How to Prepare Your Items for Resale or Consignment

The Carson Valley has some great resale and consignment shops that are willing to buy your gently used items or consign them for you in their shops. These are helpful ideas even if you just want to sell your items at a garage sale or on Facebook or Craigslist.

Are Your Items Ready for Resale?

Preparing to sell your children's gently used items to a resale shop is important if you want to get the maximum amount of value back. To put it plain and simple, no store will buy dirty, broken, and/or incomplete clothing, toys, or equipment, and at Little Monsters Children's Resale Shop, we're no different. Here are some helpful suggestions on how to prepare and clean the items you plan on selling.

How to Properly Clean and Get the Most Out of Your Items

Clothing: All clothes should be freshly laundered and placed neatly in a basket or bin. Check zippers to make sure they are zipping up and down, button up buttons to ensure that they are all there, and layout the clothing flat to look for stains, tears and holes. Keep a basket or bin by the dryer to place clothes in that you hope to sell. Keep everything clean, folded, and ready to be sold!
Baby Clothing - Formula is a protein stain and you shouldn't use hot water while washing these items. Soak your formula-stained baby clothes in cold water and use an oxygen based cleaner like OxiClean or Clorox 2. There are many great articles on the internet about cleaning formula-based stains. In the future, use bibs to help your baby's clothing not get stained.
Fancy Clothing - Look at the “care” tag to see whether or not the garment needs to be dry-cleaned. Some items can be hand washed in gentle detergent and hung to dry. If you want, you can put them on fluff in the dryer to help bring life back to limp clothes. Be sure to include vests, ties, sashes, and bows that were with the item originally.
Coats & Jackets - Turning a jacket inside out before putting in the washer is an easy way to keep it from piling. If there is a fur hood, take it off the coat or jacket before washing it and spot clean it. Washing the fur will often mat or ruin it.

Shoes: Inspect your shoes for roughed up toes and worn out bottoms. It's so important to not have sideways wear or worn heals or toes, as this can cause developmental problems with growing feet. Resale shops will not buy unevenly worn shoes. Remember to spray inside all shoes with a disinfectant spray like Lysol if possible.
Dress Shoes - Wipe down with a warm cloth using a multipurpose cleaner.
Boots - Use a stiff brush on the bottoms and sides of the boots you intend to sell. A good multipurpose cleaner can be use on the thicker rubber portions and on the majority of rain and snow boots.
Tennis Shoes - Many casual sneakers can be washed in the washing machine. Be mindful of light up, or large heavy vinyl shoes that will throw your washing machine off balance. Brush off all dirt from the bottoms and sides. Use a good cleaner and cloth to wipe down shoes and remember to remove threads and debris from the Velcro straps.

Toys: Use disinfecting wipes or a cleaner and cloth to wipe down toys. Make sure that all parts that originally came with the toy are with it when you bring it in to sell. Test the toys to make sure that they are in working order by swapping out batteries and testing all the buttons. Bag toys that have multiple pieces together in a zip lock bag or plastic container so nothing gets lost during transport.

Electronic - Make sure the toy is free from battery corrosion and is in working condition. When cleaning electronic toys, do not spray the cleaner on the toy. Spray the cleaner onto the cloth and then wipe off the toy.
Cloth - You can easily wash these types of toys in the washer, but you can also clean them with a sponge and mild soapy water. Make sure they don't have little electronic components in them like Glow Worms or plush toys with heart beat sound boxes in them.
Train or Car Tracks - Make sure all train and car sets are together and have all their original pieces. Wipe tracks with a cleaning cloth to get rid of dust and debris. Clean off all cars and trains. Bag up all parts with instructions. A great help would be to print out of an instruction manual or picture off the internet.
Plastic - Toys like Legos, Little People, cars & trucks, large colored blocks, etc. are often the easiest type to clean. Following these specific tips to clean either hard or soft toys.
A) Hard - A great way to easily wash hard plastic toys is to throw them in a sink or bath with a few tablespoons of bleach, let them soak, and then thoroughly dry them. If you have a dishwasher, larger plastic toys can be tossed in, cleaned and dried with no effort.
B) Soft (with an air hole) - If you have soft plastic toys with an air hole, the easiest way to clean them is to wipe them down with a cloth using a child-safe cleaner or baby wipes with hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol wipes. Many baby toys are soft plastic and they put those items in their mouths.

Equipment: The most common reasons resale shops don't buy these bigger equipment items is because they are dirty or missing parts. Before bringing any of these larger items in, be sure to look up your item on the Consumer Product Safety Commission's website to make sure it has not been recalled, as resale shops don't buy recalled products. If you are having a hard time remembering what was originally with an item, look it up online!
Swings - First make sure that the swing is working, so put in new batteries or plug it in. From there put something heavy in there (around 10-20 pounds) and turn on the swing for a couple minutes to make sure that it is swinging and functioning properly. The swing should start swinging on its own, you should not have to push it to get it to work. Test out the music or mobile if applicable. Take off the seat cover and throw it in the washer. You can dry the seat in the dryer, but it may shrink. To avoid shrinkage you can air dry it and then fluff it up in the dryer on a fluff, no heat setting. Wipe down the plastic parts and be sure to check that all original pieces are there.
Pack N Plays - Look over the play yard making sure there are no holes or rips in the netting and the mat is not warped. To clean a play yard, fill your bath tub with hot water, a cap full of detergent, ¼ of baking soda, and about a half cup of white vinegar. Place your play yard and mat in the bath and let it soak. After about 30 minutes flip them and let them soak for another 30 minutes. Scrub the vinyl or cloth with a scrub brush if it's extra dirty. If possible, take it outside and hose it down well and let it dry in the sun. If you don't have a yard to work in, or it is too cold outside, thoroughly rinse it in the shower and set it up to dry overnight.
High Chairs and Booster Seats - Take off the cloth seat and wash it in the washing machine or hand wash vinyl seats. Wipe down and scrub the plastic seat area, legs, tray, and sides of the high chair or booster seat. Take the straps off and soak them in the sink in detergent and hydrogen peroxide. If the tray is dishwasher safe, you can also clean it in there. Make certain that there isn't any crusted food left anywhere on the high chair.
Bouncers, Bassinets, and Rock N Plays - To wash bassinets, bouncers, and rock n plays, you can take off the fabric and wash it in the washing machine. Remember to air dry or use the dryer setting "cold air fluff" to avoid shrinking. Please remember to use baby safe detergent, as babies with sensitive skin may be the next to use these items. If you can't get the fabric parts off of a bassinet or co-sleeper, use a bucket of warm sudsy water (using a child safe detergent) to spot clean. For bassinets and rock n plays, double check to make sure that the skirt, canopy, and fabric underneath is also clean and stain free. Put batteries in the equipment to make sure it plays music, vibrates, etc. Make sure all toy bars and hanging toys are included with the bouncers when you bring them in.
Walkers, Exersaucers, and Jumperoos - Cloth seats are able to be taken off and washed in the washing machine. Remember to air dry these seats, they are notoriously hard to put back on if they shrink! Take off the toys if you can and wash them with a cloth and cleaner. Sanitize the legs, all plastic areas, and all toys not able to be taken off. Test the toys to ensure that they are working and there isn't any battery corrosion. Remember to turn them upside down and clean underneath, check to make sure all wheels roll properly.
Activity Mats - Remove any dangling toys and throw the mat in the washer. With soapy water wipe down the toys and soft bars or poles. If the mat has electronic parts, wash it with a warm cloth and gentle detergent, then air dry. Finally, collect all the original toys and put them all together.
Nursing Pillows - You can wash both the nursing pillow and cover in the washing machine, however it is recommended that you still make sure all the stains are out. If the nursing pillow is pretty new and in great shape, just unzip the cover and wash that part in the washing machine. Bring any extra covers you have!
Baths - Wipe down and scrub your plastic bath tub. If there is a fabric “sling” on the bath seat, throw it in the washer. Be sure to check that there isn't any hard water residue. A wipe down with a soft cloth and rubbing alcohol works wonders.
Baby Carriers - Many of child carries and slings have been recalled so please check to see if it has been recalled before bringing it in.
A) Soft - Many soft child carries can be washed in the washing machine, but make sure to read the “care” tag on your carrier beforehand.
B) Hiking - Use a stiff brush to brush off extra dirt. You can hose down or use a cloth and cleaning solution to clean a hiking backpack. Take a look at the seat to be sure that it isn't ripped and be sure to include any accessories that were originally with the carrier such as rain covers or infant inserts.

Strollers, Bikes & Bike Trailers: Check with the manufacturer for cleaning tips. If you lost the instructions, check online at the manufacturer's website. Some stroller seats are able to be taken off and washed in the washing machine, but if they can't be taken off you can hose down the stroller, use a quality upholstery cleaner or clothes detergent and then thoroughly rinse. If possible, air dry your bike or stroller in the sun and let it dry overnight. Put the brakes on to ensure that they are working properly. Check all the straps and seat belts to be sure that they work and are not broken. If your stroller has rubber tires, fill them up with air and confirm that there aren't any leaks in the tires. Jogging stroller tires are usually 16" and the replacement tubes are usually under $10.00. If replacing the tubes make a difference between selling and not selling your stroller it's well worth the money to do it. Wash the bike seat and handle bars with a disinfectant wipe, make sure all tires are pumped up.

Books: Look through the books to ensure that there aren't any ripped pages or coloring inside the books. Wipe the covers of the books off with a damp (not wet) cloth or baby wipe. Cloth books can be washed in the washing machine if they have no electronic components.

DVDs & BluRays: Look at each disk and make certain that there aren't any scratches or finger prints on them. Wipe the disc with a microfiber cloth to remove fingerprints and dust.

Puzzles & Games: All puzzles and games should be in their original box. Games need to have the instructions with them. Count all pieces to confirm that they are all there! Wooden puzzles should be placed inside a bag so the parts stay together. Do not put tape on top of a puzzle piece or on the sides of boxes, as we will need to ensure all the parts are there before we agree to purchase it.

Bedding: For bedding sets, sheets, blankets, swaddles, car seat covers, car seat buntings, clean and prep everything in the washer and dryer! Store in a closed plastic bag or bin with a fabric softener sheet or sprinkle a couple whole cloves inside the bag or box to repel bugs.

Furniture: Furniture items are great for resale as long as they are in good condition. These items often bring in the largest money in relation to other types of items you could be selling to your local resale shop. At Little Monsters Children's Resale Shop, we recommend that you carefully inspect the item before hauling it into the store, as we would hate to turn you down if you brought in a dirty, faulty, or recalled furniture item.
Cribs - A lot of cribs have been recalled, so please be sure to look it up on the Consumer Product Safety Commission's website, as resale shops do not buy any drop sided cribs. A drop sided crib that has been converted to a toddler bed can be sold only as a toddler bed. If you can't bring your crib in completely assembled, be prepared to set it up in the store. Put all screws, washers, and nuts in a zip lock bag (preferably with the screwdriver or Allen wrench that you will need to put it together at the shop) and tape it to a piece of metal on the bed. Do not tape it to the wood part of the crib because sometimes the paint or finish will come off with the tape. Wipe down all parts of the crib so they are free of dust.
Toddler Beds - Wipe down the bed and tighten up the screws! If there are decals or stickers that belong on it, make sure they are secure with glue. If your child put stickers on their bed, please take those off using an appropriate cleaning product.
Changing Tables - Wipe down with a damp cloth and, if possible, wood polish. If baskets came with the changing table, wash any cloth liners and rinse the baskets off in the shower and thoroughly air dry them before replacing cloth liners. Tighten any screws so your table appears very sturdy. Wipe the changing table pad down with a soft cloth and rubbing alcohol.
Dressers - Clean off any marks and take off any stickers. Wipe down with baby safe cleaning fluid and a damp cloth. Make sure all drawers pull out and push back in properly, and that the tracks and knobs area all screwed in tight.
Toy Boxes - Take off any stickers that don't belong. Wipe down with cleaning fluid and a damp cloth. If the toy box is wooden, make sure there are no rough or splintered edges.
Crib Mattresses - Wipe down thoroughly with rubbing alcohol and damp cloth. Spray with disinfectant and wrap in plastic if possible. Do not store in your garage or shed. Do not bring in a mattress if it has been stored anywhere other than inside your house. Resale shops do not buy crib mattress with rips or cracks in the plastic or vinyl covering.

A Final Word on Cleaning Your Resale Items

When cleaning items that children will be using, you need to use organic and child-friendly cleaning products so another customer's child doesn't get sick. Products such as Dreft detergent, J.R. Watkins All Purpose Cleaner, and Green Works are great and are parent approved!

Regular around the house cleaners such as rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and white vinegar are little miracle workers and are safe to use. Small amounts of chlorine bleach disinfect toys well, but be careful using bleach on cloth. A can of disinfectant spray is always great for shoes and mattresses.

Taking the time to clean and prepare your items will reap you great rewards at resale shops like Little Monsters. So get your things ready and come on in! Just remember as you are going through your items, if you wouldn't buy it, then other people wont either.

If you have further questions, contact us at littlemonsterscarson.com or 775-461-3838.