Recycle Kids Clothes – Make some Cash

(Article printed in Advocate Messenger Sunday, August 12, 2012)

If your kids are growing as fast as mine are, you are constantly going through their closets and drawers and finding clothes that no longer fit. So what do you do with those outgrown clothes that are practically brand new?

3 options to recycle kids clothes

ThredUp

You register for a free account and then click over to order a Thred up bag.

You will need to use a credit card to request a bag. They will charge you a deposit fee of about $5.00. Occasionally, you will go to order your bag, and there will be a deposit credit (meaning you won’t even have to put a deposit down!). This deposit will be credited back as soon as they receive the bag. Sometimes you will find that the bag deposit has been waived! That’s a fun bonus!

Start watching the mail for your Thred Up Bag. Once you get your bag, you stuff it with all the in season, clean clothes you can fit. They will not accept Faded Glory or other store brands. You will get the most credit for the higher end brands – Justice, Old Navy, Gap, AE, Children’s Place, etc…..

Once the bag is stuffed, you take it to your local UPS pick up location. Office Depot in Danville accepts pre-paid packages. You can just drop it off at their desk. Shipping is free!

Now you wait. It usually takes about 2 weeks for them to get the bag, sort through it and award your credit.

You will then get an email where they will make an offer on your items. I sent in a bag a few weeks ago and just got an offer for about $40!!! I’m now waiting for my 2nd bag to be processed.

You can use the money to go shopping on their site. (If you are smart, you can save enough of your credit to even pay the shipping for your next order!). OR you can request to cash-out and get paid directly to your paypal account!

You can also shop on their site for like-new kids clothes. They have each item individually pictured so you can have a clear idea of what you are ordering.

The prices are higher than yard sale, but much more convenient if you like the convenience of shopping from your couch at odd hours.

Lil Cherubs Consignment

The sale is at Centenary UMC – 1441 Perryville Rd (the entrance to Millennium Park). Fall sale is Friday, August 24 from 8:30 am until 7:00 pm; Saturday, August 25 from 8:30 am until 1:00 pm.

The best time to go is early! The entire gym is usually packed with thousands of kids items – everything from baby clothes, diapers, toys for all ages, books, movies, clothes, Halloween costumes, nursery decor, and more.

The veteran shoppers take a laundry basket. Seasoned Lil Cherub shoppers carry around their basket (or scoot it beside them) and fill it up quickly. Then they move over to the side of the room and go through their stash and pull out what they are going to purchase.

You may pay with a check.

Many items are half price on Saturday. I have one friend who goes early on Friday to seriously shop, then drops back in on Saturday to pick up cheap play clothes for 50% off

Pass to Friends

One of the most frugal options is to pass the clothes between friends. We are fortunate to have a network of families with kids of different sizes. One person passes to another and no money is exchanged. It is a great way to keep the great clothes getting worn by someone else.