I signed up for my first C3 Children’s Consignment sale 6 years ago.  I loved the idea that I could clean out stuff my kiddos were done with, make a little money, and support local charities with part of my profits!

I love shopping at the consignment sale too.  I get great deals and I’m supporting the local charities and other families.  One thing I don’t love, is when the tags have damaged items I’ve bought.  In the last 6 years of buying and selling I’ve got a few tips to share about making sure your tags stay on your items and don’t damage them!

Before I start tagging, I make sure to have these supplies ready:

• string
• hole punch
• safety pins or tagging gun
• packing tape
• washi tape or blue painters tape
• plastic sacks, I use zip lock and bread bag style
• scissors

Books

The book section often makes me want to cry.  I love books.  I always want more books.  However, when they’re taped round with packing tape I start having a panic attack.  Last year I saw some awesome ways to bundle up and tag books without the drama of packing tape!

• String:  My favorite go to.  It has me humming that song from the sound of music.  Punch two holes in your tag and slide it on the string before you knot it up.  Add a bow for fun, not function.
• Plastic bags: bag your books and tape to the plastic, not the books.
• Washi tape:  Tape your tags on with washi tape.  This removable tape will not damage the book when the tag is removed.
• Blue painters tape:  I’ve not tried this, but the logic is sound.  This tape is much easier to remove than packing tape.

Clothing

Somewhere along the line it was decided that when you put clothing on a hanger for a consignment sale, the hook of the hanger goes left when the front of the garment is facing you.  It helps to have all clothing going the same direction.  It helps with how you place your tags so they are visible if everyone is doing it the same way.

At the C3 sale, they received so many customer complaints about purchasing items with holes from tagging guns, clothing found with holes from tagging guns will be returned to the seller and may be debited from the sellers total sales.  If you have a tagging gun, please be extra thoughtful about where you place the tag; even if you have one with a ‘small’ needle.

If there’s a practical tag already on the clothing, use it!  I’ve brought home more items that had me asking “Why?!” than I’d care to admit.  Why would you add a hole to a perfectly good article of clothing when another option is right there?  Please, put your tags on tags when available.

Sometimes it’s not so straight forward.  Those tag-less shirts are everywhere.  Baby onesies, sleepers, and overalls have hard to reach or tags in impractical places for adding a consignment sale tag.

Onesies & shirts usually have a seam right near the neck that the store uses to put their tags on.  Add your tag to the same spot.  If there’s not a seam near the neck, look around the front of the collar.  If you can’t find a good place to stick the needle of your gun, use a safety pin.

Rompers and poloshirts have great seams to stick tags into.

Sleepers usually have all the seams surged down or finished so they are hard to get your tagging gun around.  Fortunately if there’s a snap at the top, there’s a reinforcement strip that we can add a tag to!

The manufacture’s tag in overalls is usually right behind the front of the bib, which is a terrible place to put a tag for a consignment sale.  Bring out the hole punch an string and tie your tag to the hardware for the straps.

What about outfits with accessories, or brand new items still in the bag?  One outfit had a pair of matching tights.  I stuck them in a bag, shoved the bag through the hanger hook, and taped the bag to the hanger.  this one didn’t have a great spot for a tag either, so I tied a tag through the button hole.

I can’t possibly list all scenarios here, but my point is please take a moment to be thoughtful about where you are placing your tags so they do not damage the fabulous items you are trying to sell!