A new outlook on the Sale experience.

Written by Kara Veley

I am at a turning point in my Parent Talk Sale experience.  For previous sales, I was excited at the thought of what I would buy.  Cute rain boots!  An adorable Halloween costume!  A picnic table for kids!  Clothes to supplement my toddler’s wardrobe!

I’m still excited about the amazing bargains.  (Wouldn’t it be great to get some new kids’ books?  The old ones are getting- well- old!)  But what I am more excited about this time around is that, for the first time, I feel ready to get rid of the outgrown or generally unused stuff that is taking over my house.  The pink and blue plastic push bike?  My youngest, with her long legs, doesn’t use it anymore, but I know some other child would love it.   Same with the baby carriage that was built for babies to push around- my girls have to bend down to use it now- it seems crazy to me that they’ve already outgrown it.  But I know there’s a toddler out there who will love it and push a baby doll (or, if that child happens to be like mine, baby animals) down the street over and over again.  And I won’t have to trip on it every time I reach for the rake!  And then, of course, there are the clothes.  Piles and piles of clothes, some loved and worn, some never used because the size didn’t match the season or because my daughter went through an anti- button stage when she was that size.  Clothes are piling up in my attic, starting to get disorganized. (Really, who has time to constantly sort outgrown clothes?)  What’s a mom to do with all this STUFF?

The beauty of the Parent Talk Sale is not only that it has amazing bargains for us when we need them most.  (I can’t tell you how many things I’ve scored from the sale over the last four and a half years.) Its other function, almost as important, is giving parents a place to donate or consign all the outgrown kids’ stuff that is taking over their garages, their attics, their playrooms….  You know that train table that your son never uses anymore but it’s still sitting the middle of the family room?  You could consign it, free up the space in your room, and make some money in the process!  Or, if you don’t want to deal with consigning, you can just drop off that pile of clothes that has been sitting in a big box for the last six months, and we’ll sort it and sell it.  I always like the idea that another local family is benefitting from my donations.  And Parent Talk, this wonderful organization that really does bring young families together and build community (it’s not just a byline!), benefits too.

So what’s the moral of this story?  Now’s your chance!  Take a few extra minutes this week and clear out all the stuff that you don’t want to keep and that your child will never use again.  Take a step towards the Real Simple Magazine ideals- Uncluttered house, clean mind, less stress.  Make some money through consigning.  Or just donate and feel good that a local family will be able to truly use the item that was just taking up space in your house.  Consign!  Donate!  You’ll be glad you did.  

For more information about the Parent Talk Sale this Saturday October 19th, please visit us here.

What are you looking forward to at the sale this weekend?