Last week, Kelly Rives of The Divine Consign Show, which starts Aug. 31, shared tips on consigning clothes at the local sales. Now she's sharing tips on buying clothes at local consignment sales. The first time I went to a sale about five years ago, I was completely overwhelmed and left nearly empty handed. Now I go with a plan of attack and something to haul all my loot.

Here's Kelly with more ....

Well, we have discussed the details of selling your children’s outgrown clothing, but now we need to get to the important stuff! SHOPPING! There are several things that you can do that will make you shopping experience super efficient.

Know your kid’s sizes

Spend some time before the sale trying last falls clothes on your children. Have they really gone up a size, or are they still about the same? What size do you think they will be wearing next February/March at the end of the winter season?

It is much easier to shop if you do not have your kids with you. However, this can make the “size” question tough. But we have seen several people come up with some clever ideas. Some shoppers bring a cheat sheet with their kid’s sizes listed on it. Not only that, but many folks bring the measurements instead of sizes. This can give you a more accurate information since companies all size so differently. Handy measurements include: length from back of neck to hem (dresses), length of stride, pants length, waist, and chest. And bring a tape measure! These measurements will not help you without being able to measure the new clothes.

We have another mom that traces her little girl on the floor and shops with her “flat daughter.” This way she can make sure the lengths of things will work. This also works well with shoes.

Some people have brought clothes from home to hold up next to the ones we sell. We DO NOT ALLOW this. We have way too many shoppers to remember who brought what, so we will not be able to allow this.

Take inventory

Hopefully, when you were getting your things ready to sell, you had a chance to see what your children already have in their closets. Decide what you need. Do you need school clothes? Church clothes? Holiday clothes? Play clothes? Do you need more dresses, pants sets, sweaters, coats, or separates? Are you looking for matching outfits? Is your little one going to be potty training over the next 6 months? Sometimes it can be overwhelming, so go with a plan.

Plan your shopping

Decide where to start your shopping. At Divine Consign, our 2-4 sections are always our most popular. Also, the baby sections (0-12 months) always have tons and tons of clothes. The boys sections are usually a little less crowded than they girls. Figure out the best plan of attack for you!

Laundry baskets

Bring a laundry basket for your selections. It will save your back from carrying everything the entire time!

No hoarding

We know that we all want the best for our children, but hoarding is not the way to do it. Please do not carrying things around with you all night long. Others may be interested in buying what you decide you do not want. Also, other shoppers are watching you snag entire sections. You do not want the reputation as “that shopper.”

Use the OOPS Rack

We totally understand that you may change your mind on some items. At Divine Consign, we ask that you either put these items back where they belong or put them on our “Oops Rack.” This rack is for this very purpose. Often other sales have these racks too. Please do not put your rejects on tables, odd racks, chairs, or the floor. Think about the clothes you are consigning….would you want them piled on a table in the back corner instead of the rack where shoppers can see them?

Bring your money!

We are always amazed at people that get to check out and realize they left their money, checkbook or credit card at home!

Shopping at consignment sales is a great way to save money and get an incredible wardrobe from your little ones. You just need to remember to be prepared, be patient, be considerate, and have fun!