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Just Between Friends Sale - Plan to Shop, Enter to WIN

March 5, 2015
Just Between Friends of Issaquah offers local families a bi-annual option to recycle their maternity and children’s items at a fun community event that takes the best of retail and wraps it up as resale. From well-organized clothing racks that are divided by gender and size, to toys and equipment, Just Between Friends (JBF) has helped thousands of area families make and save on the items for growing children.

Thursday, March 12 | 11:00AM to 7:00PM  | $2 Admission

Friday, March 13 | 10:00AM to 7:00PM  | Free Admission

Saturday, March 14 | 9:00AM to 4:00PM | 25% Off Day Free Admission

Sunday, March 15 | 8:00AM to 1:00PM | 50% off Day Free Admission

VIEW THE FULL SCHEDULE

Attention all First Time Parents!  Have you had your first baby or become a Foster or Adoptive Parent within the last 12 months?  If so, JBF invites you to the First Time Parent Presale - you'll shop before anyone else gets the chance!  You'll need to pre-register to attend.

For more information about selling and shopping, visit www.seattleeast.jbfsale.com.

Even if it's your first sale, you'll feel like a pro with these tips!

Presale Prep: Consignment sale shopping always goes smoothest if you prepare yourself ahead of time. 
  1. Get the largest and sturdiest clothes basket in your house. Tie a string to the handle on one end of the clothes basket, then make a loop on the other end of the string that you can put around your wrist. (If you have a dog, leashes also work well for this.) Now when you're shopping, you can put your clothes basket down at a rack and pull it around w/o having to carry it on your hip.  Also be sure to take advantage of the hold section. JBF will hold your great deals for up to an hour, so you can fill your basket again!
  2. Trace your kids' feet onto a piece of cardstock or construction paper. Then, write on each foot what specific items you are looking for, and in what size, for each child. This is info that is easy to forget when you're looking through racks and racks of clothes!
  3. Bring a large sturdy tote bag to throw items like shoes, socks, and accessories in if you think your basket will be full of clothes.
  4. Fill a large water bottle to bring with you. When the sale is busy, the room can get hot, and you'll get thirsty fast.
  5. Find a sitter! Even if you have an older child, it is near to impossible to successfully consignment shop if you have kids with you. And, it can get really crowded in a consignment sale, making it hard to keep up with kids who are walking.
Shopping the Sale: Approach a consignment sale strategically, and you'll find what you need without getting overwhelmed.
  1. Strollers/Baby Equipment/Furniture is your first stop if you are in need of a new carseat or other piece of equipment. At most sales, you can pay for large equipment separate, and they will put a sold tag on it for you while you shop the rest of the sale.
  2. After equipment, shop the shoes first. If you're looking for shoes, especially in the larger sizes, hit those shelves right away. Kids can wear shoes out fast, and there is usually a smaller selection of shoes than clothing. Don't forget to use your footprint cut-outs to make sure shoes will fit!
  3. Boys' clothes after shoes. I'm not sure if it's because boys are harder on their clothes, or because there is just less variety in boys' clothes, but there are always fewer boy racks, and the boy clothes are often priced higher. Hit those before the girls' so you can find the better clothes and better bargains.
  4. Re-evaluate your picks before heading to the next section. Sometimes, when I'm in a shopping frenzy, I will pull way too much stuff off the rack. By going through my choices before heading out of the boys' section, I can weed out some of the more questionable items.
  5. Be careful in the girls' section! The girls' section of consignment sales is some kind of shopping cryptonite. There are too many cute things on the rack, and I often find myself pulling things off the rack my daughter will never wear. One, maybe two, fancy dresses per season is all most little girls will need.
  6. Don't forget accessories like socks, hats, etc. Check the end caps of the racks for accessories such as socks, hats, bows, backpacks etc. Last year I bought my daughter a gallon bag filled w/Gymboree and Gap socks for $2. Awesomeness.
  7. Save toys for last, and be discriminating. The toy section can be overwhelming, to say the least. Head into it with specific ideas for your kids, and don't get sucked in playing with baby toys if your kids are too old for them!
Now that you've got a PLAN, get ready to WIN!  
Two lucky Macaroni Kid subscribers will win a $25 gift certificate and two presale passes to shop the Issaquah Just Between Friends Sale on March 12 - 15.

TO ENTER: Simply leave a comment telling us what you'll be shopping for!
I'm looking for new rubber boots and a cute jacket for my oldest.

EXTRA ENTRY: Use that handy-dandy LIKE on Facebook button at the top of this article.  Leave a separate comment to let me know that you did.

Extra Entry: "I also shared on Facebook."

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FINE PRINT: You will have until 8:00 pm on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 to enter this giveaway. Random.org will choose the winner. Winner will be contacted via email and announced on Facebook.  As always, you must be 18 or over to win and you must be subscribe to receive our FREE weekly eNewsletter.  Good luck!