2009 Donations

I know many of you always want to know where all the donated items go at the end of the sale. A wonderful friend, Laura Ly, takes all the donated items back to her home and seperates them out based on needs that we are told about. We also allow Laura to have a few yard sales with the items with the money going to medical treatments for her daughter who has cerebral palsy. We at Encores North have been blessed to see how far Madalyn has come with these experimental treatments that their insurance will not cover.

To give you an idea of just how much the consignors donated at the Fall 2009 sale, it took Laura and her husband plus many friends and family HOURS to pack up the items and the items literally filled 2 UHaul trucks. I receive many emails of families/groups in need and I literally forwarded those emails on to Laura who has the biggest heart. We were able to donate several suitcases full of clothing to children in orphanages in Ethiopia, clothing to a family who lost their home to a fire, a box of items went to Haiti, another family with a newborn in Springfield who lost their apartment to a fire, and one of the nurses from the NICU at Vanderbilt came and was able to get loads of preemie and newborn items for the families who don't have anything at the hospital. Here is her list of where items went:

1. The summer clothes went to the Baptist church in Portland. They are taking a mission trip to Honduras in January.

2. The shoes went to Soles for Souls.

3. All of the donated clothes not on hangers from you and friends and family along with toys and misc. items went to Chris Warren (Angela's pastor) He took it to the Cope Center in Springfield and HALO that give clothes to those in need.

4. All of the fall and winter baby clothes, maternity clothes, and baby stuff went to Open Door Pregnancy Center in Springfield.

5. Some clothes went to a family in Portland whose house burned down.

6. Sweats, sweaters, and jackets went to Barren Heights retreat for families with disabilities.

7. 2 boxes of clothes went to Vena Stuart Elementary in Gallatin. I was told this school is the most in need in Sumner County.

8. 2 boxes of pants went to H.B. Williams elementary for children who have accidents.

9. 2 boxes of navy and tan pants and polo shirts went to metro schools for children who have accidents.

10. 2 boxes of clothes went to a family of 5 in need. Two are foster children and mom is 25 weeks pregnant and on bedrest.

11. 1 box of clothes went to a family in need with a child with Spina Bifida.

12. All of the clothes left hanging in my garage went to Micki at Be Blessed. They are working to give clothes to children in need in Robertson Co.

13. I gave any new toys, electronics, movies, socks, and purses to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis. St. Jude is the first and only pediatric cancer center to be designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute.

So when you are hanging and tagging for the Spring 2010 sale, please consider putting a D for donate under your consignor number. Not only will we waive your $10 consignor fee, but your items are greatly impacting many lives in Sumner, Robertson, and Davidson Counties. Also, if you know of a group or family in need, please don't hesitate to email us.

Spring Sale 2010

Yes, it's only October 26th, but I officially started working on the Spring 2010 sale today. I actually started working on my personal consignment stuff a few weeks ago as I swapped my kids' closets out. I figured it was easier to go ahead and start hanging sets vs. putting them in bins and having to iron them when it's time to tag.

I OFFICIALLY started working today because I picked up my first batch of spring/summer boutique inventory. I have found with the down turn in the economy, I get phone calls from stores going out of business or stores that have overstock more and more frequently. I was pleasantly surprised at the inventory I picked up today because I have never purchased from this store before so I wasn't sure what I would be getting. Loads of adorable swimsuits and Easter attire, with some awesome stuff for girls size 10-16 which in my opinion is VERY hard to find. I LOVE spring/summer clothing so I am already getting excited about the next sale.

Have any of you started pulling out your spring consignment items?

Matching Sets

There is nothing worse than getting home from a consignment sale and realizing that an outfit you bought really isn't a set. Example: a size 24M shirt and sweater matched with a 4T skirt. Yes, I know it's the same line from Gymboree, but the sizes don't match so it's not a set. Yes, I know your child might have junk in the trunk, but my kid doesn't so don't put a 4T bottom with a 24M top.

Now, if you are like me and your children always wear one size bigger in a top than the bottom, I have no problem with you making it a set but CLEARLY note that on the tag. If it says size 24M, I am buying based on the premise that all the pieces are that size. If you are putting a size 3 top with a size 4 bottom, just put TOP 3, PANTS 4 on the tag. Chances are it will still sell, but you need to be honest in your tagging.

I find that when I tag at the last minute, I might do this on accident so as winter rapidly approaches and you clean out spring/summer clothing for the next sale, pack them away in matching sets by size and if the size doesn't match, consider selling it seperate.

Remember that sets do sell best!!

Want to be the FIRST person to shop at Encores North Spring 2010 sale

Well, let me tell you how to do it. In case you didn't know, the ONLY people that shop before the workers are me, my mom, my sister, my mother-in-law, and my best friend Angie who works about 200 hours per sale with me. Otherwise, the first shoppers enter at 5pm on worker day. Those workers either work or barter to be able to shop at 5pm and we value their 3 shifts plus sort to be worth $200.

This Saturday, October 3, at Beech Elementary in Hendersonville there will be a live auction that is held during Country Day, our annual fall festival. At that live auction, ANYONE can bid on a certificate that will allow you to shop at 12pm on worker day which is a full FIVE HOURS of shopping with no worries of someone else getting items you want.

The auction will start at 10:30am and the certificate will only allow ONE ADULT to shop and will be sold for the highest bid. All money from the auction will go to Beech Elementary! There are also tons of other items to be auctioned including a PT CRUISER so come check it out. Tons of games for the kids, food, live and silent auction and other activities. Come out and see us and HAPPY BIDDING! I can't wait to see who wins!

1/2 Price Day TODAY at Encores and More North

Hard to believe the sale is almost over. Half price starts today at 10am and there is still an amazing selection of clothing to choose from. If you get a chance, stop by and shop!

Day 5 Drop Off : Encores and More North

Today was our final day of drop off and you had to have an appointment to drop off. It was a very smooth day and I don't think anyone had to wait for a rack. We still have a ton to do to get ready for consignor's presale on Friday night.

I won't go on like a broken record, but PLEASE don't miss this sale if you need anything related to kids. We joked today and said if we don't have it, you don't need it.

I think we ended up having about 760 people dropping off, but man oh man, those 760 cleaned out!!! I won't lie, I'm excited about sleeping in tomorrow and getting some rest before going up to bar code, clean, and organize starting at 12pm.

Yes, we still have worker shifts available and would love to get you signed up. You can go HERE and click on the workers tab to get a list of available shifts that are left. Shoot me an email and come shop with the workers. You won't regret it!

Brea's Top 5 for Wednesday:
1. Beetle Bug battery powered car $85
2. Custom made sippy cups with my kids' initials $7 each (available on front tables when you walk in)
3. Chicco stroller combo (looks brand new) $175
4. 2T Gymboree 3 piece set $11 (which I did snag for Mary Elizabeth)
5. Brand new Boppy pillow in package $5

To answer last night's questions, YES, we do have lots of BRAND NEW items. I'm not sure about brand new baby boy clothing, but I will check tomorrow and let you know tomorrow night. We have a TON of bikes so Star you should do great in that department. Leave a comment if you have something you have your eye on OR if you are wondering if we have something specific. I'll leave a blog post tomorrow night with an update.

Day 4 Drop Off : Encores and More North

We had well over 200 people drop off today putting us at over 700 consignors already and all appointments are FULL tomorrow so we will definitely end up around 800 consignors. Amazing that we continue to grow at this pace. I just hope everyone comes back to shop as the racks are nice and full (even boys!!!)

This will be short and sweet as I got about 2 hours of sleep last night and it's already 11pm and I have to be back at the store early in the morning.

Brea's Top 5 for Tuesday:

Land of Nod easel $30
Girl's size 7 Gymboree 2 piece outfit BRAND NEW $6
Pottery Barn red lantern light $22
Firetruck toddler bed $85
Huge wooden bookcase with toy chest $65

It's not too late to shop with the workers. We still have a few food shifts left, several worker shifts, and other bartering options available on the website. Leave me any comments to let me know what your excited about or if you are wondering if we have something specific (we probably do!)

Day 3 Drop off : Encores and More North

Well, day 3 of drop off has officially come to a close and I'm pooped.

I'm not sure I can adequately describe to you the selection we have at this sale. I know some of you might think I am talking so great about this sale because I run it, but seriously, there are some AMAZING items at this sale.

Couple of things to note before I name my top 5. First, we are super picky when you drop off. I know it might make some people mad, but we have to be because once again we will be tight on space and honestly, no one wants to get home with something and then realize it is stained. When I flip through the clothing, I am amazed at the quality, brands and prices. Three piece Gymboree sets for $12...what a deal! Lacoste shirts for little boys, unbelievable! I haven't even talked about the scads of BRAND NEW boutique that has come in and all of it is priced at 50-90% off original retail. There are tons of Gymboree items that are new with tags. The Halloween costumes are fabulous, winter coats galore, best selection of shoes we've ever had. Oh wait, I haven't told you about boy clothes. WE HAVE TONS this time. So much in fact we had to pop up more racks for 6M, 12M and 18M boys clothes ALREADY.

When I last counted today, we had 8 toy boxes, well over 20 kitchens, easels galore, tons of beautiful bedding and room decor, about 30 swings, 9 cribs (some with matching changing tables), a whole ride on pony section, slides, swings, 7 train tables, tool benches, desks, at least 10 bumbos, American Girl dolls and accessories including the retired Bitty Baby twins, Nintendo DS games, AND SO SO SO SO SO much more.

So, here we go...Brea's top 5 from Monday:
1. turtle sandbox $8
2. Leapster with case and 4 games $25
3. adorable farm animal themed crib bedding set $50
4. Peg Perego double stroller $90
5. Girl's size 10 Corky Kids coat $45 (retails for over $150 AND ADORABLE!!!)

Let me know what you thought about the sale if you dropped off/worked today!

Day Two of Drop Off : Encores and More North

Today was in one word....nuts.

We had well over 200 people drop off today and we literally did not stop working until 8pm. 10 hours on my feet non stop and I have to admit, I am getting older and my body is exhausted.

The bad news? I felt bad for the consignors that waited 45 minutes for a rack.

The good news? We literally have the best selection we have EVER had so I hope all those people who waited to drop off forget that wait the minute they shop.

We now have 3 Barbie Jeeps, a pirate ship, about 50 various riding toys, about 12 kitchens, 5 desks, toy boxes galore, DVDS, a HUGE selection of BRAND NEW Melissa and Doug toys for 30-50% off retail, tool benches, 6 train tables, table and chair sets galore, 5 cribs, about 15 pack n plays. I seriously could go ON AND ON AND ON AND ON.

AND HERE are Brea's TOP FIVE favorite things that came in today:

1. Awesome train table that has rolling storage drawers underneath $30
2. Plastic Pirate Ship (can be used indoors or outside) $30
3. Babystyle Octopus costume $12
4. Britax Roundabout carseat in awesome condition $90
5. Cozy Coupe car $5

I have to tell you, it was REALLY hard making that list as I loved a TON of stuff that came in. If you worked today, what did you LOVE? If you want to know if we got something specific in, leave me a comment and I'll answer you tomorrow night!

A special thanks to all the workers today. You ladies (and guys) busted it and although we never really caught up, I thought we did exceptional considering we checked in over 30 people per hour. WAY TO GO!!

Day 1 of Drop off : Encores and More North

Today was unbelievable. Seriously.

Today was our first day of drop off at Encores and More North. It was an appointment day and we have now had over 150 consignors drop off. The selection is already incredible. Matter of fact, many people dropping off wanted to sign up for worker shifts when they saw the amazing items that had already been brought in. Please feel free to leave a comment of what you saw today that you loved if you dropped off.

Starting tonight, I will start doing my top 5 things that I thought were WAY awesome that got dropped off that day.

For those of you reading this, if you want to know if we got something specific in, leave a comment and I'll answer it the next night on the post.

Brea's Top Five for Saturday:
1. Tractor ride on toy for a toddler $1.00 (yes, one dollar)
2. Beautiful crib $30
3. Whirley rocket $50 (this awesome toy is retired and sells for over $200 on ebay-it is an awesome sit and spin for two kids)
4. Step 2 Play house that looks brand new $85
5. Awesome Lego storage stand that has space on top to build legos $40

I believe we already have about 5 cozy coupes, 3 train tables, 4 play kitchens, strollers galore, and more clothes than you could ever imagine dropped off. This sale is going to go down as record setting!!

Moving In

Tonight was move in night. Hard to believe it's already time for the Fall 2009 sale, but it is! We had 12 workers tonight...the boys helped J move all the racks/tables from the storage unit to the space, the girls helped me get almost all of the VIP tagged stuff out of Sarah's house.

We also hit over 800 consignors today. Seriously.

This sucker's going to be huge. We set up racks tomorrow night.

New Tagging Program for Encores and More North : Did you know?

For those of you using the new tagging program for Encores and More North, did you know that you can just put in the dollar amount and then print them? That way, your bad code is correct and you can hand write the rest of the information in. Many people still like handwriting their cards and this option gives you the best of both worlds.

Happy tagging!

Encores and More North Fall 2009 Sale : When do I drop off?

As many of you know, our drop off APPOINTMENTS are full for our Fall 2009 sale. So, I'm sure those of you waiting until the last minute (like I normally do!) are wondering what's the best day to drop off?

The answer is Sunday, August 9th. We have made sure we have a FULL crew of workers that day (31 to be exact) to make drop off for you quick and easy. We will also have some man muscle there to help you unload large items. We are there for drop off from 12pm-6pm.

We also have drop off on Monday, August 10 from 10am-7pm and Tuesday, August 11 from 10am-6pm, but you might have a small wait ESPECIALLY if you wait and come at the last minute on Tuesday night.

Happy tagging!

He We Grow Again

Yep, as of today, we have over 550 consignors signed up for our Fall 2009 Encores and More North sale. When you consider that we are adding about 30 consignors a day, we could definitely have 800 consignors for this sale.

What does this mean for you?

1. It's going to be HUGE! Not only does it look like we will have more regular consignors, but our VIP tagging program has been busier than ever before. We now have four taggers working non-stop.

2. It pays to be a consignor! Don't wait to shop with the public, just consign at least 15 items and you can shop with the consignors a full day before the public gets in. Yes, the consignor presale is wild, but it is SO fun and many people use it as a fun night out with friends!

3. It pays (literally) to be a worker! If you sign up for at least 3 shifts plus sort, you not only get to shop a full day before the consignors, you also earn a $50 gift certificate to shop with. You will be shopping with 90 other workers instead of 800 other consignors. You get to shop the best selection and in a nice, relaxed environment versus the busy presale.

4. Don't forget that we are accepting spring/summer clothing during RESTOCK drop off which is Monday, August 17-Wednesday, August 19. Not only is this is a great opportunity to get some clothes for your little ones while it is still hot, but you can also buy ahead for next summer. Encores North will literally be your one stop shopping experience!

Consigning Time

If you haven't checked out Consigning Time, you need to check it out right away. Julie has put together printable maps that show when and where all the consignment sales are coming up in the Nashville, TN area. It's a great resource and will allow you guys to not miss any of the awesome sales here in Nashville. Good job Julie!

Encores North Gift Certificate & 4th of July

If you need fireworks for the 4th of July, I have the perfect spot for you to buy them. You NEED to go to see my friends Tamara and Jesse at their fireworks tent at the corner of Long Hollow Pike and Caldwell Drive in Goodlettsville. Their tent is behind Volunteer State Bank and across from Walgreens and has that adorable banner that says "Buy Fireworks From My Daddy!"

Why do you need to go there?

Well, the most important reason is that Tamara and Jesse are hardworking, have four kids, and after being in Murfreesboro for 5 years, their tent got moved to Goodlettsville where they know no one. They will tell you if the fireworks you are thinking about buying aren't that great and take the time to ask you what you are looking for instead of just getting you to buy the most expensive thing.

The second most important reason is that if you go there and buy at least $25 worth of fireworks and mention you found out about them from me, they will register you for a $50 gift certificate to Encores and More North fall/winter children's consignment sale in August. How cool is that?

So go buy your fireworks from a local family and enter to win for the gift certificate for Encores North! HAPPY FOURTH!

Guess what I did yesterday?

I gave one of our wonderful VIP taggers a FULL carload of items for VIP tagging for the Fall 2009 sale. Yes, I know it's early, but not only was it great to clean out my house, but I want to know it's done.

If you are planning on using VIP tagging this year, why not start pulling now? We tagged so many items for so many people in the spring that we are making a few changes for the Fall sale.

First, any clothing items will need to be fall/winter for this sale. They will also need to be freshly laundered and checked for stains, rips, etc. PRIOR to having them picked up by the tagger. If the tagger finds anything outdated, stained, or damaged, it will be immediately be donated. We will not be giving back items that didn't meet our standards to people who use VIP tagging. In the Spring, our taggers spent hours going through items to make sure they weren't stained, etc. and ended up giving back tons of bags and boxes of items that weren't in good shape. To save time, any of those items not accepted will automatically be sent to donate.

Second, any toys you send to be tagged need to have all their pieces AND have working batteries. If the toy does not have batteries, it will be donated. As you know, batteries are EXPENSIVE and we can't afford to put new batteries in all the toys. This is a great job for your kids so have them check the toys and let you know what pieces are part of it!

Third, SHOES! We have had some YUCKY shoes brought in. Here's the criteria on shoes that ALL shoes for the Fall sale need to meet: 1. no scuffs on top. If they are nubuck boys shoes and the toes are rubbed off, we won't take them. 2. If they are tennis shoes that stink and have stains, we won't take them. Shoes need to be in excellent, like new condition. If you have shoes that aren't acceptable, feel free to bring them in and donate them, but please don't be offended if we don't take them.

Have fun getting your stuff out and don't forget to take advantage of VIP tagging. It's a lifesaver for me!

50% OFF

It's time for half price days! THE sale starts tomorrow at 10am and goes through 6. We are there Saturday 9am-1pm. Anything not marked with ND or a red dot will be half price. There are still some great deals to be had! Come see us and help us get rid of the remaining items!

Restock

Just a reminder that restock drop-off is Monday-Wednesday 12-6. We are still DESPERATELY in need of large items including outdoor toys, strollers, bassinets, toddler beds, train tables, bookshelves, etc. We also REALLY need boy clothing of any size and girls size 4 and up clothing. Of course, we will take any children's item during restock, these are just the items we need the most.

No appointment needed, just get busy tagging and come on down! Items brought in during restock sell just as well as the items that were brought in during normal drop-off as we do have people that come and shop every day!

We Have Winners

The three winners of a $25 gift certificate are:

Laura Horton
Alison Bynum
Kristina Proffitt

THANKS so much for helping to spread the word about Encores and More North!!

Wednesday Night Deals

Well, drop off is officially over and I am honestly just amazed. My hubby joked for years about how he would love to see what it would look like if we could get a space big enough, have a tagging system in place and enough workers. Well, God heard our desires and prayers and this is the result.

When I say that this sale is going to be amazing, I'm not just saying it to get people there. I really believe it. The selection of items is just simply a bit overwhelming, everything is SO organized, and we were SO picky when it came to stains, etc. so I really hope you will find that you are looking through the best items available.

Here's my pick for Wednesday Night Deals. Next post will have the WINNERS of the 3 $25 gift certificates.

1. Life size Dora doll (yes, we got another one in) $10 (they are $100 new at Walmart)
2. Cozy Coupe $15
3. Bob Ironman Jogging Stroller $150 (these retail for upwards of $300+) I personally have a Bob Revolution Jogger and it's my favorite stroller EVER.
4. Britax Marathon Car Seat (looks brand new) $150
5. LOADS of Leapster Games $6 each

TUESDAY NIGHT DEALS

I promise, I will post the winner in just a bit. I just got home and I'm exhausted, but I'm going to do it.

TOP 5 TUESDAY DEALS!

1. Bumbo seat $5
2. Graco pack and play complete with bassinet, changing table, etc. $30
3. Today's Kids riding horse $10
4. Eddie Bauer double stroller $40
5. Lifesize Talking Dora $30

TOMORROW is the last day of drop off. Hard to believe it's almost time to sell all these goodies

MONDAY NIGHT DEALS!

First, before I post deals of the day...yes, I know I haven't posted the winners of the 3 gift certificates yet. It's because I still haven't drawn. I haven't drawn because I haven't put all the names on the slips and put them in a bucket. I promise I will do this tomorrow AND post the winners tomorrow night!

DEALS for Monday:

Today rocked as well. I'm telling ya....we have gotten in some AWESOME STUFF! Do not miss this sale.

1. 5 Baby Einstein DVDs $5
2. Size 6 Gymboree Girls 4 piece outfit $8
3. Beautiful wooden toddler bed with mattress $45
4. Stroller complete with infant carrier and base $50
5. Wooden kitchen complete with shopping cart and all the food/accessories $45

I'll be back tomorrow night with the winners AND more DEALS!

SUNDAY NIGHT DEALS!

Drop off went FABULOUS today. Have I mentioned how much I love our workers? Oh, and how much I love having 30,000+ sq. feet. This sale is going to be A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!

Here's my top 5 DEALS I saw come in today:

1. Leapster w/ game $8
2. One of those toy bins that is the wooden rack with 9 plastic bins to hold toys. The rack is white wood, bins are all girly colors. $10
3. Radio Flyer plastic two seater wagon $12
4. Little Tykes plastic toy box with lid $7
5. Robeez shoes in package $6

Check back tomorrow for my favorite deals of the day!

DEALS!

I thought I would try to update this blog EVERY night with some of the best DEALS I saw that came in during that drop off date. Just to wet your appetite.

Here's some of my favorite DEALS from Saturday's drop off:

1. A beautiful white wooden crib with mattress $45
2. A NICE Eddie Bauer bassinet $45
3. Adorable boy's blue wooden kitchen $45
4. BOATLOADS of NEW WITH TAGS Gymboree clothing 60% off retail
5. Nice front/back double stroller $42

Those are my TOP 5 from Saturday. I'll post more tomorrow night!

It's Worth It....

I am laying in bed (SO SORE) at 9:32pm on Saturday night and I am proud to say we have our first day of drop off under our belts. It went SOOO well. THANKS to all the fabulous workers who KICKED BUTT today. We are actually ready for drop off tomorrow and we aren't that far behind which is a miracle in and of itself.

As I doing my last walk through tonight before I left, I realized I had to share these thoughts with you here on the blog. I talked to a previous consignor earlier tonight who was unsure if she was going to consign this time. "I'm just not sure it's worth it" she said. "All that time to tag my clothes and then bring them down there....I think I would just rather do a yard sale."

So, is it worth it?

Well, here's my opinion.

You are going to work ten times harder to have a yard sale where no one is going to want to pay you anything near what your stuff is worth. I'm lucky to get .25 for a piece of clothing at a yard sale.

Is it worth it?

HECK YA! Tag that stuff and bring it down. Do you realize we are in a recession and people NEED to shop second hand to save some money? I truly believe this will be our best sale yet.

Today alone we had about 150 people drop off and I swear we already have as much stuff as we did the entire sale last time. If you don't consign, you can't come to presale.

Yes, I know you have to stand in line, but where else can you go and get your kids entire summer wardrobe for $100. I would stand in line to save that kind of money.

So, yes, I think it's worth it. AND NOT JUST BECAUSE I RUN THE SALE. I want people to CLEAN THOSE CLOSETS OUT, because it makes you more money and it provides our shoppers with more items to choose from.

Don't miss out on what I hope to be a record breaking sale. Spread the word about Encores and More North...it's worth it!

Where to consign?

Has anyone else noticed that EVERY sale in North Nashville is the exact same time? How did this happen?

Seriously, I really thought that Encores North consignor count would go WAY down because every sale that I know about that is close to us is the exact same time. Kim Shelby's sale starts Saturday, Floods of Duds and the church on New Shackle (which I can NEVER think of the name) are both during our sale. Let's face it...people are pretty loyal. If they go to church at that church, they are probably going to consign AT THAT CHURCH. And you know what...I don't blame them. But it made me question what makes people decide where to consign?

Years ago before God laid it on my heart to run one of these suckers, I was just your normal consignor. Yes, I did work at Encores in Franklin, but other than that, I just put my stuff in sales like everyone else.

Here's what I factored in when deciding where to consign:

1. Sale HAD to be organized and in a decent location. I was not about to take my stuff to some crappy location that if my stuff fell on the floor it would be dirty. That's not cool.

2. Organizers HAD to be friendly. Let's face it. Consigners are doing the sale owner a FAVOR by participating, so sale organizers should be friendly, helpful and THANKFUL for their consigners. This was a biggie for me. A simply thank you and a smile go a LONG WAY!

3. They had to have a following. Why was I going to spend all that time tagging my stuff and then it NOT sale. Um, hello! I wanted to make money.

I think I have participated in just about every sale there was up until 2005 when I started my own. I took the things I loved about sales and implemented them into our sale. I took the things I hated and promised myself to never be that way. I hope we have succeeded.

I am excited that tell you that as of TODAY, we already have over 600 consignors signed up! AND TRUST ME, we add a ton the next week.

I wish all the sales the best of luck the next few weeks. I know how hard it is run one of these things, but it is a blessing to be able to see all of you and help fill a need in our community. Have fun shopping and be sure to support all these local sales!!!

What Goes Fastest?

People usually asks me what sells the quickest at the sale?

Honestly, I think the answer is equipment. Strollers, pack and plays, riding horses, puppet theatres, outdoor play equipment (slides, houses, swings), and high chairs. We are always shocked with how many we start out with and usually only have 2-3 left at pick up.

Here are a couple of tips for not only selling your large items, but also getting top dollar. I feel like you can ALWAYS get about half of what you paid for a large item if you do the following:

1. If it's something like a high chair that has a removeable cloth seat, you should remove all those parts and wash them. Take a clorox wipe and go over all the parts that are showing. Many times scuffs, stains, etc. will easily come off with a clorox or lysol wipe.

2. Be sure you tell on the tag all the features about the large item. If it's a top rated carseat (like a Britax), be sure to put that on there. Use a seperate tag if necessary. Also, be sure you put what you originally paid for the item, that way people know what a GREAT deal they are getting.

3. If your large item has small pieces that goes with it, be sure to put those in a clear ziploc bag and seal the top with clear packing tape.

4. Be sure to enlist the help of your kids when cleaning out toys. You would be shocked at how much they are willing to get rid of when you tell them they get to keep part or all of the money. Have them help you put the parts and pieces together as they usually know better than us.

5. Consider letting your child get their own consignment number. We will not charge them a fee if we know they are a child AND they will get their own check. Trust me, you will have more toys than clothes to consign if you let them get involved.

6. Remember restock days! Usually by Monday, we are getting very low on big ticket items so if you run out of time for normal drop off, you still have a great shot at selling your items if you bring them in for restock.

It's hard to believe that drop off starts in less than a week! See you all soon!

Appointments are filling up FAST!

Hard to believe I am putting this out here 2 1/2 weeks BEFORE drop off starts, but we are filling up quickly on drop off appointments. If you plan to make one, don't DELAY! Once appointments are full, the general drop off days are Sunday, March 1-Tuesday, March 3. Email Beckie at encoresandmorenorth@yahoo.com to get your appointment now!

Wanna win a gift certificate?

We did this last sale and I thought I would beef it up a notch for the Spring 2009 sale.

All YOU have to do is put a post on your blog, facebook, or myspace about Encores and More North. If you have a blog and do a post, you get two entries. Everything else is one entry. Tell people what you like about Encores North (if you dislike something, feel free to email me at breagirl@encoresandmorenorth.com-we want to know your concerns!) Once you've done your post, leave me a comment here with a link to your blog or details with where you posted it and your name. On March 1, we will draw three winners out of the hat and each person will win a $25 gift card to Encores North Spring sale.

How easy is that? I LOVE word of mouth advertising and we will have SO MUCH SPACE this time that I want everyone that can to consign and come shop! GOOD LUCK!

Selling Recalled Toys

Someone had left a comment asking about Encores North stance on selling recalled toys. This is what we will be doing for the Spring 2009 sale.

We actually have a worker in charge of putting together a binder that will include all toys that have been recalled as well as any infant equipment. We will try to check items as they come in, but as we know, drop off can be quite hectic. We will be checking every item though before we have the first person shop. If we find that you have consigned a recalled item, you will be called to pick it up at your convenience.

My personal thoughts on the issue: Although there have been many toys recalled in the last few years, you have to check the manufacturer codes to make sure it is part of that said recall. An example would be the Dora house. I remember at a past sale someone went off on me because we were selling the Dora house, when in fact every toy has a manufacturer's number imprinted on the toy. If you go to the CPSIA, it will tell you the exact manufacturer numbers that are included in that said recall. We had checked the toys and made sure they were not part of that specific recall.

So please be aware that just because something is recalled, it doesn't necessarily mean that every single toy has been specifically recalled. ESPECIALLY with the lead concerns. Many toys produced after a certain date have been tested, and they will label those toys with a code to verify that.

Our number one concern at Encores is to make sure we are selling items that are not only in the best condition, but also items that are safe!

Donations

I know many of you probably wonder what we, Encores and More North, do with all the items that are donated. When you choose to donate your items by marking them ALL with a D below your number, not only are you waiving your $10 consignor fee, but your donated items are greatly impacting families in our communities. This is how our donate process works.

Laura, our donate queen, brings her family and neighbors who take all of the items back to their house. They carefully go through everything to sort it into stacks based on need. Trust me, this is a full time job for Laura, who is the mom to twin girls, one of which has CP. On top of donating to the places you will see below, Laura also has several yard sales to help offset the costs of therapy for their daughter with CP. Because of this therapy, their daughter has recently started to sit up!! What a praise! This is also where Laura donated the Fall 2008 items:

-I have already helped out several families in need including the Wilson's friend, the lady from your consignment sale, families in Tracy's church, and a White House teacher whose house burned down.

-I am setting up a lending closet for Courageous kids camp. This is a camp for families with children with disabilities.

-I am setting up a lending closet for Barren Heights. This is also a camp for families with disabilities.

- Hope Clinic For Women- Maternity clothes and baby items

- My Own Bag of Love - Given to children that are taken in by child protection. Soft animals no hard eyes, any baby items, any toys for older kids no clothes

- Soles4Souls - shoes

- The Hope Center - White House

- The Arc of Davidson Co.

- H.B.Williams school - appropriate books and videos

We are so blessed to have Laura to take care of this great need for us. She is always wanting to know of families in the community that have needs so please don't hesitate to let us know at the sale OR send us an email. THANK YOU for your generous donations and please don't hesitate to ask any questions about this process!

CPSIA: What does it mean for us?

Yes, I've heard about the new law going into effect Feb. 10. For those of you that haven't, this law basically says that you will no longer be able to sell any children's items without them being tested for lead and other dangerous items after Feb. 10.

Here's is Encores and More North stance on the law:

We have written our congressman and spoke to the CPSIA via phone and email. We were told that this law should not affect us as we are not buying the items from consignors and then reselling. We were also told that the CPSIA is currently meeting to ammend the current law because they realize it was written too broadly. What does this mean for you, the consignor?

It means that we will be opening our doors on Feb. 28 to start drop off for our biggest and best yet Spring 2009 consignment sale. It means that March 7, we will open to the public to sell the thousands of awesome kids items that we usually have. We hope to hear about our space this week and will be updating the website as soon as we have a firm location.

PLEASE join us in writing your legislators and letting them know that this law is ridiculous because even if we (Encores and More North) aren't affected, this will have a horrible impact on the children's clothing and accessories community as a whole. Who wants prices on these already expensive items to go up?