The Consignment Guide

Sweet Leslie

2012-01-12T15:02:00.000-08:00

I wish I wasn't typing this. I wish I had answers for what I'm about to type, but I don't.

Our sweet Leslie Armstrong passed away last night. For those of you that worked, consigned, or shopped at Encores North, I'm sure you saw or interacted with Leslie. She was that sweet redhead who checked you in during dropping off, cut your tags at check out and always had a smile on her face.

Here's some of the pics I will cherish forever. The first is Alicia Pelham, Natalie Dohanos, me and Leslie on a cruise we took in October 2010:

This pic was taken at the Encores North sale when we were still at Goody's. This is Leslie and Katy Oakes. Man, she had a great smile:

Probably one of my favorite memories..the first time we all went to dinner and thought it would be a good idea to ride in the back of a pickup truck. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard in my life:

This was the sale held next to Aldi's. Leslie was so excited because she found out the day of worker presale that she was having a boy, sweet Mason.

Same sale...Leslie needed some new maternity clothes so Pam Davis and I thought we could help her out :)

On the cruise: we were going for a glamour shot style portrait and obviously, having a great time.

Sweet Leslie, you have impacted me more than you will know. You were a true friend and I will miss you so much. Scrapbook retreats and sales won't be the same. My heart is broken.

Spring 2012 selling season is HERE!

2012-01-11T15:18:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe 2012 is here! With a new year comes the stress of suddenly getting ready for the next sale. I know for me, it's hard to be thinking about pulling out spring/summer clothing when it's 30 degrees outside.

It's been a while since I posted so I thought I would update you on what I am planning on doing this consignment sale season. As you all know, I sold Encores and More North to the owners of the original Encores in January 2011. Many have asked how it feels to not have the sale and to be honest, I really don't miss the sale itself, I miss the people. I loved getting to spend so much time working with ladies I loved and respected. I also LOVED to see just how far the blessings from the sale could reach. I consider it a great honor that I got to run Encores North for as long as I did.

I am still buying out children's boutiques and Gymboree. I will continue to sell that inventory through Encores, but will be doing so at Encores Murfreesboro. Natalie, my sale manager at North when I still owned it, is now running that sale and although she just had her first sale in September, it was really awesome. I love how much she is focused on the community and I loved that I found the brands I loved for my kids there: Mini Boden, Gymboree, Matilda Jane. She was super picky on her adult stuff so it wasn't overwhelming to shop and I even found some Anthropologie there!

I do plan to put my leftovers in Encores North, but since the sale is later than normal, I will be putting all my item in the Boro sale first. So, what about you...where you are consigning this Spring?

My Consignment Manager

2011-09-28T12:25:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I wanted to take a few minutes and give you my perspective on My Consignment Manager and all the questions everyone has been asking. Please keep in mind, this is my opinion and thoughts, not anything I've cleared with the new owners.

Jonathan and I had first considered using MCM or one of their competitors years ago. When we started 6 years ago (almost 7!), we literally had an old school system that was based solely on an excel spreadsheet and old school barcodes. For 6 years, at the end of each sale, all the info we could give consignors at the end of each sale was the number of items sold and at what price (and whether or not they were discounted). We hated we couldn't give more info, but based on the old system, we couldn't have all the info (including an item number) on that specific bar coding machine.

That's where my sweet hubby came in and by the grace of God and 5 years of college, he was able to write the program which allowed us to have people create tags at home. Again, although this worked SO much better, it still didn't allow people to see specifics on their sheet that came with their checks. The other downfall to that system was that if people accidentally transposed their numbers, the system had no way of knowing that and someone could end up tagging their items under the wrong number. And yes, it happened a lot.

When I sold the sale, I strongly urged the new owners to go with a system like MCM. It was something Jonathan and I were planning on doing to prevent the transposing of numbers, plus I knew with a program like this, MCM would get the phone calls at 2am about lost tags versus my husband. It seemed like a great thing! Natalie and I were gung ho about the changes until we went and shadowed another sale that had recently implemented a program like this into their sale. Here's what we found:

*In order for the inventory to be 100% accurate, you either have to check off an itemized list OR scan each item in at check in. The reason is that SO MANY PEOPLE at that sale accidentally left stuff at home, gave things to a friend or just plain forgot to pin the tag on after they printed. I would say we easily saw 50% of consignors who arrived and had to x items off their inventory sheets. THANK GOD we kept those sheets when you read the points below.

*Consignors showed up constantly with complaints about their uploads. They didn't see an item on the floor and yet, it wasn't listed in their sold items from the night before's upload. The other sale literally had one worker who all they did was walk the floor and reassure consignors that their items were on the floor, etc.

*You wouldn't believe the number of people that showed up both at pick up and called later claiming they had brought an item and it apparently sold, but they didn't get paid. Back to those inventory sheets above. Yep, sure enough when we looked it up, they had indeed not brought the item. Now, I know many of you would say that's the reason we sign a waiver, but let's be honest, no sale wants to have a reputation of theft or untruthfullness.

So, why does it work well for other sales:

*they limit items or consignors. If you think about, how many sales let you bring an unlimited amount of items. We calculated that in order to check inventory on every single consignor (1100 of you), it would take between 1/1.5 hours for check in. Was it worse to have people mad about not seeing specifics on what they sold or having people mad that check-in took so long? Also, we had 72 hours to have 1100 people drop off. Most sales have a max of 300 people and the same amount of time.

*they don't do restock. Again, in order for the system to go live, we have to shut the sale down, which means people would not be able to restock like they do at Encores North. I personally believe that restock is one of the main reasons the sale stays so busy throughout the week.

So back to why the new owners did it the way they did? Well, quite simply, it's a learning process. They are still trying to figure the whole thing out and MCM has come right out and told us that we are one of the largest chain of sales they have ever worked with. It's not that they want your sales to be some big secret, but figuring out how to balance all of the points above and keeping everyone happy is tricky. Should you have been notified before? Yes. And I think I can tell you that they are sorry you weren't. No one likes change and change is handled best when everyone is in the know. I can promise you it wasn't intentional.

So why should you trust the new owners? Well, I'll tell you that I do. They have ran a successful sale in the Nashville area for 18 years and are bigger and stronger than ever before. They've given complete control to Natalie who proved to me for 2 years that she is very capable to manage this sale. I personally put over $25K in inventory in the sale and I can promise you I would have never done that if I was worried about not getting paid. No way. I can also tell you that although I love the owners of other sales in this area and have participated in many of them, I have yet to find another sale where I can sell the items for the prices I put and sell the majority of my items like I do at Encores North. I sell things there close to retail sometimes and boy, am I glad I do! That money goes towards clothing my kids and buying more inventory for future sales.

So all that to say, I'm glad you guys are expressing concerns and I know the new owners are always considering new ways to make the sale better and better. I just wanted to take a few minutes and explain why things were done this time. Don't forget, half price is Friday and Saturday and I can promise you there is still TONS of great bargains (AND all the NEW GYMBOREE AND BOUTIQUE is going HALF OFF!). Have a great week and thanks for reading this far :) Brea

Brea's Favorite Things: Day 1 Drop Off

2011-09-19T21:20:00.000-07:00

So as many of you know, this is my first official sale where I am no longer the owner. Although I sold the sale in January, I was still acting as the owner for the Spring sale while I transitioned Natalie into the full time manager role. I honestly wondered how I would feel for the Fall sale...would I regret my decision to sale, would I miss it, would I be emotional?

Well, it turns out I worried for nothing. As I watched my sweet Natalie effortlessly fill my shoes in her new role, I realized that was God's way of giving me peace that I had made the right decision. The fact that she let me work all 3 days of drop off so that I could see all of you, hug your necks and get to work during the madness made all those sad feelings drift away. Getting to see all of you today and your excitement about the new location and the amount of stuff there made me giddy and I loved the fact that I walked out tonight just as stress free as I felt when I walked in this morning.

It truly meant the world to me that so many of you hugged me, loved on me, brought me coffee, asked about the kids and Jonathan. I truly think what sets Encores North apart from other sales is that we truly are like family and I am so blessed that you stuck with Encores North even though our family tree has changed a bit. Connie and Russie are so excited that you guys have embraced them so openly and man, the changes they have made are AH-MAZ-ING.

So, all that to say, I may not be the owner, but the sale will always be my baby so by golly, I'm doing my top 5 favorite things of the day each night. I hope my posts will inspire you to tell EVERYONE about this amazing sale :)

A couple of housecleaning things to note first:
1. When you arrive to drop off, come in and check in first before you haul anything out of your car.
2. After your items have been inspected, PLEASE put all your clothing items out in the appropriate size and do it as quickly as possible. People with appointments after you are waiting on the racks to load their items in. If you wish to browse, bring your rack up front and then go back to look at items.
3. On that note, PLEASE keep your kiddos with you at all times while you browse. We are working out tails off and we really don't need kiddos playing on toys. Also, DON'T hide any goodies you might want. If security finds you hiding items, you will be approached and besides, it's just not cool. Everyone should have equal opportunity to shop and it's not fair to give yourself an advantage. If we find workers hiding anything, they will not be allowed to work again.
4. On that note, if you want to be the first to shop for all those must haves, come work some shifts. It takes all of our amazing volunteers to pull off a sale of this size and we are really a cool group of hot mommas (yeah, I've had a lot of coffee today) so come hang with us! It's great "adult" time where you get to get some exercise and meet new friends instead of wiping booties and talking baby talk at home. PLUS, you get to shop before the consignors!

So, now the part you are waiting for...Brea's TOP 5 for Monday, September 19th:

1. Replica antique metal car $50-this will fit a toddler and is PERFECT for portraits-so COOL!
2. Double (yes, I said DOUBLE) jogging stroller $24 (I know, right!)

3. Awesome Little Tikes play mountain for hot wheels $4 (see pic above)
4. Matilda Jane outfits that are brand new with tags in size 2. Ruffle pants were $12, three piece sets $15. Um, yes, I LOVE this since I am now selling MJC :)
5. Awesome Little Tikes slide $12
and because I can, I'm adding 5 more :)
6. Little Einsteins Pat the Rocket with all the figures $7 (sorry ladies, my Mary Elizabeth has already claimed this...she's convinced her little brother is Quincy)
7. Mini Boden boys heavy coat in size 3/4 $20
8. multiple cozy coupes from $10 each
9. multiple awesome toy boxes from $15 each
10. AMAZING cream colored wooden crib. Would be a perfect crib to pass down from generation to generation and it converts to a full bed. $285 and BEAUTIFUL, your little princess will love it :)

Ok, I promise I will shut it, but just to give you an idea...we had about 325 drop off today, we have 1700 registered and we already have 16 racks of boys 4T. Yep, it's going to be a good sale :)

DROP OFF DETAILS

2011-09-19T04:48:00.000-07:00

Well, today's the day! Today we start drop-off for Encores North in Hendersonville. To make your experience as easy as possible, I thought I would take a few minutes to give you some helpful hints about drop-off.

STEP 1: When you arrive at the Expo Center, park your car and come inside. Don't bring anything with you as you will be going through the check in process first. This is also a good time to pop a movie in your van and give your kids some Benedryl if you brought them with you (KIDDING!)

STEP 2: When you come inside, you will be greeted by two lovelies otherwise known as Lovely #1 (Rachel-the front desk diva) and Lovely #2 (Leslie-the newbie-but equally as amazing). These girls will walk you through the process of fully registering. You will check one form to make sure you contact info is correct, you will read the waiver and sign whether you are picking up or donating, and you will BRING YOUR SELF ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE. After you do all this, they will give you passes to shop and info on working if you want to shop early.

STEP 3: Use the kids while they are still awake (KIDDING!) This is the time to unload your car and bring items inside. There will be an area where all DVDS, books, and shoes will be checked in. There will be another area where you take all other large items (toys, bedding, equipment). It is best if you pack your items in bags or boxes you don't mind not getting back, but if they are already packed in tubs, we will be happy to unload these for you and give them right back. Another tip: DON'T leave without your bins, once they get left then tend to get mixed into the wasteland of tubs left at Encores North. We allow people to shop with them during the sale and then send them with the donate people. Always check back at these stations before you leave as anything deemed not acceptable, yet not picked up will be automatically sent to donate.

STEP 4: If you can, it's easiest to have your clothing organized by sex and size. This is for you, not us. Once you get everything in, you will be on a list in the order in which you checked in. We will call your number and then go through your clothing items, checking for stains, damage, out of date, etc. Once we have finished, we will give you back the items that aren't accepted and then you can take the rolling rack and put your items out in size. PLEASE try to do this as quickly as possible as others are waiting on your rack to start their process.

Wanting to browse while you are there? This isn't an issue but please do this after you are completely done with the steps above. Also, keep in mind that if you have kids with you, they MUST be with you at all times and if they aren't, you won't be able to look around. Also, we have not got the sale ready yet, so PLEASE be careful as we aren't responsible for any accidents that occur while on property. Last but not least, we have armed unmarked security on premises at all times so you can always feel secure AND know that we are doing everything possible to prevent theft.

A few last helpful tips:
*Not using presale passes? Give them away, sell them on craigslist, etc. but make sure whoever you give it to knows ONE PERSON per pass and ABSOLUTELY NO CHILDREN at presale.
*We still need tables! Bartering 4 tables allows you to shop at 2pm on Friday, September 23 and 2 tables at 4pm on Friday, September 23. Email natalie.dohanos@comcast.net if you have tables we could use.
*Still need a drop off appt and they are full: email natalie.dohanos@comcast.net and we will get you hooked up. If you aren't consigning after all and can go in and remove your appt, that would be awesome as it will free it up for someone else.

GUESS WHAT'S BACK STARTING TONIGHT!!! Brea's Favorite THINGS!

ATTN: New Moms

2011-09-15T05:05:00.000-07:00

When we started Encores North years ago, we quickly realized that we needed to do something to cater to the new moms. We hated watching those pregnant women stand in line with everyone else and started brainstorming on what we could do. Natalie D. had the great idea to move it to Saturday morning before we opened to the public which would give all the new moms the chance to shop by themselves (without the insane crowd or line) AND allow us to give them more one on one attention. She even created a list of what every new mom should have to give people an idea of what we considered must haves!

Boy, did that idea work! In the Spring of 2011, we had record attendance! We got tons of great feedback and are so excited to offer it in this format again. So what is the new mom's sale? Well, here's the scoop:

WHO CAN SHOP?
Anyone who is pregnant with their first child or who is a new mom. No one that has children over 18M is allowed to come. The reason we do this is because this is a time where we can spend a lot of time helping people with equipment, etc. We also allow the new mom to bring one guest. We prefer that this be spouse or grandma. Adopting? Fostering? Come on down!

WHAT CAN YOU SHOP FOR? Anything in the whole store. If you want to shop for your nieces and nephews, feel free. We just wanted to give you the opportunity to come and shop in a stress free environment.

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT? Basically everything and anything you could possibly ever need. We will have cribs, pack and plays, changing tables, stroller combos, bumbos, bath tubs, newborn clothing, etc. Everything will be neatly organized and we will have lots of workers to help you if you have questions. We will also have a huge selection of maternity clothing so you can buy a full wardrobe and with the addition of the adult sale this year, you can even buy some new clothes for yourself after you have the baby!

HOW DO YOU GET IN? We just need you to put your contact information on a piece of paper that we will collect at the door. By giving us that info, you are making a verbal agreement that you qualify to shop during the new mom's sale.

WHEN IS IT? Saturday, September 24 at 8am. Yes, people will line up. Yes, it will be fun. Yes, you will be glad you came and might even meet some new friends while you are shopping.

HOW DO YOU SHOP EVEN EARLIER? Well, there are several ways. First, you can consign. If you consign at either the children's or adult's sale, you will receive a pass to shop the Friday night before. If you want to volunteer your time, you can shop up to a full day BEFORE the consignors. Trust me, there are still plenty of options to do either but don't hesitate. If you want all the info, go to www.encoresconsignmentnorth.com and you can get all the info on being a consignor or worker by clicking on the MCM link.

We can't wait to meet all the new mom's!

Consignment Questions? We have ANSWERS!

2011-09-12T08:41:00.000-07:00

Well, it's officially time to start your last minute, tag like a mad woman (man) for Encores North. Drop off is SEVEN days away and if you are like me, you aren't even close to ready. I'll warn you, this post might be long, but if you plan to consign at North without any bumps in the road, you NEED to read this! :)

Step 1: Getting registered.
*When you have unloaded tubs and tubs of stuff to sell and you want to cry, never fear....pour yourself a drink (water, of course!) AND go ahead and get yourself registered. Only selling kids clothing, you need to go here:
Encores North Children's Sale-My Consignment Manager
Here you will register by creating a user name and password (WRITE THIS DOWN!) and it will give you a consignor number. I would also go ahead and register for a drop off time while you are at it and write this down as well. It will automatically give you a number and you can go ahead and start tagging if you are ready.

What constitutes as a children's item? Well, anything related to children including maternity clothing.

IF YOU HAVE ADULT ITEMS (adult furniture, home decor, clothing) YOU MUST register on this system:
Encores North Adult Sale-My Consignment Manager
Here you will register using the same user name and password that you created above and it will allow you to choose your number. Just choose the same number, except if you were 002304 above, you will now be A02304 for the adult sale.

Why is it different for each sale? Well, the adult sale and the children's sale are two completely different sales. Although they are held at the same location and same time, the splits are different (70/30 on the kids, 60/40 on the adults), there are two seperate fees AND we will have some people that only sell adults and some that only sell childrens.

On that note, before you start tagging for the adult sale, MAKE SURE you read the list of acceptable brands for the adult sale: http://www.encoresconsignmentnorthadultsale.com/#/general-information/4553075807
You should think of the adult sale like this: UPSCALE not garage sale! If you bring clothing items older than 3 years and brands not on the list above, they will be rejected at drop-off. Adult clothing does not sell near as well as children's, so please make sure you are only bringing the cream of the crop, not just some old clothing you dug out. What would you want to buy? High end, boutique brands, Uggs, awesome furniture, etc.

Step 2: Tagging
As you enter your items in the system, feel free to do a little at a time! The system will store your items for you until you print. KEEP IN MIND: While you can see all the inventory you have entered, the only way we could show you what you are selling throughout the sale would be to physically scan each item as you bring it in. Unfortunately, we just aren't able to do that. At the end of the sale, you WILL be able to see your totals right before we mail checks, but we will not be uploading what you sold on an item by item basis. If you have questions, please feel free to email breagirl@aol.com about this.

Step 3: Printing
MAKE SURE you are printing on cardstock which you can buy very cheaply at Walmart, Target, etc. It will say CARDSTOCK on the packaging so if it doesn't, you aren't buying the right thing. Also, as you print, make sure your barcodes look good. Here's some examples:

http://www.encoresconsignmentnorthadultsale.com/#/barcodes/4554207874

If your barcodes are bad and don't scan, you will have to go home and reprint.

Step 4: Dropping Off
First, make an appointment NOW. They are filling up quickly because we don't have any general drop off days this time. As you are loading your car, try to keep your clothing items in size/sex order simply because you will be putting out your own clothing items so this will save you loads of time. If at all possible, try not to bring your kiddos to drop off. Yes, we LOVE your kids and we know you do too....with that being said, you are going to be checking in, signing forms, putting out items, etc. so you will be so much less stressed IF you don't have the littles hanging on your leg :)

Step 5: Shopping! THE BEST STEP
Consignors get to shop at 6pm on Friday, September 22 at 6pm. One person per pass, NO KIDDOS! You will also receive a guest pass for the same night at 8pm for a friend/relative to join you. Again, one person, no kids.

Want to shop before the consignors? Just sign up to work some shifts with us! We still have lots of great shifts open and you will love all the women and men you meet working. I always get so excited to go to an event later in the season and see so many new friends that met while working. It's a great group of people.

WE REALLY NEED WOMEN AND MEN that can help with security and loading. If you are able to help carry heavy items to the car, chat it up with customers and watch for thieves, WE NEED YOU! Shoot an email to natalie.dohanos@comcast.net and put in the subject line: SECURITY SHIFTS and she will get right back to you.

That's all for now...I'll be doing a post later today on all the people shopping at new moms so be watching for that!

Consignment Money: What's YOUR plans?

2011-08-18T05:47:00.000-07:00

I often have people ask me what I do with the money I make from consignment sales. I thought this would be a great topic for discussion and I could throw in a little contest too! I mean, seriously, who doesn't love to win something right?

I started consigning in 2000 when I discovered Baby Lulu. We had one child who was 1 1/2 at the time and I instantly fell in love with this clothing line. I was also becoming obsessed with Gymboree at the time. Back in those days, a Gymboree hat from a hard to find line would easily sell for $30 on ebay, so I quickly figured out that by scouring consignment sales, I could pick up some hard to find pieces AND save lots of money. At the time, I was selling my daughter's outgrown clothing on ebay, but I was quickly getting fed up with all the fees AND the people that didn't pay AND the people who complained once they got it AND (well, you get the point). I decided to give consigning a try. Honestly, I didn't have a lot of faith that I would sell very much. Even though I was selling higher end brands and everything I had was in good condition, who was really going to pay ebay prices for my stuff? Yeah, I was wrong. Even though it was a lot of work to get my items hung, priced, dropped off, picked up, etc., once I got that check from the first sale (actually it was cash in a baggie with all my cards, remember those days?) I was HOOKED. Suddenly, all that time I spent at the post office in line to ship stuff, all the money I had spent on packaging materials, and all the hassles of ebay buyers were a thing of the past....I was hooked on consigning and I've never looked back. Sure, I've tried different outlets over the years (yard sales, craigslist, etc) but by far, I have found that consigning is the easiest way to go. You are typically able to get top dollar for your item simply because if you pick the right sale, you are hitting a MASSIVE target audience.

Four years ago, I hired a VIP tagger and man, did my life change! No longer did I have to spend hours and hours finding hangers, pins, baggies, etc. They literally came to my house, picked it up and I was done. Yes, I was paying 20% more and a supply fee, but I was also finding that they were pricing it higher than I would have in the first place; therefore, I really didn't notice the lower percentage. Pair that with the fact that I found out I was cleaning out even more items than usual simply because I knew I wasn't the one having to price it all and man, oh man, I was in love.

So, that leads to the question...what do I do with my consignment earnings? Well, fast forward to 2011 and we now have 5 kids 12 and under. I typically set aside $1000 of my earnings to buy all 5 of them their next season wardrobe. I am a big fan of buying ahead and putting stuff back in the closet (that's why I love restock, always finding next season items!), so typically I can stretch my $1000 pretty far. This year, on top of that, I am setting a goal for our family. I would LOVE to take a Disney cruise in 2012 so all of my earnings above and beyond what I need for the clothing budget will be dumped into a vacation fund for this cruise.

So, you ready for the contest? Well, here it is :) If you want to be the first consignor to be able to shop at either Encores North or Encores Murfreesboro presale, all you need to do is leave a comment on this blog post about what you plan to do with your consignor check! In your comment, let us know what sale you plan to shop (or if you plan to shop both, say that too!) On Wednesday, August 24th at 10pm CST, we will pick two winners (one from North, one from the Boro) from the comments left and the winner will get to come in 30 minutes before the consignor presale starts! I can't wait to read your comments and who knows? You comment may inspire someone else to consign, or better yet? Give them a great idea to save for!

Encores North: Everything you need to know BEFORE you print your tags!

2011-08-08T09:46:00.000-07:00

I thought I would spend a few minutes this morning giving everyone the lowdown on what to do and not to do when it comes to printing your tags for the sale. Yes, we are using a new system this time, but I promise once you sit down to use it, you will be thrilled with the ease of the system and it's really cool to test out some of the features (like seeing how much inventory you have entered, transferring items from sale to sale, etc)

All that to say, you need to make sure you are doing some KEY things RIGHT before you spend all your time tagging only to get to drop off and realize you have done it WRONG. By following these simply guidelines, drop off will be a breeze and you will be telling all your friends how amazing the new system is.

First and MOST importantly, there are two tagging systems in place:
The one for the Encores North CHILDREN'S sale can be accessed by going here: http://seller3.myconsignmentmanager.com/encoresconsignment/northsale/
The one for the Encores North ADULT'S sale is here:
http://seller3.myconsignmentmanager.com/encoresconsignment/northadult/

Once you are in the system, PLEASE remember that you will need to access the other system if you pricing both children's and adult items. If you tag 10 pieces of kids clothing and then find an adult sweater, switch systems. You can use the same number for each system, but this is VERY important: you will put an "A" before your number in the adult system. So, if your kids number is 2589, your adult number will be A02589. When you go to print your tags, don't be alarmed if the numbers now read 002589 and A02589, this is normal and correct!

Once you are ready to print tags, you need to make sure your printer is printing them 6 tags to a page ON CARDSTOCK. We will not accept paper tags.Please set your printer settings to gray scale or draft (so your barcodes do not print too dark) and set the scaling to “Fit to the Page”. Like Goldilocks, aim for not too dark, not too light, but “just right!”
Here are some things to beware of:

Thick, dark bar code lines that run together
Wavy lines or fuzzy lines
Spotty or very light lines

Chances are, if you are questioning whether the barcode looks right, it probably isn't. Here's a great page to check out good and bad bar codes:http://encoresconsignmentnorth.com/#/barcodes/4554024268

One last thing to remember, DON'T hand write tags. We can no longer take them. Don't have a printer? Head to a friend or family's house and print your tags there. You are able to type it all in at home and then access it from a different location to print. DON'T make a bunch of $5 tags and then make copies of those tags...each item must have it's own item number and if you are copying tags, the system will only recognize it being sold one time (each tag is coded with a specific item number for that item)

Have questions? We are absolutely here to help and no question is silly! consignorquestions@aol.com

Happy Tagging!

ATTN: M'Boro and Mt. Juliet Consignment Lovers

2011-07-16T17:13:00.000-07:00

Ok, here's the scoop! Encores is branching out and because our new branches are in areas we aren't from, we need help getting space for our upcoming Fall 2011 sales!

What we need:
*At least 4,000 sq. feet (needs to be open space-no offices, well lit, and air conditioned)
*Have decent parking
*We would prefer to have it to use from a Saturday to the following Sunday
*Would love to use a church gym, school gym, community center and also open to empty commercial space

We aren't afraid to clean it up and we have EXCELLENT references and insurance in place!

Here's where YOU come in:
We need someone who might have an "in" with a location like I mentioned above. Do you know of a church that would be willing to let us use a fellowship hall/gym for a large donation to their building fund? Are you a member of a civic club that has space they rent out for functions? We want to hear from you!

If you can do some leg work for us and talk us up and help us get a lease, here's what we are offering: a $250 gift certificate to our Fall 2011 sale AND you get to be the first person to shop! In order to get these perks, we have to get a signed lease with your lead :)

We so want to become a blessing for the Mt. Juliet and Murfreesboro communities but we need YOUR help to make it happen! If you have any leads, feel free to contact us!

Working at Encores North

2011-07-14T06:32:00.000-07:00

We need workers!
Yes we do!
We need workers!
How 'bout you!

Yes, I used to be a cheerleader in my former life. Former being the chosen word. Thought I would throw in a little cheer this morning to get you fired up about working at Encores North!

When I started Encores in 2005, I was mainly looking for a place to sell all of my children's outgrown things. Simple enough right? Fast forward 6 years and I can clearly see how God put some of the most amazing women (and men) in my life simply from a little consignment sale. It's amazing to me how something as simple as the sale can help you form relationships with other women who truly get what your life is like! Do you feel like all you do all day is wipe booties, say no, and pray for nap time? Well guess what, there are lots of other moms just like you that are working Encores and More North that you can swap war stories with! Do you work full time and feel like just finding the time to squeeze in a few hours each day for your kids is hard enough? Yep, there are those moms there too! Are you a grandma who simply adores helping your children find amazing deals for your precious grandchildren? Yep, you'll find those women there as well.

All that to say...
We need workers for our Fall 2011 sale. Not only do you get to see all the amazing stuff that comes in if you choose to work the drop-off days, but you might even find some people who you are able to laugh with about your stressful life. You might find some people who truly want to see pics of your precious grandchildren. You might find some women who rush in to change into their consignment clothes after a long day at work. You might just form some friendships that you can look back on years from now and be thankful for!

Come work with us! I promise you will love your experience (and if you don't, let us know). I promise you will LOVE shopping with the workers (just think, no craziness!). It's a win-win and I don't want you to miss out! Sign up today: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fseller3.myconsignmentmanager.com%2Fencoresconsignment%2Fnorthsale%2F&h=gAQBk9H9s

Good Things Come To Those Who Wait

2011-07-05T19:06:00.000-07:00

I know many of you have been wondering about all the details for the Encores North Fall/Winter 2011 sale! I promise we haven't been keeping them a secret, but when we found out we could no longer use the old Goody's location in Rivergate, we started a frantic, long search for a new space. All that searching paid off as we have found our best location yet (and hopefully one we can use for years to come!)

Encores North Fall/Winter 2011 will be held in the new Expo center in Hendersonville. Located right in the heart of Hendersonville, it can be accessed either off New Shackle or Old Shackle Drive in Hendersonville. The exact location is 90 Volunteer Drive in Hendersonville, TN 37075. It's so easy to get to from either the Vietnam Veterans bypass OR Gallatin Road. The best part? It's over DOUBLE the size of the old Goody's...yes, it's over 80,000 square feet. The other best part? In addition to our amazing kid's sale, we will be bringing back an adult and home decor sale at the same time in the same location. Now, you can truly buy and sell everything your entire family needs!

Here's the details:
DROP OFF:
September 19-September 21
WORKERS ONLY SHOP:
September 22
CONSIGNOR'S PRESALE:
September 23
NEW MOM'S SALE:
September 24
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC:
September 24-October 1

All the details will be updated on the website over the new few days so keep checking back at http://www.encoresconsignmentnorth.com/. I can promise you this is going to be the BEST sale yet...we are so excited for all the shoppers to have tons of room to shop in. We will also be offering booth rentals to local businesses and other ways to advertise! Start tagging and we'll see you in September!

Fall 2011 Encores North Sale

2011-06-21T11:48:00.000-07:00

FROM BREA:
I'm sure many of you have noticed lots of changes with Encores North Fall 2011 sale. First, let me encourage you that "a little change will do you good!" There's many things that are changing that I had been meaning to implement for a while now, but the sale is often so much work, that it sort of sneaks up on you and by then, it was always too late to make those changes.

I want to share with you my new role at Encores North. In January of this year, my husband and I made the final decision to sell the sale to the owners of the original Encores in Franklin. We felt and continue to feel that they know our vision for what we wanted Encores to be to our community and have promised to continue it's traditions of customer service and giving back to the community. The new owners agreed to keep the staff as it was, so you will still see all the familiar faces at Encores North. I have stepped back as much as possible to allow more freedom with my family, but to also take on a new role both as a trainer for future Encores sales and as a trunk keeper for Matilda Jane Clothing.

With that being said, the new owners, Natalie (sale manager) and I worked together to develop some positive changes for the sale...to make our sale the biggest and best around! We implemented a new tagging system which many of you have already checked out. Here's a couple of helpful hints for the tagging system:

1. Once you get a number for any of the Encores sales, you don't need to get a new number for the other Encores sales. Just email the other Encores sales you want to participate in and they will get that number registered for that sale as well. Just think: NO RETAGGING! It's an awesome feature of the site.
2. Because you have to fully register to get a number, you will now have a password and username attached to your number. No more worrying if you are using the right number or wondering if someone has transposed their number. This system prevents that from happening!

Another HUGE change which is amazing is our search for a new location. Let's face it, we had completely outgrown the Goody's space in Rivergate. We began our search for a new location right away and have been given some amazing opportunities for great, larger, SAFER space. We are in the final stages of nailing down a lease, so please continue to check our facebook page for updates as we will list that info as soon as we have it.

With that being said, appointments and worker shifts will not open until we have the dates and location nailed down. Please don't think that because it is listed as closed that we no longer have shifts left: actually, it's quite the opposite. We will need loads of workers to pull off our best sale yet.

I still plan to be a huge part of Encores North and I am already SO busy working getting all this NEW Gymboree and boutique clothing tagged and ready to consign. I have a feeling that we are getting ready to blow the doors off Sumner County with an amazing sale. What can you do to get ready?

1. Tag your items! Don't let it sneak up on you and be stressed at the last minute pulling items together.
2. Tell your friends! The more people that know about Encores North, the more shoppers we have which means your items sell better! It's a win-win!
3. Sign up for shifts once they become available! You will often hear people say that once you shop with the workers a FULL day before consignors, you never go back. Imagine the deals you can score while you shop in a nice, peaceful environment.

I'm excited about the future of Encores North and I can't wait to see how much you guys are going to love the changes. THANKS for your continued support of the sale! It's been an absolute blessing being part of such an amazing sale and I look forward to being involved for years to come!

So far, SOOO good

2011-03-13T08:21:00.000-07:00

When we initially found out the dates we could get the building for the sale, we were a little worried about how well attended the sale would be since it happened to fall the week of Spring Break for Nashville, TN.

We worried for nothing.

Our opening day, Saturday, was our largest Saturday ever. We typically have a line until around 2pm and then it slows down. We didn't catch the line until 4pm yesterday and that was with running 22 lanes. Insane.

When I walked back to strollers and realized we have less than 15 left out of the 119 that we started with, I was shocked. We have 2 Bumbos left! We started with 39. We have 9 swings left. We started with 90.

The good news? Consignors are going to be thrilled with their checks.
The bad news? We NEED consignors to bring in more goodies during our restock days, Monday-Wednesday from 11am-5pm. If you have large toys, equipment, beds, furniture, strollers, clothing, ANYTHING, please consider spending today tagging it.

Here's our rules on restock: MUST use the online tagging system you can find at online at Encores and More North. Clothing can be all seasons, but must be free from stains, odors, and other damage. Same goes for equipment. Carseats must be no older than 5 years and have not been in a wreck. We are taking NO drop side cribs unless than have been repaired using the manufacturer recall kit.

Come see us at Encores North this week, as we typically have over 100 consignors bring in more goodies. We have people come and shop EVERY day, so I promise we won't look at you like your crazy if you come back every day. We still have loads of amazing clothes and other goodies, so come check it out!

Spring 2011: Worker Sale

2011-03-11T06:30:00.000-08:00

It's Friday morning and I'm one tired little girl. Yesterday was our worker sale for anyone that works at least 5 hours plus sort and up. The workers started shopping at 3pm (these workers did 30 hours plus sort to come in this early) and I got home a little after 1am. It was so fun to watch them be so excited to shop! I love to see them try to act like they aren't running to the item so they do this cute little run/walk until they can snatch the item and then they do a little happy dance that they got it. It's awesome and makes all this hard work SO worth it.

Rest assured, unless I had just told you that, you would come to shop never dreaming anyone had shopped before you. Seriously, it doesn't look like anything is gone. Seriously. I have never seen so much stuff in my life, and it's amazing stuff at that.

Here's some of the comments workers made last night:
*This is the best selection of boy's clothing items we have EVER had for a Spring sale. Typically boys wear their clothing out, but there is not only so much great used stuff, there is TONS of NEW WITH TAG items. Even the boys bigger sizes have a great selection (like 8 racks of boy's size 6)
*The shoes are amazing.
*The toy room (FAR LEFT behind boys) is the most organized it's ever been.

The only negative thing I heard was that some were sad we were no longer taking checks, but with SIX checks that we have been unable to collect from the Fall sale, we just can't afford to do it any longer. We are taking ALL debit/credit cards EXCEPT American Express. Bring your ID.

Consignors shop tonight at 6pm. PLEASE remember we don't let any children in to the presale. People with a guest pass shop tonight at 8pm. It's going to be fun!

Spring 2011: Day 5 Drop Off: Brea's Favorite Things

2011-03-10T07:24:00.000-08:00

Drop off is officially over. It went so amazingly well (at least I think it did). It's hard to explain to you how much is there. It's definitely the biggest sale we have ever had. Seriously.

I did some counting last night and here's a few fun facts. We have 119 strollers. 119. Insane, right? We have 50 full size baby swings and 40 portable swings. That's 90 swings. The toy room looks amazing. It's so organized it's scary. Items are grouped into very detailed categories and the cheapest items are towards the front as we all want the bargains right?

Today is worker shopping day. Anyone working at least 5 hours plus sort shops today/tonight so we will spend this morning finishing up organizing and getting the register lanes ready. Our workers today will go through every piece of clothing there and pull out any stained items we missed during check in, any fall/winter (it goes out Sunday afternoon), and everything is resized. If you hid a stack, trust me, your hidden stuff will get put back out as this sucker is going to be the most organized anyone has ever seen it (at least I hope you think so)

Brea's Favorite Things from the last day of drop off:
1. ANOTHER bounce house. This one is much bigger and has a slide. $130
2. Beautiful custom skirts and knot dresses that look just like Matilda Jane. Skirts are $6 and knot dresses are $9. Girls size 2T (may be other sizes, but that's what I saw)
3. Janie and Jack boys outfits that look like new $10-$12
4. Bag of hot wheels size cars from the movie Cars $5 (don't fall in love, I bought them!)
5. Beautiful crib $150
6. Disney DVD's $4 each

Answering yesterday's questions:
We have some at least two rocker gliders with stools. I know the one I noticed looked brand new and was $90 for the set. Great deal! We also have a ton of car seats...a TON!

Spring 2011: Day 4 Drop Off: Brea's Favorite Things

2011-03-09T05:19:00.000-08:00

I am so sorry I am just now getting this on here. I love hearing from you guys that you anxiously check my favorite things, but I must tell you that it puts the pressure on me to find the VERY best bargains! :)

Tuesday general drop off is over. We had exactly 250 people drop off which puts our consignor count so far just shy of 800. We have about 200 dropping off today so we should land right around 1,000 consignors not counting the new ones that will drop off next week for restock (typically around 100 people). Although we didn't see a big jump in consignors for this sale, I am very excited that those who did consign really outdid themselves when it comes to cleaning out stuff.

I'm so pumped to tell you that we have THIRTY highchairs (not counting boosters), 25 toddler beds, 3 cribs, at least 30 swings (not counting the smaller, portable ones), at least 30 Bumbos, and more Elmos than a small country would ever need!

Definitely THE SALE that should not be missed....post on facebook (tell them to like Encores and More NORTH on facebook) and tell your friends to check this sale out. By getting more shoppers (especially during Spring Break), consignors sell more stuff! Although the building is stuffed now, our prayers are that the building is close to empty next Saturday.

I have to also take a minute and tell you how many amazing people God has placed at the sale this week. Just yesterday (Tuesday drop off), I met the sweetest worker and we realized how much we have in common (LONG STORY). It's moments like this that I realize that when God chose me to do this 7 years ago, his purpose was so much larger than a sale. It's about relationships, friendships, community, and customer service. I'm proud to be a part of something that is so great, seriously proud.

Here it is. Brea's Favorite Things:
1. A white wooden vanity with stool. $30

2. Bumbo with tray $8

3. HUGE John Deere pedal tractor $25 (retails for $199)
4. Little Tikes plastic toybox (great condition) $10, yes, I said it TEN DOLLARS!
5. Chicco travel system. Includes stroller, infant car seat and base $45
6. Fisher Price rainforest high chair in amazing condition $35
7. Leapfrog Activity Table $5

Tonight will be my last night to post my favorite things, BUT I am adding a new feature this year. YOUR favorite BUYS! As my workers check out, I'll post some of the favorite things they found this year to give everyone an idea on how much it's worth it to get in here and shop early by becoming a worker. If you're reading this and you score a major deal (or just find something that you've been searching for FOREVER), let me know and I'll add it to my list.

Off to our last day of APPOINTMENT ONLY drop off! :)

Spring 2011: Day 3 Drop Off: Brea's Favorite Things

2011-03-07T20:49:00.000-08:00

Whew! I am one tired girl. After a day full of drop offs, I went to dinner with some dear friends tonight for a much needed steak dinner. It was fabulous and although I am pooped, it was great to laugh with some of my favorite people on this planet.

Typically, Monday is our slowest drop off day. Today was no exception. We had some spurts where we would have five people dropping off at once, but for the most part, it was very steady and again, things went so well. I've loved hearing your feedback and I'm pleased that no one minds putting out their own clothing. I actually think many like it as you can grab a quick glance at your sizes and all the amazing stuff that has come in so far.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) is our last day of general drop off. It is typically our busiest day of drop off, so my prayer tonight is that God will send everyone with an extra dose of patience (and our workers with an extra dose of energy!) So far, we have had right at 600 people drop off and we are expecting around 300 to drop off tomorrow.

If you are dropping off tomorrow (general drop off Tuesday, 3/8 from 10-6pm) PLEASE read this first. It will make your drop off experience so much better:

1. Park and come in to register first. You can't be in the fire lane.

2. Bring a self addressed stamped envelope. If you don't have one, you can buy one for $.50 at the sale. After you register, we have tons of racks to take to your cars to get your clothing and plenty of people to help you get everything to the right stations.

3. Be patient while your clothes get checked. Trust me, you want us to check EVERY piece of clothing that comes in. If we don't, you end up going through tons of stained and worn out items when you shop and who wants to shop through that mess?

4. After your clothes are checked (if you used the tagging system), you get to take the rack and put your clothing items out. We'll do everything else for you (toys, shoes, books, equipment), we just need you to put your clothing out so we can focus on staying organized.

5. If you didn't use the tagging system, you will need to wait while we print the barcodes. You will then put those barcodes on your clothing items and THEN put your items out. This could add up to 30 minutes to your drop off time so please be patient if you didn't use the tagging system.

6. YOU'RE DONE! You get to look forward to shopping :)

PLEASE NOTE: Drop off on Tuesday from 3pm on tends to be our busiest times, so IF you can make it earlier in the day, I definitely would. I promise we are working our tails off to get you in and out ASAP!

Without further delay, here is Brea's FAVORITE things that I found at the sale today:
1. Blow up bounce house for toddlers (perfect for birthday parties, comes complete with air blower that keeps it inflated) $15 (YES, $15...what a deal!)
2. Tons of Gymboree girl's dresses $4 each
3. Fisher Price jumparoo $12
4. Kapla wooden building blocks $6 (this is a personal favorite of mine, my boys love their building blocks)
5. HUGE Barbie outdoor playhouse $90
6. AWESOME Nascar upright dresser. Looks just like a tool chest and is in great condition $350
7. Maclaren stroller $20
8. I can't begin to tell you how much Gymboree kid's clothing is at the sale. I swear I think every piece of Gymboree that has been sold in the last 2 years has made it's way to Encores North.

I'm so excited to hear all your comments on your shopping experience. I personally think it's the best selection we've ever had and we still have over 500 people to drop off! I can't wait to see all the great stuff that will continue to come in.

We are up to 15 todder beds, 3 cribs, around 30 swings, at least 30 exersaucers, at least 60 strollers, about 20 play kitchens, bedding galore including loads of great child's room decor, some of the best shoes we've ever had, over 20 high chairs AND SO MUCH MORE. I seriously counted over 50 ride on toys back in the toy room tonight.

Looking for something specific? Leave me a comment and I'll be happy to check and I'll let you know in my post tomorrow night!

Spring 2011: Day 2 Drop Off: Brea's Favorite Things

2011-03-06T18:40:00.000-08:00

Today was the first day of general drop off. We had 211 people drop off in 6 hours. It started out very hectic and yet, even in the craziness, everything stayed very organized and the longest it took everyone from start to finish was 45 minutes. Not too shabby.

It's hard to explain to you how much stuff is already there and we've only had 400 people drop off! It's going to be amazing to see how much is there when everyone has finished dropping off. We are expecting around 200 to drop off tomorrow, which means we will probably have 300 drop off on Tuesday, so if you are wondering which day to come...come tomorrow! Everyone that is running behind on tagging always waits to come around 5pm on Tuesday night and it's a zoo, so I would definitely recommend tomorrow or early Tuesday morning for general drop off.

If you are dropping off tomorrow (Monday, 3/7 general drop off from 10am-6pm), here's some things to keep in mind:

1. Park and come in to register first. You can't be in the fire lane.

2. Bring a self addressed stamped envelope. If you don't have one, you can buy one for $.50 at the sale. After you register, we have tons of racks to take to your cars to get your clothing and plenty of people to help you get everything to the right stations.

3. Be patient while your clothes get checked. Trust me, you want us to check EVERY piece of clothing that comes in. If we don't, you end up going through tons of stained and worn out items when you shop and who wants to shop through that mess?

4. After your clothes are checked (if you used the tagging system), you get to take the rack and put your clothing items out. We'll do everything else for you (toys, shoes, books, equipment), we just need you to put your clothing out so we can focus on staying organized.

5. If you didn't use the tagging system, you will need to wait while we print the barcodes. You will then put those barcodes on your clothing items and THEN put your items out. This could add up to 30 minutes to your drop off time so please be patient if you didn't use the tagging system.

6. YOU'RE DONE! You get to look forward to shopping :)

Ok, and now it's time to share what I know you are REALLY here to read. Brea's Favorite Things from Day 2 of drop off. I usually only pick 5 things, but tonight I might share a few more if you don't mind.

1. This awesome toddler trampoline. It's super cute and has a handle so your little one can hang on while they jump. $25 (I'm seriously debating this one, so don't be surprised if Brea buys it...I'm just wondering if it's worth $275 since I'm sure it will somehow earn us a trip to the ER and our copay is $250)
2. 3 original Cabbage Patch Kids dolls from the 1980's. They are in AMAZING condition and come complete with their original adoption papers. A doll collector would die to get these, but they brought so many fond memories back to me as I remembered my Granny standing in line for that doll for me in the 80's. I even sang the Cabbage Patch song when I saw them and all the workers cracked up at me. They are $8 each.
3. The large Baby Alive doll complete with loads of accessories $10
4. Three awesome purses: Coach and Dooney. They are authentic and should still be there for presale as long as my 12 year old doesn't spot them. They are in amazing condition (definitely giftable) and the most expensive one is $40! Perfect for your tweens :)
5. Radio Flyer Wagon $25
6. So many awesome boys clothes...Gymboree, Gap, Polo, Mini Boden, Children's Place, Abercrombie, boutique and it's all priced so great! Mini Boden shorts for $6...what a deal!
7. So many awesome girl clothes....Gymboree, Gap, Mini Boden, Children's Place, Matilda Jane, Abercrombie, Justice, and more boutique than you could ever want.

As for other stuff, well, we've got it. We've only got 2 cribs in so far, so if you have a crib, BRING IT!! Just remember we aren't accepting drop side cribs unless than have been updated to be a fixed side crib (replacement parts from manufacturer). We've got ELEVEN toddler beds already, 10 toy boxes, kitchens galore, tool benches, swings, pack and plays, bumbos (I think we are already at 15), diaper bags (CUTE ONES!), slides, outdoor play structures, etc. etc. etc.

The only other thing I can think of to tell you guys is don't forget to make sure you have working batteries in ALL your toys AND equipment. We had lots of large equipment that needed batteries today so make sure you don't have to run out and get batteries after you drop off...check them before you bring them.

I can't say it enough...Encores North has the best group of workers and consignors. Drop off has gone so smoothly so far and it looks amazing inside, so organized already! THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart, we couldn't do this without the people that help make this sale a success...our workers, our consignors and our shoppers. We are very thankful!

Spring 2011: Day 1 Drop Off: Brea's Favorite Things

2011-03-05T20:21:00.000-08:00

Day 1 of drop off is over.

I have to tell you that this is by far the easiest drop off day we have ever had. I have to give credit to several groups of people:

*the people that helped get it completely organized last night. We had all racks in place when we started this morning and it looked amazing.

*the workers today. Natalie assembled a rocking group of workers who started at 10am this morning and didn't stop until 7pm tonight. They got 159 people checked in, barcoded and organized.

Even with all the changes for our Spring 2011 sale (having to bring a SASE, putting out your own clothes, etc) AND the RAIN, it went so well. People were in great moods, things went smoothly, and we turned away the least amount of clothing ever simply because people didn't bring stained items in.

If you are dropping off tomorrow (Sunday, 3/6 general drop off from 12pm-6pm), here's some things to keep in mind:
1. Park and come in to register first. You can't be in the fire lane.
2. Bring a self addressed stamped envelope. If you don't have one, you can buy one for $.50 at the sale. After you register, we have tons of racks to take to your cars to get your clothing and plenty of people to help you get everything to the right stations.
3. Be patient while your clothes get checked. Trust me, you want us to check EVERY piece of clothing that comes in. If we don't, you end up going through tons of stained and worn out items when you shop and who wants to shop through that mess?
4. After your clothes are checked (if you used the tagging system), you get to take the rack and put your clothing items out. We'll do everything else for you (toys, shoes, books, equipment), we just need you to put your clothing out so we can focus on staying organized.
5. If you didn't use the tagging system, you will need to wait while we print the barcodes. You will then put those barcodes on your clothing items and THEN put your items out. This could add up to 30 minutes to your drop off time so please be patient if you didn't use the tagging system.
6. YOU'RE DONE! You get to look forward to shopping :)

If you have any questions about anything related to the sale, PLEASE don't hesitate to leave a comment and ask. We are always willing to answer your questions, take your advice, and hear your praises :)

If this is your first time to this blog, I do a post EVERY night telling you my top 5 things that came in during drop off. As I said above, we had 159 people drop off today and man, there is some amazing stuff that came in today. So, here are Brea's TOP 5 for the first day of drop off at Encores and More North 2011 Spring/Summer sale.

1. Boys size 12 Sperry's that look like new $15
2. Bob Ironman Double Jogging Stroller in amazing condition $300 (THE BEST jogging stroller on the market!)
3. LOADS of take along Thomas trains $2 each
4. The Learning Tower (so your child can help in the kitchen, see pic below) $25 (retails for $199!)

5. Awesome ball pit complete with balls (my little guy was instantly in love when he saw it) $15

That's it for today...I'll try to focus more on girl tomorrow (although I did see some Matilda Jane come in today...it's one of my favorite brands so it was hard to miss!)

Looking for something specific? Post a comment and I'll let you know how many we have and prices tomorrow!

A few of Brea's favorite things!

2011-03-04T21:14:00.000-08:00

I know, I know....drop off doesn't start until tomorrow. Technically.

Tonight we moved in racks, tables, bar coding equipement, signage and every other piece of equipment it takes to run our sale. We had scads of workers show up and assemble said racks, tables, etc. I must say that it was the smoothest set up we have ever had and we are in much better shape than we normally are going into our first day of drop off tomorrow. Tomorrow is appointment drop off from 11am-6pm and we are FULL. We will have over 150 people drop off tomorrow.

We brought loads of new boutique and Gymboree up tonight and some of our VIP taggers dropped off items, so I was able to go through some stuff that is already there so I could post my TOP 5 for Friday night. So...here goes: Brea's TOP FIVE favorite things from Friday, March 4:

1. LOADS of Pediped shoes for $9-$15. Most of them look brand new.
2. Rose Petal Cottage complete with 8 accessory pieces: washer, dryer, etc. $65
3. Step 2 retired Pig toy box $35
4. Full size Pottery Barn boys bedding set $90 (AWESOME!)
5. BRAND NEW Joovy sit and stand stroller (holds 3 children) $150

That's it for tonight, I'll post again tomorrow night with my favorite things from Saturday. Looking for something specific? Leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer you tomorrow :)

Procrastination

2011-03-02T11:12:00.000-08:00

Well, I did it again. I've waited until the last minute (literally) to get my stuff tagged and I find as I glare at the bins of clothing that await me, that I just can't get motivated to get it ready.

I KNOW it will be so worth it when I see those bins empty and get that consignment check. I KNOW I will regret it if I don't get it hung, priced and dropped off. I KNOW I won't get anything for the items if I wait and put them in a yard sale. I KNOW all these things and yet, I DON'T WANT TO DO IT.

Ever feel that way when tagging? I'm sure I'm not the only one who wishes I could I close my eyes, click my heels and awaken to find that everything is neatly ironed, hung and ready to go.

So what tips do you have that help you get everything accomplished? Leave a comment with your best "getting it all ready" tip and I'll draw a winner next week out of the comments. Winner gets a $10 gift certificate to Encores and More North.

I'm going to quit procrastinating now and dive into my bins :) Happy tagging!

Silly Bandz, Pipsqueaks and Puddle Jumpers...OH MY!

2011-02-23T13:08:00.000-08:00

It's hot off the presses shoppers!

Encores and More North will have BRAND NEW Silly Bandz at our Spring 2011 sale for $2 per pack. I'm sure we all know and love those lovely little bracelets that our vacuums love to suck up! My kids love them and were super pumped to find out that we are getting them.

We will also be getting BRAND NEW Pipsqueaks and Puddle Jumpers shoes. Pipsqueaks will be $20-$26 per pair and the Puddle Jumpers will be $28. I LOVE these shoes and every time Mary Elizabeth wears them, we get loads of compliments.

Last but not least, we got a big load of Gymboree school uniform attire in last week. Khaki pants for boys and lots of solid color short and long sleeve polos! All of it is priced at 60% off.

Trust me when I say, you don't want to miss this sale! For more info on our sale, check out our website at http://www.encoresandmorenorth.com/ or go to our facebook page: Encores and More NORTH!

GYMBOREE

2011-01-17T19:56:00.000-08:00

If you are like me, you love Gymboree on your children! Not only is it adorable, but it washes great! We at Encores and More North have heard you guys asking for more Gymboree and we are here to answer the call for the Spring/Summer 2011 sale.

We looked at past sales and feel like sets sell better than pieces. Let's face it, if you have a pair of shorts with an elephant on them, it's much harder to find a top! At this point (January 2011), I know we already have almost $100,000 retail in NEW Gymboree sets. We will have both boy and girl sets with sizes from newborn to size 12. You will find the most selection in sizes 12M-8. Everything will be priced 50-70% off retail! So get ready to shop and please don't hesitate to let us know if there are other brands of kids clothing or shoes you would love to see more of!

We will have a few pieces that aren't sets (like boy's polos and shorts that can go with anything). Here are a few pictures of things you can find at Encores North at our Spring sale!

Ready, set....TAG!!

2011-01-16T20:31:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's time for the Spring/Summer 2011 sales!

It's time to drag out those tubs, bribe your kids to clean out toys, and stock up on cardstock and hangers. It's time to line up your childcare and set up your worker shifts. It's time to get your consignor number and set up drop off appointments. It's time!

In our area (Nashville), I have noticed that more and more sales are starting earlier and earlier. I have many people ask me why I don't move ours up? Well, in my opinion, if it's not broke-don't fix it! We always do our Spring/Summer sale the first two weeks in March and the Fall/Winter sale the first two weeks in August. If we move the sale up to February, we start competing with snow, ice, freezing temps, and lack of time to get everything ready. March just feels more springy to me than February. I feel like we have barely wrapped up Christmas and it's already time to prepare for the March sale, so I personally can't imagine it being any earlier. Plus, our kids aren't going to wear Spring/Summer clothing in February!

We have big things in the works for our Spring 2011 sale. The key to a great sale (in my opinion) is ORGANIZATION so we are hoping to knock our shoppers socks off by being more organized than ever! Keep checking back as I walk you through getting your items ready, but for now...just getting it all together in one place is enough! Start looking in the laundry room for the shorts that go with that top, clean out the closets, and start bribing those kids for toys!

Day 5 Drop-Off's: Brea's Favorite Things

2010-08-04T23:59:00.000-07:00

Well, today was the last day of drop-off. It was a jammed packed day of scheduled appointments and we got some awesome items in just in time!

We are all working as hard and as fast as we can to make sense of all that is already at the sale...It takes time, energy, and LOTS of amazing help.

Here are my favorite things from Day 5!

Brea's Top 5:

1. American Girl Bitty Baby Twins $60
2. 3 Firetruck Toddler Beds with the adorable features and light on top $100 each
3. Moses Basket with Rocking Stand (Gender Neutral) $25
4. Pink Leapster with Case and 4 Games $20
5. 2 Wiggles Cozy Coupes RETIRED AND SUPER HARD TO FIND $12 and $25

ALSO, Don't for get if you need extra money to fund your new purchases, we will have someone on hand THURSDAY NIGHT (tomorrow) from 3-7 at the sale. They will be paying CASH for your unwanted gold and it is TOP DOLLAR CASH. I have worked with them before and they are wonderful and have a great reputation.

It is happening. I can't wait to see the look on people's faces when they see the selection. Thank you for all of your support for this sale!!!

Day 4 of Drop-Off: Brea's Favorite Things

2010-08-03T22:25:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I'm pooped.

We officially hit a record today: 271 consignors dropped off in one day. Insane. I'm truly sorry for those of you that arrived between 4-6pm. I promise we had no wait for racks earlier in the week, but EVERYONE decided to drop off tonight. It was nuts, but it still worked and the longest anyone waited was an hour. THANKS for all the patience!

Also, a HUGE shout out to our AMAZING workers. It always shocks me at how many people literally show up wanting to help. They don't realize that I ask God to watch out for us and he literally dumps people in our laps to help us get that place organized.

Ok, so here's the facts: so far, we have 10 cribs. over 30 pack-n-plays. over 100 strollers. over 10 outdoor toys including play houses, slides, activity centers, etc. we have more clothes than anyone could ever need, but I know we will sell most of them. The shoes are top notch, seriously. I snagged a pair of Merrell tennis shoes for M.E. today for $10. My other favorite find was a Mini Boden coat for M.E. for $12. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Mini Boden.

I'll also take this moment to share my philosophy on early shopping. There are 5 people that shop before the 3pm workers (the first worker shift). It is me (although I don't buy as much as you would think, I'm too busy working to shop), my little sister Ali, my mother in law Barbara, our sale manager Natalie and my best friend Angie. Natalie and Angie both work about 200 hours each so I figure the least I can do is let them shop early. I tell you this because I can't stand when you work a ton of hours at a sale, only to come back to shop and NOTHING you want is still there. I truly believe that those who work the hardest deserve to get the pick of the litter. We truly LOVE our workers so we want them to be able to walk away knowing that their hard work definitely paid off when it comes time to shop.

Ok, enough of the mushy stuff. Time to talk DEALS! Here's my top 5 favorite DEALS of the day. If you didn't get to drop off, no worries....you can bring items to restock on Sunday from 1-3 and Monday-Wednesday from 11-5. Stuff sells great next week too so don't hesitate to pull out items and start tagging.

Brea's Top 5:
1. Lelli Kelly high top tennis shoes girls size 12 $12 (these shoes are AMAZING!)
2. Ragazzi crib $150
3. Bumbo $8
4. loads of play food and stainless steel dishes for a play kitchen $5 each
5. BLUE wooden play kitchen with loads of accessories (and we all know how hard it is to find a boy colored kitchen!) $60

Stay tuned as I list my top five from our last day of APPOINTMENT ONLY drop off on Wednesday...and yes, all appointments are FULL! THANKS TO OUR GREAT CONSIGNORS!

Day 3 Drop-off: Brea's Favorite Things

2010-08-02T21:00:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's official, I'm getting old. My body aches, literally aches, in places I didn't know could hurt. I already know that when I wake up in the morning, I will be just as sore as I am laying here in bed. Plus, I have to tell you that I'm pretty hacked off I missed the finale of the Bachelorette, but hey, the consignment sale is more important.

I got to see 179 faces dropping off today and man, oh man, did you bring the stuff! We are expecting about 300 to general drop-off tomorrow so PLEASE bring some patience with you when you come. We are working our tails off to make sure you guys come in AND leave happy, but please know that if we don't inspect everything that comes in, you won't be pleased when you shop. We now have 5 toddler beds, multiples of cribs, literally at least 70 strollers and more toys and shoes than is physically possible to contain. We are just praying that God stretches the racks (and we know he will) and that everyone remains patient with us during general drop off tomorrow. We have the BEST consignors so I know I shouldn't worry!

Here's my top 5 from today. Again, please don't hesitate to leave any questions you might have and I'll be happy to get back to you:

1. Britax car seat for special needs child $100 (retails for over $600)
2. Junior set of golf clubs with bag $10
3. Awesome Little Tikes outdoor climbing toy $35 (yes, only $35 and this sucker is HUGE!)
4. Little Tikes slide $8
5. Little Tikes castle with slide $50

Stay tuned as I will update again on Tuesday night! Oh, and Jenna, we have several side by side double strollers AND a bunch of front/back doubles! Prices go from $45-$150. Hope that helps!

Day 2 of Drop-off: Brea's Favorite Things

2010-08-02T05:44:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know I'm a little late in getting my favorite things post from Sunday, but we were there setting up more racks until almost 11pm and by the time I finished answering emails it was 1am, so I figured it could wait right? :)

Sunday's drop-off was amazing! We had about 200 people drop-off in under 6 hours. Some amazing stuff is being brought in! For those of you that asked a few questions in the last post. Yes, I have seen several sit and stand strollers including an amazing TRIPLE one....it has two spots for the small ones and then the seat in the back. SO COOL! I will check prices on sit and stands and post that tonight. I have also seen multiple plastic toy boxes, but only a few wooden ones so far. Again, I'll check prices and post that tonight. I have seen several of the plastic vanities, but a super cool princess wooden vanity came in yesterday. On push cars, I know we have gotten at least two of the primary colored ones that would work for a boy (red, blue).

PLEASE feel free to post comments about what you are looking for and I'll be happy to check and see if we have any yet.

Brea's Top 5 for Sunday, 8/1:
1. Entire wooden twin bedroom set: includes twin bed, dresser, desk with chair $200
2. Little Tikes pink play house that has never been outdoors $100
3. The amazing sit and stand stroller I mentioned above. Looks BRAND NEW $225
4. Girls 12M Matilda Jane knot dress with ruffle pants. $40
5. I say this in all seriousness. I have never seen so much new and used Gymboree in my life. So I am stuffing this all in on #5. Seriously, if you love Gymboree clothes, you must attend this sale. I even saw two piece outfits come in yesterday for $4!

Check back tonight for my post on Monday's favorite things. General drop off today from 10-6!

Day 1 Drop Off: Brea's Favorite Things

2010-07-31T18:49:00.000-07:00

Today was our first day of drop-off for our Fall/Winter 2010 sale. I am so tired. I have realized that we only do this two times a year because it takes my body all the months in between to prepare for the next one!

So, in Encores North tradition, I like to list my top 5 things that came in during that day's drop-off. Let me start off by saying that we have had just shy of 200 people drop-off so far and I swear, we already have enough stuff to start shopping tomorrow! Seriously! We already have over 30 strollers, 3 cribs, exersaucers galore and I haven't even talked about clothing! The girls checking in clothing are being pickier than ever so please don't be upset if they send you back home with your stained items or they have you rehang your items so that they sell better, I promise they do all this to keep the quality of our sale top notch!

We have 1200 consignors signed up to participate so the next four days should be insane. I'm hoping we get LOADS and LOADS of large items as those items seem to sell as quickly as we get them. Things like cribs, toddler beds, bikes, outdoor toys, etc.

Here's my top five items that I picked for Saturday, July 31:

1. American Girl Julie doll in box $60
2. Bratt Decor Venetian Crib (retails for over $1000) $450
3. Cozy Coupe push car $10
4. BRAND NEW Skip Hop camo diaper bag $10
5. Thomas the Tank Engine lot: includes 40 wooden trains with carrying case and loads of wooden track $100

Check back tomorrow night and I'll post my next top 5. Also, feel free to leave a comment of what you are hoping to find or if you want to know if we have gotten a specific item and I'll be happy to answer your question in my post tomorrow!

It's Time....

2010-07-14T20:49:00.000-07:00

for the Fall/Winter 2010 consigning season. Nuts huh?

I don't know where you live, but here it is 100 degrees and HOT so the thought of shopping for sweaters and jackets makes me want to sweat just thinking about it.

Not only is it time to start getting your personal items tagged to get ready to sale, it's also time to start making those lists of what you need for the upcoming seasons. Here's a few things to be doing now so you don't get caught shopping without a list of things you need:

1. Go get all your kid's feet measured. There is nothing worse than guessing on size and then getting home with tons of cute shoes and then none of them fitting.

2. Try on last season's clothing on your kids. What sizes do you really need and can you get away with using some of those old sizes again this season? I personally sell everything from the previous season simply because I know I am going to overbuy for the next season (as usual) and the old stuff will be the last thing I tend to put on them so why not sell it now when I can get more money for it.

3. Make a list of birthdays/holidays/etc. that are coming up. What are your kids going to want for Christmas? Trust me, YOU are the only person that will ever know you bought the toy used so why not save the money! Especially think about things like movies and books where you can literally find those items at 75-90% off the original retail so those are great items to buy used.

4. If you are redecorating your kid's rooms, think about themes you can go with. I personally feel like some of the best deals you will find at consignment are on kid's bedding and room decor so definitely put a theme in place before you shop otherwise you will impulse buy.

5. For all those mommy's of girls: make a list of hairbows you are going to need. I know at our sale, we have an amazing selection of bows and I tend to buy colors I don't need simply because I didn't have a list.

I have a wonderful little black book I keep in my purse where I keep all this information. I also keep a list of items my friends are looking for along with their cell number and that way if I am out shopping and spot something, I can get their approval to buy it!

A few of my favorite things...

2010-03-08T21:46:00.000-08:00

So, a few sales ago, I started posting each night about my favorite things I had seen come in during drop-off. I always picked my top 5. Well, tonight, I am going to pick my top 15 since I haven't updated in 3 nights. Hope that's ok!

1. American Girl doll with extra outfit $50
2. Pink Step 2 Pig toy chest $35
3. Pink Peg Perego highchair $50
4. HUGE Lot of Geotrax $75
5. muliple wii games : $15 each
6. Bob ironman jogging stroller $200
7. HARD TO FIND Wiggles Power Wheels Big Red Car $60 (SO COOL!)
8. Bumbo $10
9. All the brand new in package Melissa and Doug wooden toys !
10. Janie and Jack 3-6 Month outfit $3
11. Matilda Jane skirt set $15
12. Double Chicco stroller $120 (like brand new)
13. Princess doll stroller $4
14. Pink Converse high tops in my daughter's size $4
15. Full size Pottery Barn Kids patchwork quilt with sham $40

I feel like I barely scratched the surface. I'll do a better job tomorrow!

Getting It Ready: Day 6: Clothing

2010-02-23T19:00:00.000-08:00

If you are like me, getting clothing ready for the sale can honestly become a MAJOR chore. I literally spend hours pulling clothing out of bins, hanging sets, ironing, searching for stains, etc. I have to remind myself how much it is all worth it once I get that check. Here are a few tips that will hopefully make getting your clothing together a little easier:

1. As you pack up clothing that no longer fits, fold sets together in the bin. This makes it so much easier when it's time to start matching up sets.

2. If YOU think it looks too worn, is outdated, has stains, etc. go ahead and donate it. If you find issue with it why would you want someone else to get home with it?

3. Hang pants, shorts and nice sets on paper covered hangers. They just look so much nicer on paper and the paper keeps the individual pieces from sliding around. When they look better, they sell for a higher price.

4. Think about what you would pay for clothing as you price it. Also try to take emotions out of pricing. So many times people price things too high because they have fond memories of their child wearing the outfit only to be disappointed when it doesn't sell. I have found that pricing clothing at 75% off what you originally paid gets it sold.

5. The higher the size, the better it sells. Don't forget while pricing that many people receive sizes 0-12 months as shower gifts so it's harder to resell those sizes. In my opinion, boy clothing that is name brand and in great condition sells for a higher price and faster than girl clothing.

6. Sets sell better than pieces. The only time I will bust up a set is if the top is a different size from the bottom. Many times, especially on my boys' clothing, I will put a Gymboree top with a Gap pair of shorts. People like to buy in sets because they don't have to turn around and search out matching pieces.

Next post: final tips on getting it all done!

Getting It Ready: Day 5: Ride On Toys

2010-02-17T16:37:00.000-08:00

If you want to make some serious $ at a consignment sale, consign your child's riding toys.

I have ran a consignment sale for 5 1/2 years and I can tell you it is probably THE category that sells the best. Workers and consignors typically run to grab the tag off a cozy coupe, battery powered jeep, or bicycle. We are lucky if we have any ride on toys left two days into the consignment sale.

Want to get top dollar for your ride on toy? Keep these tips in mind...

1. Clean your ride on toys! We all know that your children typically use these toys outdoors, so it's not unusual that they will need a good cleaning prior to selling. A clean cozy coupe will easily bring $20-$25 but if it's not clean, many times they won't sell for more than $10. Clorox wipes will usually do the trick on most ride on toys. During the summer, before the fall sale, I always let my kids do a car wash on the toys we plan to sell. They put on their swimsuits and clean the toys with soap and water. They think it's a fun game and I get all my stuff sparkling clean...it's a great game!

2. Make sure all the parts are included and work. On a power wheels, a dead battery will keep you from being able to sell a Barbie jeep. Did you know many of the discount battery stores sell batteries that will work for these vehicles? To me, it's worth spending $30 on a battery to turn around and sell it for $75. All keep in mind that most manufacturers sell replacement parts via their website, so when it doubt, google the manufacturer.

3. Tagging is key! If you paid $50 for the ride on toy and your child barely used it, tell them! Using key words "like new", "hard to find", etc. definitely tempt buyers to grab that tag as soon as they see the item.

So clean out your garages and get those ride on toys ready!

Tomorrow's post: CLOTHING!!

Getting It Ready: Day 4: Baby Stuff

2010-02-11T20:17:00.000-08:00

If you are like me, baby stuff tends to reproduce in your home and then when you are ready to be done with it, parts and pieces start hiding out in all these weird places. Like, why can't I find the caps for the bottles when I have kept them in the same spot on the shelf for years.

Getting baby stuff tagged for the sale takes a lot of work and supplies. Before you get started, I would get your gallon size baggies, clear packaging tape, curling ribbon, and pins out.

First thing we'll discuss is bibs, onesies and receiving blankets. On bibs, I like to group bibs into like sets (boy, girl, gender neutral) and then put 3-5 bibs in a baggie and seal the top of it. Don't forget to TAPE or PIN the tag to the OUTSIDE of the baggie. Same exact same on blankets, unless they are high end receiving blankets like Gymboree, Kissy Kissy, Janie and Jack, etc. On these, I like to physically hang them over a hanger, still securing with pins and tag like normal. We will actually hang these at the front of the newborn section and these sell great. You can typically get $3-$5 for a NICE blanket! Now, if you have a sets of Carters, etc., I would again put several together as a set, seal them in the baggie, and then price them for about $1 per blanket.
If you have an awesome Gymboree set of onesies, rig them up on a hanger and sell them that way. I would only bag onesies if they are a more generic brand and again, go with the $1 per item on things like this.

I also tend to sell bottles in sets (like 5 Dr. Brown Bottles for $9)

Items like infant socks, hair accessories, etc. would also need to be bagged with a detailed description either taped or pinned to the OUTSIDE of the bag.

On items like baby monitors, please check to make these items still work and that they have working batteries. Also, a good wipedown with Clorox wipes makes these look like new.

Here is a more detailed list of items that sell great that I would include in the baby category.

Bathtubs
Bumbos
Potty Training Potty
Booster seats
Sheets for cribs
Hooded Towel sets
Baby Gates
Diaper Genie (just please do us all a favor and give them a good scrub down before you bring them in!)
Boppy
Diaper Bags

Also, don't forget your larger items you used with your baby: Changing table, glider rocker, crib, toddler beds, room decor. All of these tend to fly out the door!

If you have any questions on this list, feel free to leave a comment and I'll get right back to you.

COMING UP NEXT: DAY 5: Ride On Toys

Getting It Ready: Day 3: Puzzles and Games

2010-02-06T07:29:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, I have found the any type of toy sells better than clothing. I know I personally use the consignment sale as a way to PURGE toys, but it is a great way to pick up practically brand new toys for a fraction of retail.

I know when it comes to buying puzzles and games, there is nothing more frustrating as a shopper than to get home and realize that there are pieces missing or that part of the game doesn't work. We bought a DVD Twister game at a sale in the fall and when we got home, the entire DVD was in Spanish.

So, when it comes to tagging puzzles and games, have your children either work the puzzle or play the game before you tag it. Trust me, they will tell you what is missing and you certainly don't want to sell something that isn't 100% complete. When it comes to toddler wooden puzzles, put the puzzle pieces in a clear baggie and tape it to the back of the wooden board. Add your tag to the outside of the bag and make sure you use clear packing tape to keep it all secured. On puzzles in boxes, once you have confirmed all pieces are there, use clear packing tape to seal the original box back together. Tape tag to the outside of the box.

On games, you will use the clear packing tape to seal the original box back together. Tape your tag to the outside of the box. If you are selling games that have DVDs or you are selling video games, make sure you check them for scratches or that they actually work. Sealing the game inside it's original box doesn't allow the consignor to check for scratches so they are relying on you to make sure you have already made sure it worked.

Tomorrow's post I will talk about getting baby items packaged and tagged, including bottles, bibs, receiving blankets, etc.

Getting It Ready: Day 2: Equipment

2010-02-02T14:53:00.001-08:00

It's day 2 which means it is time for me to talk about getting any type of baby/child equipment ready. When I say equipment, I basically mean high chairs, car seats, strollers, bumbos, etc.

Equipment is great to sell because not only is it one of our top sellers, but many people find they can get a great chunk of money back out of items they have gotten a lot of use out of. Things like Bumbos are easy to sell for $20 which is more than half of original retail. Simply wiping them down with a clorox wipe makes them look like new and they are in huge demand. During the last sale. we sold at least 25 of them and literally had none left at the end.

Items like car seats become a little harder to sell simply because they tend to show more wear and they get recalled more often. They also expire which many people don't know. Car seats are required to have a date stamped on them when they are made. This is usually on a sticker underneath the actual seat. Carseats are considered expired after 6 years but we at Encores and More North don't take them after 5 years. It is important to keep in mind how old your car seat is when it comes to pricing. If you have a Britax car seat that is 4 years old, it's hard to realize it may only be worth $30-$40 but keep in mind in another year or so, it's not worth anything. Another thing to note(especially with Britax), you can sell the covers without the actual car seat. Many people will buy a replacement cover for their Britax.

In my opinion, the most important thing to do when it comes to equipment is to make sure it is clean. No one wants to get home with a high chair that has loads of yucky food under the seat covering. If you keep your items clean and in good shape while using them, you will certainly be able to price it higher when it comes time to consign. If you find that you break a piece off your equipment during use, don't forget to contact the manufacturer as you can usually buy replacement parts directly from them.

I have found that generally on equipment you can usually get half of the original cost back out of the item. When you consider the amount of use you get out of things like exersaucers, swings, etc. I think this is a great return on investment. When I am purchasing things at the sale and then it's time to resell it again, I have found I get almost 100% back out of the item based on the original consignment price.

So while you are getting your clothing and shoes tagged, don't forget to tag your equipment. You'll be shocked at how quickly your consignment check quickly goes up when you get rid of equipment!

Tomorrow's post: puzzles and games

Getting it Ready: Day 1: Shoes

2010-02-01T20:10:00.000-08:00

Since March is rapidly approaching, I felt it was time to do a little series called "Getting it Ready." This week I'll be doing one short blog post each day about how you can get everything tagged and ready in time for the sale. Today we will focus on shoes.

When it's time to gather my shoes to get them ready for tagging, I immediately start putting them into stacks. The first stack is "NEW/LIKE NEW". Shoes that would go in this stack means they never wore them or they might have worn them once. They have no visible wear and mine usually still have tags left on them. The second stack is the "WORN" pile. Here I put everything else that they have worn throughout the last season. The last pile is "YUCK" and I am quick to pull those yuck shoes out of the worn pile. I spend the most time on the worn pile: finding mates, examining them for damage, can this spot be cleaned? If I find items that are really too worn, they go directly to the YUCK pile.

I am usually surprised at how well I do with my shoes. All my YUCK shoes go immediately to donate, but everything else gets tied together with curling ribbon, tagged and then off it goes. Make sure on your tags you bring attention to the brand or what you originally paid for the shoes. Make sure you also put the accurate size on the tag up in the corner where you would put the size.

My best deal buying shoes at Encores and More North? Ugg boots for $8. Yes, I was pumped. They were very clean too!

Tomorrow's Post: Equipment (Exersaucers, High Chairs, Strollers)

2009 Donations

2009-12-07T12:03:00.001-08:00

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

2009-10-26T14:31:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-01T20:18:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-21T05:25:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-12T21:53:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-11T21:01:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-10T19:57:00.001-07:00

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

2009-08-09T19:13:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-08T18:43:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-06T20:29:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-08-02T17:47:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-08-02T14:25:00.001-07:00

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

2009-07-27T14:00:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-13T20:28:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-30T17:59:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-05-28T12:27:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-12T19:33:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-08T08:44:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-06T09:50:00.000-08:00

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

2009-03-05T05:52:00.000-08:00

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

2009-03-03T19:48:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-03-02T20:20:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-03-01T20:31:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-02-28T20:14:00.000-08:00

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....

2009-02-28T19:30:00.000-08:00

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?

2009-02-26T09:21:00.000-08:00

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?

2009-02-23T16:58:00.001-08:00

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!

2009-02-10T07:14:00.000-08:00

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?

2009-01-31T20:44:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-27T12:07:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-11T15:20:00.000-08:00

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?

2009-01-06T15:16:00.000-08:00

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?

Adoption Fundraiser

2008-11-17T14:59:00.000-08:00

Sorry to post this here, but I wanted anyone that follows this blog to know about a big sale at my home on Friday, November 21 from 10am-3pm and Saturday, November 22 from 10am-1pm. Julie Montgomery, owner of the Kids Clothes Basket, is bringing all of her remaining fall/winter inventory to my home and will be marking it all an ADDITIONAL 50% off the lowest price. Loads of gorgeous smocked items, Christmas pajamas, Greggy Girl, ZaZa Couture, Indygo Artwear, etc. For more info, check out my other blog. THANKS!

Don't Wait

2008-08-01T10:33:00.000-07:00

As our Saturday drop off appointments are full, I wanted to remind everyone not to wait until the last minute to drop off on Tuesday. We will probably be posting that Wednesday appts are full tonight as we have just a few left. People are always wanting to know the best day for general drop off and there really is no way to tell. Sundays are usually very busy as people come straight from church and Tuesdays (especially afternoon) are slammed because everyone that has waited until the last minute is coming at that point. My advice if you don't have an appointment? Monday.

But, of course, now that I have said that, we will probably be slammed on Monday!

Where oh where...

2008-07-25T08:17:00.000-07:00

did the adult sale go??

That's what many people are asking about the Encores and More North Adult Clothing and Home Furnishings Sale. It's always followed the kids sale and it was a great place to find tons of great clothing and home decor.

Well, here's the scoop.

Angie, the sale owner, literally just got back less than 36 hours ago from Russia where they just adopted their second daughter. She is exhausted. The thought of doing the sale with TWO kids (one of which only speaks Russian) was just TOO much. How could she be gone for a full week when she just got home and Abby needs to learn to attach to her new family?

So, that's why there is no adult sale this time. I know, it bites.

I am rejoicing with Angie and her family and the miracle of adoption and how it has blessed their family (AGAIN!)

Want to earn free clothes?

2008-07-22T20:10:00.000-07:00

It's easy!

All you have to do is put a quick post on your blog about Encores and More North children's consignment sale with a link to the website. Leave a comment below letting me know it's done and I'll throw your name in the hat. My oldest, Anna, will draw a name out on Thursday night, July 31st, and the winner will get a $50 gift certificate!

Easy enough, right?

It's time to start tagging...

2008-06-10T20:42:00.000-07:00

Yep, consignment sale season is upon us.

Hard to believe with 90+ degree weather outside, that pretty soon inside we will be selling fall/winter clothing!

Encores will be beefing up our VIP tagging service this sale as we hear it more and more...people just don't have enough time to get everything ready.

What is VIP tagging? Well, it's simple. You get everything together you want to sell. It must be clean and in great shape. A tagger picks up your items, hangs your items, tags your items and drops them off for you. All you do is pick up your presale passes if you want to shop and pick up any unsold items on pick up day unless you want to donate. The VIP tagging split is 50/50 versus the standard 70/30.

Is it worth it?

YES! I actually use a VIP tagger myself. I find that the taggers usually price the items higher than I would so I really don't find that I notice the difference in fees. I LOVE that I don't have to do a thing except get it ready. I find that I get more ready simply because the task isn't so overwhelming when I am not the one having to tag it all.

What's the worst part about VIP tagging?

You have to get it done NOW. People always wait until the last minute when the taggers are so full. Email or leave a comment and get it scheduled now. It's a great service!

A Huge Success

2008-03-24T15:10:00.001-07:00

Thanks to everyone who helped make our Spring 2008 sale another record breaking sale! Even with the horrible snow on presale night which left 4" of snow on opening day, we still had an awesome consignor presale and a HUGE opening day! When we reopened on Monday after a nice Sunday off, we are thrilled to report that we had our biggest Monday ever! We also had our biggest half price days ever!

I can't tell you how thankful I am to our heavenly father for allowing me to do this sale. It is such a blessing to be able to serve the workers, consignors and shoppers while running this sale. I hope this sale is a blessing for each of you and that you will continue to come back in the future.

Have feedback for us? Feel free to post a comment to let me know how I can serve you better!

Day #3 of Drop off

2008-03-03T20:09:00.000-08:00

Today was Day #3 of drop off at Encores North. I can't believe that I am telling you that some sizes are already full! Although we have SO MUCH MORE SPACE, we also have SO MANY MORE CONSIGNORS! We had well over 600 people sign up to get numbers and we all know that not all of them will come, but I bet we will definitely be well over 500. Tomorrow is another general drop off day from 10am-6pm and then Wednesday is an appointment ONLY day and we literally have about 5 appointments left so my advice is to get down there tomorrow! :)

The selection is amazing! Melanie, our stain momma, has done a great job at making sure the quality is TOP NOTCH! I can't believe how many great brands we have gotten as well as GREAT PRICES! I picked up a size 3T capri set today that had a plaid capri and top with smocking and the price was $6! WOW OH WOW!

I have a ton of pics to post, but honestly, I am exhausted and going to bed. Maybe tomorrow!

Drop Off Day #2

2008-03-02T07:41:00.000-08:00

Today is day #2 for drop off at Encores North. I can't believe the AMAZING stuff we got in yesterday!

The space is so much bigger, nicer, open, bright...wow, I could just go on and on. The racks of clothing are SO long because the space just goes on and on!

We should have about 10 racks of girls size 4! Isn't that amazing! For some reason, that size always has the most clothes so this time we are prepared!

Julie dropped off her items from The Kids Clothes Basket and let me tell you, she has SOME gorgeous stuff! Baby Lulu, Anavini smocked dresses, Greggy Girl that is to die for, Little Mass sets, oooh I can't wait to shop!

Donna dropped off her items from the Gymbo house and there are tons of great deals on NEW WITH TAG Gymboree items. All her Gymboree is 60% off retail! WOW!

I'll post tonight with an update about today's goodies!

The Kids Clothes Basket

2008-02-29T05:34:00.000-08:00

Today is the last day to hit the best sale in Clarksville! Julie Montgomery has brought her awesome selection of NEW children's boutique clothing to Clarksville. Her sale is called "The Kids Clothes Basket" and you can check out all the details here!

If you miss her awesome clothing in Clarksville today, all of her remaining inventory will be available at Encores and More North!

We LOVE Webkinz!

2008-02-28T06:55:00.000-08:00

I don't know about your kids, but my three older kiddos are CRAZY about Webkinz! My oldest daughter could play online for hours, my younger two get to love on the animals after the code has been used!

We are so excited to tell you that Encores and More North will have WEBKINZ at their Spring 2008 sale! These little guys are hot! Here's a price list (some of the best prices in town in my opinion):

Webkinz: $11
Littlekinz: $10
RETIRED Webkinz charms $10
Webkinz Figurines $6
Pet Carriers $18

Monkeying Around

2008-02-26T18:34:00.000-08:00

Here's a few pics of NEW smocked clothing we will have at Encores and More North Children's Consignment Sale March 8-15. Retail is $80 each...our price $28!

Consignment Season Is Here

2008-02-22T14:36:00.000-08:00

As the children's consignment season is approaching at rapid speed here in TN, I decided to put together a blog where consignors and shoppers alike could come together to share their experiences, great bargains, and frustrations with the children's consignment world.

If you could take things from each sale and put them together to make the perfect children's consignment sale, what would those things be?

I love consignment season...even though it can be sheer madness at times! I find the BEST stuff for my kids at a fraction of the price and I figure I am pretty much outfitting my kiddos for free. Since I buy everything on clearance (if it's not on sale, I don't need it), I can usually get most of my investment back when it comes time to sell it. It's a win, win!

Last but not least, post a comment with your favorite children's consignment sale. We'll add it to the list above!