Clothing your children with garage sale finds

Children outgrow their clothing so fast that it is ideal to shop at a garage sale to find gently-used items for your children. Here are a few tips to keep in mind the next time you are at a garage sale looking for clothing for your children.

Is it in style?

Make sure that the item you are purchasing is still in style, especially for older children. You dont want to buy gently used pants that were in style back in the '90s for your child now, no matter how great the price it. Keep your children in mind because if they wont wear it them it really doesnt matter if you only paid 50¢ for it.

Choosing classic styles is a great way to avoid a wardrobe that looks "dated".

Inspect every item

Never purchase any clothing before looking it over closely. Check for missing buttons, zippers that dont work, tears and stains. If the area that the clothing is displayed in is dark, dont be afraid to step into a better lit area to look over the clothing. You don't to get an item home only to find it has a stain on it that you overlooked.

Check Sizes

Many people do their laundry differently, which can cause used clothing to vary in sizes. Ideally, if you are on the hunt for jeans for your daughter carry a pair of her jeans that fit nicely with you. Make sure that the garage sale owner knows you brought them with you before you start shopping. By having an item with you that fits well you can then hold up items you are considering purchasing to the item to get an idea on whether the new item will fit correctly. Likewise, a measuring tape can come in handy for verifying waist and inseam measurements.

Getting a Bargain

If you find several items that you want to purchase, dont be shy about negotiation with the seller. Many sellers will give you a discount on a large purchase just to get the items out of the way. So if you find 5 pairs of jeans for $2 each ask the seller if they will take $8 (or less!) for all 5. This makes a better deal for you and it also makes them money.