or pass along all those clothes to a friend, family member, clothes closet, etc. Don't allow them back in the closet or dresser. It will only be misguiding when you go to dress you child.
  2. Take inventory of each child's closets and dressers.
    • For real, write down exactly how many of each item they have, their size, and even the color.
    • When you go shopping you will know you don't need a pair of pink shorts, black tennis shoes in size 6, or 2 more green sun dresses.
  3. Make a shopping list
      • List the things they will need for the next season.
      • Look at your calendar to be reminded of events/holidays coming up: Easter, swimming, birthday parties were some of the things I am considering.
      • Compared to what's left in the closet/dresser, how many items to they really need. Do Not waste money on a gazillion outfits for each child. They will use them and then grow out of them.
      • We try and keep it down around 5-10 mix & match shirts/shorts/pants and maybe 5 dressier items per child. Some days, even that many gets overwhelming: laundry, stain busting, consigning later, and then we all know family/friends will get them items for holidays, plus my girls share most of their clothes right now.
        Shop a Consignment Event withOUT Your Children- shoping list
  4. Measure each child. They will think this is fun.
    • Feet
      1. Use a piece of paper {card stock or constructions paper holds up the best} and trace one foot of each child.
      2. If your kids have feet that are different sized, fit differently in shoes, etc you might want to do both.
      3. I just did one foot for each child because I have three kids I'm shopping for at once and the things you have to carry around add up quickly.
      4. I also cut out each foot for more convenience.
    • Body
        1. Torso {shoulders to hips}
        2. Legs {hips to floor}
        3. Tummy {largest part around their midsection}
        4. Waist {where pants will need to fit}

      Bottom {largest circumference around toosh}

        • option: fabric tape: measure each child and write down the sized on the back of your "shopping list".
        • option: different color ribbon for each child. Measure and make them on the with a marker or pen on the ribbon {label what each line is}

Shop a Consignment Event withOUT Your Children- take measurements
{I punched a hole in each foot as well as the ribbon so I could hook them on a big ring for easier carrying.}

That sounds like a lot of stuff to think through but it's really not. I just tried to be very detailed for anyone who had never done this AND this is helping me think through what I need for next week's undertaking. If you're like me, you don't get too many chances to go shopping. And on top of that, these consignment sales don't come around but maybe twice a year. πŸ˜‰

Next Thursday, I'll be back with a check list for taking with you to a Consignment Event! {link live next Thursday}

Share your tips & tricks for consignment shopping! We love to hear your favorite finds as well πŸ™‚

UPDATE:
I know I shared my favorite consignment event above but just in case you don't have one in your area, here is an online consignment shop: "ThredUp". And you can get $10 off your first order using the code: GIMME10! Have fun!!! {valid thru 2-22-13 midnight}
84658
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Beef & Veggie Stew

Thoughtful Thursday a weekly series on asJulesisgoing.com

So our Arkansas winter went from 60'+ to snowing overnight. I'm constantly amazed my family isn't sick more often! When the weather turned frigged and there was not stank'n way I was heading out in it for groceries I was forced to hunt in the pantry, fridge, and deep freeze for what kind of heartiness I was going to feed my family. I know, 1st world problems, right!?

All of a sudden I had a hankering for some stew! I'd never made stew before and always thought you had to have fancy {expensive} stew meet to make it...then I realized that was crazy talk. That had never stopped me before. I then Googled {like every pro does} in search of a beef stew recipe I could tweek. I looked at several and realized I had the building blocks for a good stew already. SCORE! Here's what I came up with.

Beef and Vegetable Stew

Beef Stew RecipeI love recipes πŸ˜‰

  • I started by browning my lean ground beef in my pampered chef steamer {best way EVER to brown meat!}.
  • I peeled, diced, and boiled my potatoes for about 30 minutes. I just waited until they were soft(er) not necessarily mashable.
  • In a big pot I mixed the browned meat, tomato sauce, {already dissolved bouillon cute} beef broth, onion powder, pepper, and salt all together.
  • I went in search of what other veggies I had and came up with a steamableΒ bag of corn and a can of mixed peas and carrots. Yep, chunked all those veggies into the pot.beef stew veggies
  • After bringing it to a bowl and stirring consistently, I removed it from the heat and ate it up! πŸ˜‰
I'm thinking you could easily make this in a crockpot recipe. Put it all in to sit all day and simmer even more. That way you wouldn't have to hover over your potatoes either.

Yay for yet another made up recipe. If I can do it and have my family eat it, You can!

 

 

 

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Chalkboard Play Table {Thoughtful Thursday}

Thoughtful Thursday a weekly series on asJulesisgoing.com

Today I wanna tell you how I "got took" and then turned my crappy table into a cool lil piece of furniture anyways.

Ya see, I've only purchased 2 things off of 'swap shops' on Facebook. The first was a cute sweater from a friend I knew from church. The second...well the second purchase was a little less cute. Ya see, this women posted a picture of what she called a "black coffee table". As I read through the thread of conversation happening under the odd angled picture I learned that the table was "tall enough for a preschool chair to fit under" and that "the table legs where 2+ feet tall and the top of the table was at her knee".

Sweeeeet! I'd been looking to replace our pre-children coffee table purchase with one that was less sharp-angle and more simple and round. I compared her description to our per-existing table and decided this was a Score. this was a simple, round, tall enough to be a practical coffee table, table! I messaged the women to see if it was still available and when it was we arranged to meet so I could purchase the table for a steal of deal- $20!

The day came to meet and we all loaded to head out to meet the stranger. As we waited and waited passed the set time, our daughters ended up needing to use the restroom. Matt chose to take them and allow me to have the awkward incounter with the women I had been dialoging with. She came like 2 seconds after they were out of sight. Having my baby boy in the backseat of the van, our conversation would of course be short and to the point. She rolled up in a Chevy Cavalier. 2 Door! You know where I'm going with this don't you. As she waffled her way out of the tiny car she began apologizing for being last, quickly retrieved the itsy bitsy table from Her TRUNK and placed it in my already open van, said a wierd, "Thank you, God used you to provide money during a hard time" spill after seeing scripture on my t-shirt and sped off in her lil bitty car.

What just happened? I stared at my new treasure with confusion. There is NO stank'n way a preschool chair could fit under that. That women was way taller than me and the top of that table doesn't come to my knee. The black paint was crazy scratched up and I'm pretty sure some good 'ole boy hacked these legs off something else and hooked'm to this "table top" using the wierd metal bracket thingies on the bottom. I think I would have been okay...if I'd paid like $5 for it. The worst part? Matt was gonna tease me about this for years...

As Christmas approached and we began pulling decorations and stuff from the basement, that table sat their laughing at me. Suddenly, I saw the leftover chalkboard paint we'd been given by a friend setting next to Sir Ugly and it hit me! Chalkboard table!!! It won't be tall enough for the kids to sit at but it will make a cute artsy play table. I did it!

chalkboard play {train, lego, whatever} table

Chalkboard Table

  • find a crappy {hopefully cheaper} table at a yard sale, swap shop, or somewhere random
  • get some chalkboard paint
  • clean the table well, sanding if necessary {I didn't...I put in as little man hours as possible}
  • paint at least 3 coats letting each coat dry really well before adding the next one
  • purchase some dust free chalk to appease the hubs who didn't want nasty chalk funk inside

We gave the table as a gift to all our kids on Christmas morning. It made a big statement next to the tree and has seen lots of scribbles, little people play, and even hand-drawn game boards in just a week!

christmas morning message on the kids new chalkboard play table for their playroom

Have you ever been "taken"? How can you turn your embarrassing moment around? Share!

EXTRA RESOURCE:
homemade chalkboard paint {ANY color},
all the tutorials I've found have these same 2 basic ingredients:

  • Dry Non-Sanded Grout
  • Acrylic craft paints
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Organizing Christmas Clean-Up {Thoughtful Thursday}

Welcome to the 1st Thoughtful Thursday of 2013!

Thoughtful Thursday a weekly series on asJulesisgoing.com

Each Thursday I attempt to be thoughtful by share something helpful. It could be a fun new project I tried, organizational idea/system, yummy family friendly recipe, gadget I like, bla bla bla. You get the idea. I started this as a link-up but that's a lot of work and I didn't have a whole lot of interest. I would still LOVE to have you share your thoughtfulness in the comment section. Maybe someday I'll do a link-up again. Glad you're HERE!

Two years ago, Matt and I decided to dress up our house in Christmas decor early, we're talking the weekend Before Thanksgiving.

I were prego with our third baby who was due in January. We wanted to enjoy our the festiveness yet get it all clean up right after Christmas. Being in the "nesting" phase of pregnancy, I needed to clean the entire house, cook way too many freezer meals, and move our entire bedroom downstairs because I'd be coming home with our handsome Benjamin after my 3rd c-section and wouldn't be allowed to climb the stairs. Wow, that's a long explanation of why this has become a habit since Christmas 2010.

I LOVE the Christmas season. The thoughtful shopping. The family hang-outs. The charming decorations. but...when the birthday party has passed, I like to clean up Right way. Wash the dishes. Pack away decorations. Reorganize the fun new gifts to function in our house. In shorts... I need order. When my Christmas awesomeness is covering my home it feels like vacation. We lounge and enjoy one another like we're on a true school holiday. Anybody? When all this relaxing is going on things get a little too lacks. Nothing gets accomplished. Soooo, my poor hubs, who loves Christmas and everything that it entails, got until December 30 with our fun decorations this year.

5 ways to packed up Christmas stuff this year in case any of you have waited until this weekend to put yours to rest for another year.

            1. Cut empty paper towel tubes into rings and wiggle them down around smaller rolls of wrapping paper OR cut toilet paper tubes length-wise to fit around larger tubes of wrapping paper to keep them rolled together and from getting ripped or crumbled up.Organize Wrapping Paper with rings made from old toilet paper or paper towel tubes
            2. For stray bows I didn't want getting crushed before next year, I used a old animal cracker container. Keep bows  from getting squashed  by storing  them in an  up-cycled  container
            3. Use punch cups to sort ornaments, keeping them from getting tangled together while eliminating giant boxes so they'll all fit in a smaller tub. Lay cardboard, cut to the size of your tube, to layer several layers of ornaments. I got 3 layers in this giant tub.Use punch cups to sort ornaments, keeping them from getting tangled together while eliminating giant boxes so they'll all fit in a smaller tub.
            4. I even left a few ornaments in their original boxes if they were super sentimental or fragile. I also had room for our tree toppers and again with the old animal cracker container, this time full of tiny ball and shape ornaments for the kids tree.old animal cracker container full of tiny ball and shape ornamentssuper sentimental or fragile in original boxes
            5. Label tubs with index cards, detailed contents with sharpie, and slap that bad boy on with some fancy dancy packing tape on one of the long sides and one of the shorts sides so no matter which way you store it {length or width} you can read a label.Label tubs using index cards, a sharpie, and packing tape

What are some of your favorite ways to clean up Christmas and get an organized start to a new year?

Looking for more thoughtfulness? Follow my Pinterest Boards!

 

 

 

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