Nearly New Part 2

First off, I think I forgot to mention in my last post that this Nearly New sale is for Fall and Winter clothes and that's all they will accept for consignment. The next Spring/Summer sale will be sometime around May.

I mentioned earlier that the secret to getting the best deals at a consignment sale is to shop early and the way you get to shop early is by consigning or volunteering. Volunteers and consigners shop at a special time before the sale is open to the public. Tracy Hall is a tiny room for a sale, and it will be packed to the rafters. The fewer people in there with you, the better.

A few other shopping tips:
* Get there early. The good stuff goes fast! And the line will start at least half an hour before the sale opens.
* Know your sizes/measurements. I like to bring a tape measure too.
* And know your brands. A $5 Circo tee is no bargain.
* Bring a laundry basket/IKEA bag/large tote to hold things while you shop.
* There is a dressing room for women's clothing so dress in something easy to get in and out of.
* Have a list and a plan. If there's something you really need, head for that first.
* Inspect everything carefully before you buy. Double check the size. Test fasteners. Check the sleeves on kids clothing for stains.
* Check one size up and one size down. Sometimes things don't get put in the right place.

If you're not consigning, consider volunteering for a shift or two. Consignment sales alway need more volunteers to work and as a reward you get to shop before everyone else. Sophia Crawford, the volunteer coordinator for Nearly New, says she most needs volunteers for Saturday, 11.30-2.30, but there are other shifts available as well. You can contact her at sophiajcrawford at hotmail dot com.

Lots of people like to work check-in (consignment and pre-consignment) to get an early peek at what's available. Working the actual sale can also be fun (wear comfy shoes). But for some reason I'm partial to working clean-up, often called "The Sort," where all the unsold items are sorted by seller into piles ready to be picked up. I think it satisfies some internal desire to create order out of chaos.