Secondhand Shopping in the South Bay
Truth is, it kills me to pay full price for anything, especially anything for the kids. Mine outgrow stuff so quickly. Sometimes even before the tags can be clipped. So as much as I can, I shop resale and secondhand shops for their clothes, books, and toys.
Earlier this month, I went to one of my favorite consignment
events, the semi-annual Outrageous
Outgrowns sale in
In the short time I’ve lived in the Bay Area, I’ve participated as both a buyer and a seller at this event and have had massive success with both. Their website is quite specific about how their selling process works, so I won’t go into the details. I’d much rather focus on the fun part-- the shopping.
The trick to these huge sales is to arrive early and have a game plan. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, so it helps to go in with an idea of exactly what you need and about how much you'd be willing to pay for it.
On this particular day I needed three specific things: a mat for our playroom, a booster chair for my son, and summer clothes and sleepers in the next size up for my daughter. I planned to make a bee line for these items, bribing my son along the way with as many books and trinkets as his little heart desired in exchange for his cooperation and peaceful compliance.
I arrived at the Santa Clara Country Fairgrounds shortly after the doors opened on the first day. I took my kids out of their seats and went to the trunk of my car only to find that I had forgotten to bring the stroller (!!)
Did I mention that the other trick to these sales is bringing a stroller, especially when you have young kids in tow? Even if you don’t, it’s a great way to haul all your loot.
As expected, the sale was crowded. Although I made my way through the aisles fairly easily, I quickly grew weary of carrying my daughter and stopping every few minutes to rein in my son. Then, there was the checkout line…
It would have taken most of an hour to get through it—time that I would have happily used skimming blogs on my Blackberry, but I just knew my children would not endure so well. So, we just left... empty-handed and frustrated with myself for forgetting the stroller.
I had every intention of returning later in the weekend when my husband could stay with the kids at home. (Perhaps on Sunday when everything still remaining would be half off!) Of course, as with most weekends, time got away from me and I never made it back.
Ah well, it won't be too long until their fall event when I'll be sure to remember our stroller or better yet, just leave the kiddos at home.
So, does this mean my children will be running around unkempt and unclothed until mid-October?
Hardly! Not when there are so many children’s resale shops open year-round and looking for your business in the Bay.
The newest one in my
area is the nationally franchised, but locally-owned Kid-to-Kid. Conveniently located
across the street from the Santa Clara City Library and
My other favorite is
the aptly named The
Kidz Shoppe in
Both stores are very selective about their inventory. All items are thoroughly checked for stains, rips, missing buttons, etc. It’s not uncommon to find original tags on clothing.
If the appeal of dressing your kids in (gently) used clothes is lost on you, there are certainly bargains and deals to be had for new stuff too.
There’s always Kohl’s, Target, and Wal-Mart. My very first paying job was at TJ Maxx and I’ve been a devotee every since. Once or twice a year, I make a special trip to the outlets in Gilroy or Milpitas. While these are great places to stock up for the upcoming season, they don’t always have what I need at the moment.
For instance, my children notoriously outgrow their clothes mid-season. Since I also try not to purchase anything until it’s needed, I found myself looking to buy my infant daughter a new coat in around mid-January. While most stores had already switched their inventory to swimsuits and tank tops, I was able to find not one, but THREE very adorable, very lux jackets at Kid to Kid for about five bucks each. (One of which is soft, pink, and faux suede and therefore completely irresistible.)
Why my then six-month-old daughter just had to have three winter coats probably explains why bargain hunting isn't just a hobby of mine...
It's a necessity.
Original Silicon Valley Moms Blog post.
When Grace isn't busy shopping, either out and about or online, she's most likely thinking about shopping. You can find her at her personal blog, Formerly Gracie.
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