The Best Lil' Consignment Sale in Knoxville

You guys know I love consignment sales. They are the ultimate in "going green and saving green." But sometimes it can be overwhelming with the consignment sale options out there to determine which are worth my time.

There's one I'd like you to consider shopping and consigning for in a few weeks.

Host: MOMS Club of Northwest Knoxville

Dates: July 22 (pre-sale for consigners) and July 23 (open to the public)

Where: Erin Presbyterian Church, just off Kingston Pike in the Bearden area.

Accepted items: all seasons of clothing, toys, baby items, maternity, etc.

What you'll earn: 70-80% of your sales (depending on the shifts you work)

How to Consign: Please send an email to momsclubconsignmentsale@yahoo.com for information on registering.

So why this sale? Full Disclosure: It's the one sale for which I consign personally. I've been a member of MOMS Club for 6 years and it's a great support group for moms. This sale is our chief fund-raising tool for the year. All the proceeds that do not go to the consignors are donated directly back to the community through a variety of organizations.

I also like this sale because it's not too big and it's not too small. Every year we get delighted customers saying, "You guys have so much stuff but I didn't have to wait in line to view it or buy it. What a concept!" You are more likely to see a short line during half-price sale in the afternoon, but I've never heard anyone waiting more than 20 minutes at check-out.

I'm sure this year will be another success, but we could use more consignors. So please consider joining us by emailing to the address above. Thanks!

Jack n Jules officially opens tomorrow

Three, two, one, GO! Consignment season is now open and ready for bargain hunters. I'm grateful for the opportunity from Knoxmoms to get a sneak peak at the Jack n Jules sale today. I arrived just before it opened to the Mommy to Be Club; what a great idea to help out new moms and how fun to see all those beautiful bellies!

Though I didn't have any must-get items in mind, I headed straight for the big toys, ride-ons and then small toys. There was a very cute princess castle pop-up, but I can't spare the room. I did find a huge bag of Lego's for just $3 and a bouncy ball in good shape for $3 too--great prices for classic toys. I may hide these 'til Easter.

I also picked up a good quality butterfly costume for DD next year. Even if she doesn't want it for Halloween, it will be fun for dress-up. Our DSs wear older costumes ALL THE TIME. Just today Spiderman was tearing through the house.

I was pleasantly suprised there was a good selection of clothes for older boys (up to 12). I picked up swim trunks and a couple of shorts for both boys. There were so many 2T girls clothes that it was hard to sift through them. That's one advantage to going later in the sale. Honestly, I found some of the prices high but that's no fault of Jack n Jules. Pricing is the choice of each consigner. I did pick up two cute outfits for her for $4 each. Girls clothes are so much fun!

I only waited in line for 10 minutes, and my total was 9 items for $28. The sale was well organized and laid out, and I'm very pleased with the quality of my finds. Even the shoes were easy to view at a glance--no sifting through bins. I recommend checking them out Thursday and Friday 10am-8pm or Saturday is half price day, 10am-4pm. On Friday 12-4pm, 5% of the proceeds will go to East TN Children's Hospital. That's great!

Please come back and leave a comment about your finds or feedback from this sale.

The "Don't Miss" Consignment Sale: 9/11

I'll admit Knoxville has a lot of consignment sales. I look at it as a way for everyone to spread out and choose the sale that's right for them. In my humble and somewhat biased opinion, I think the best consignment sale is sponsored by MOMS Club. Full disclaimer: I'm a member of MOMS Club and will be consigning at this sale.

That aside, I do have my Top 5 reasons for why this is the BEST consignment sale in Knoxville:

1. The goods are largely from stay-at-home-moms of young children. They know what toys and clothes that are desirable and worth the effort to sell. We're all savvy shoppers and price our goods to sell. We don't want to lug all that stuff back home!
2. We attract a lot of sellers because the take-home percentage is the highest I've seen.
3. Though we are a non-profit, a strong element of the club is charitable giving. This is our largest fund-raiser of the year, and a portion of our sales will be donated primarily to local charities.
4. The regular sale is busy but not a mad-house. I can't stress how this is the biggest draw for me because I've sworn off certain sales (which shall remain nameless) because they are sheer chaos. I work the morning shift and rarely see more than 4 people waiting in the check-out line.
5. The half-price sale is VERY popular. Ok, the half-price sale does draw the true bargain hunters in by the swarms. So if you want the BEST deals, start lining up before noon and be prepared for slightly longer lines. And remember if it has a red dot on the tag, it does NOT sale for half price.

Here are all the details you need:

When: Saturday, September 11

Who: MOMS Club (Farragut and Northwest Knoxville chapters)

Where: Farragut United Methodist Church

12733 Kingston Pike, Farragut (closest to Watt Rd.)

Times: Regular sale: 8-11am; half-price sale: noon - 2:30pm

Directions: Unless you're in Farragut, I'd suggest taking 40 West, exit Watt Road, turn left and then another left onto Kingston Pike. The church is less than a minute down on your left.

I'll post pictures from the pre-sale later tonight. Hope to see you there.

Consign on!

I just returned from the MOMS Club consignment pre-sale, and I can honestly report there is something for everyone. Clothes racks are full but not so tight you can't sift through them quickly. There are plenty of items for new moms: strollers, bouncers, exersaucers, swings, gymini mats, etc. There are lots of ride-ons, bedding items, shoes of all sizes, and baby carriers. If you're looking for a costume or swimsuit for a child under three, there are numerous choices. Though I didn't peruse the maternity clothes, there was lots to choose from. What seemed most plentiful to me were the long line of toys. We had so many this year that another row was set up. From infant to preschool, from computer games to books, from Thomas to Tinkerbell, it's there.

I spent $43, with each piece averaging just over $2. Good stuff!

So check it out:

Saturday, April 10

8am - noon; half price: 1-3pm

Knoxville Christian Center

818 Cedar Bluff Road

Goldilocks of Consignment Sales-now with video!

It's almost here. The sale you've been waiting for. The one that's not too big and not too small--the Goldilocks of Consignment Sales! This Saturday, April 10 is the children's consignment sale sponsored by the Farragut and Northwest Knoxville chapters of MOMS Club, a supportive network for stay-at-home and part-time working mothers. Why am I so passionate about this one? Full disclaimer: I'm a member of MOMS Club and I'll be consigning a car full.

I've been an avid buyer at consignment sales since we moved here five years ago. I was enamored by the organization, the presentation, and most of all the deals. This was way better than garage sales. I've since learned there is a wide gamut of consignment sales: some so big, you can't find the end of the line and some more like boutiques with pricey goods.

I'm pleased MOMS Club is comfortably in the middle. More than 50 consignors are expected to bring over 10,000 items to sell, and the space is large enough to accommodate all the shoppers. It will be busy, but it shouldn't be crazy. And since we're all savvy, sensible moms who know a good deal when we see it, we don't want to waste our time selling anything else.

You know my favorite aspect of consignment sales is the "everybody wins" component. Sellers get to clear out clothes and toys they no longer need and make some dough. Buyers typically get items for 70-80% off retail and get good quality stuff--the clothes and toys that really hold up. Sales in churches are usually donating a portion of the proceeds to good causes--15% of ours will benefit local charities. What doesn't sell is donated--Catholic Ministries in our case. And the environment is probably the biggest winner of all since all of these items are getting a second chance. What's not to love?!

I've been looking forward to this since I reorganized the playroom in January. However, I'm just now learning firsthand that consignment sales are a LOT of work: sorting, cleaning, finding batteries. There are strict guidelines for how to fill out the tags, what type of hangers to use and which direction clothes must be hung. Then there's the decisions of how to price each item. I think about what I'd be willing to pay and how badly I want it out of Brooke's closet. Do I really want to haul that exersaucer back home? Please, someone buy my exersaucer!!

Well I guess I should stop procrastinating and get back to tagging. I'd love to meet you Saturday morning if you're an early bird. Hopefully I'll get to run the calculator at check-out. FYI: For the first 100 shoppers to check out, we have special coupons from many of our home based businesses, including my video services.

The regular sale is 8am to noon and the half price sale is 1-3pm. The location is the Knoxville Christian Center, 818 Cedar Bluff Road. Here is the website for the Northwest chapter. For more info: momsclubconsignmentsale@yahoo.com. Happy shopping!