My Child's Closet Consignment Sale This Weekend

A children's consignment sale will be held in the main arena of the Loudoun County Fairgrounds beginning this Saturday and will feature more than 300 consignors and 25,000 items, all at an affordable price.

My Child's Closet owners Kimberlee and Chris Sams said it's an inexpensive way to find items for newborns, teens and adults. There will be a large assortment of new and pre-owned items such as furniture, clothing, baby equipment and toys, just to name a few.

“You can spend maybe $100 bucks and get, more or less, an entire wardrobe for your child,” said Kimberlee Sams. “Things are as cheap as a $1 and there's a lot of clothing in the $3 type range.”

According to her husband, Kimberlee has always loved participating in consignment sales, whether she volunteered her time or took advantage of the prices. The couple has been running My Child's Closet for about eight months and had their first sale last year, in Ashburn.

Surprised by the turnout, both Kimberlee and her husband realized how important it is for families to save money, especially when the economy has been turned upside down.

“With the economy being the way it is now is probably a better time then ever to consider shopping consignment,” Kimberlee Sams said. “You can find great deals on pretty much everything that you need and we do have quality guidelines on our Web site as far as the shape things need to be in before they can be brought.

“This is pretty good quality stuff," Kimberlee Sams added. "And you can save a lot of money.”

The main consignment sale begins this Saturday, from 8 am to 7 pm, and will continue on Sunday from 9 am to noon. Beginning at 1 pm, many of the items will be sold at half off, until 5 pm.

On Monday, April 4, from 11 am to 3:30 pm, a Dollar Dash will take place for the first time. All items priced $19.99 and under will be sold for $1. Items priced at $20 and higher will be 75 percent off.

Proceeds from that sale will be divided among The Smile Train, Best Friends Animal Society and the local chapter of Teens Opposing Poverty.

“We have extended our hours to help with crowd control. It's always very crowded,” Kimberlee Sams said. “People usually line up before we open and we usually have to let people in in groups of about 50 and then wait five minutes so it's not a mob rushing in.”

“It does attract a lot of people,” said Chris Sams. “It seems like a lot of people come right when it starts, whether it be the full price sale or the half price sale. I think the best, most select items go quickly and then it's pretty steady after that.

"There's a lot of inventory," he added. "You certainly don't have to come at 7 o' clock on Saturday morning to get good stuff but a lot of people do get there bright and early.”

Both cash or personal checks will be accepted for purchases and it is recommended that you bring a laundry basket or a large shopping bag to hold your selections while you shop. There is no charge to attend to the sale, unless something is purchased.

Three hour volunteer shifts are also available Friday through Monday and no experience is needed. All volunteers will be invited to shop from 6 to 8 pm on Friday evening and can sign up by going to www.MyChildsCloset.com. Plans for a fall sale are currently underway.