As promised in my first Rhea Lana’s post, I’m back to share some of my past shopping experiences, offer a few helpful shopping tips plus a fun giveaway!
Oh my, where to begin! Each Spring and Fall as the sale dates are announced, I start planning for my shopping trip. With Abby in odd sizes I know I need to start by trying a few things on her. This helps give me a good idea of what she’s currently in, what is getting small and what she will probably be in throughout the season. I try on shirts, pants, shoes, pretty much anything to get an idea of her sizes. I also take note of her closet, what all she already has and how long it will last plus anything I might have bought in advance if I found a great deal at a previous sale.
For each sale in the past I have always tried to go during the Pre-Sale Event. Shopping the Pre-Sale is my favorite because I get to go in before the event opens to the public, I have a better chance of finding big items (those big items are most popular and go fast!) and I have first selection of the clothing/toys/etc. Rhea Lana’s gives you so many different ways to earn an opportunity to shop the Pre-Sale:
- Volunteer! Rhea Lana’s wonderful volunteer’s truly help make make the sale a pleasant shopping and consigning experience. Volunteering helps earn you a Worker’s Pass and those with Worker Passes are the very first to get to shop on Pre-Sale Day! Visit Rhea Lana’s Website for more information about volunteering and how you can earn a Worker’s or Early Worker’s Pass.
- Consign! Enter your own items into the sale, make money while you shop and get the opportunity to shop early! There really isn’t anything better! Consignor’s are in line behind the Worker’s to shop early during the Pre-Sale event.
- Moms-to-Be! That’s right, Rhea Lana’s loves all the wonderful moms-to-be that visit the sale and offer them a chance to beat the rush of the public crowd by shopping early. Simply visit the website, select your sale event, go under the “shop” tab and print your moms-to-be pass.
- Guest Pass! This is for those that receive a guest pass from a friend that is consigning (you must have the pass to shop) as well as for the Military Moms (must show ID)! Plus I’ll give you a quick hint here…. become a friend of Rhea Lana’s on Facebook and keep your eye on their wall. Not only do they post helpful shopping tips, updates, sneak peeks of the sales but they also post a special Facebook Friend Pass that you can print and use to shop during the guest pass time frame during the Pre-Sale!
So there you go, several fantastic opportunities that allow you to gain a pass to shop during the Pre-Sale event. What’s even better, there’s also a Pre-Sale event before the start of the Half-Price days! I always make sure to shop both the Pre-Sale and the Half-Price Pre-Sale. In the past I have always found amazing bargains on both days and I’m always quite pleased with my purchased. There’s a restock day so it’s definitely worth going back for a second round!!
I can honestly say the rush and excitement before the sale is always fun. Standing in line with my pass, just waiting to go in and see what I can find. Now I don’t like crowds, I have anixety attacks when it comes to big crowds but once I’m in the door and looking through the clothing racks the crowd doesn’t seem all that bad so don’t let the long lines/crowd scare you off. A big tip, take something to put things in!! Rhea Lana’s does request that strollers (and children) do not attend the Pre-Sale simply because it is so crowded and so busy. In year’s past my sister and I have either taken my niece or taken her stroller to put clothes on/in while we shopped. The sales have grown considerably over the years and the last sale I went to, there is no way I could have manuvered a stroller through the racks and people.
*My tip is get you once of those little basket carts on wheels or get you a large laundry basket and make a handle (the large tubs with handles work great as well, I just have laundry baskets already at home). Bags might seem like a good idea but they get heavy and get in your way of shopping.
Depending on what I’m looking for depends on where I start, when I was pregnant and was needing larger items I started by going to the furniture nook and area where all the pack n plays were set up. These items will go fast so if you are looking for them shop there first. After that would be large toys and baby items. Now that I’m more focused on just clothes I head straight to the racks and start browsing the sizes I need. I put items in my basket and flip through the clothes quickly just so I can get through all the racks. Now I admit, I will grab what catches my eye. There are SO many shoppers that I like to gather everything first then find a quiet corner to go through my stack. Typically there are 5+ racks in the sizes I need and my basket will be overflowing by the time I’m done! Here is a picture I took at one of the sales last Fall…now this pictures includes clothes for BOTH my daughter and niece. I got to the sale long before my sister so once I was done looking for Abby I looked through my nieces size.
HUGE buggy full (can you make out my little laundry basket in the bottom? lol) but I’m just getting started. Remember, I said I quickly go through the racks and gather what I like. Now it’s the fun part, it’s time to sort and really go through what I have. Here are some great tips:
- Find a space with good lighting and go through the clothes you have picked up. There are normally tables but sometimes not enough.
- Inspect the clothes for possible stains, holes, rips, etc. Yes it is against the rules to put items like that in the sale and the volunteers are wonderful at keeping an eye out for possible stained/torn clothing when it comes in but they are not perfect. And yes, people will put items in the sale that are severely stained. I’ve seen it every single year. People often look at me like I’m crazy cause I’m standing there so very carefully looking over the clothes but I’m not going to waste money on something with stains or that has holes or that is severely worn out. Many times I’ve had to put back a super cute outfit I really wanted to get because it was covered in stains. Check the clothes over!
- Check sizes!! This is very important when it comes to outfits. I know it seems like a 2T top would be with a 2T bottom but it’s not always true. I have often picked up tops in the right size only to discover that the bottoms are either way too small or too big. Always double check the sizes.
- Make outfits! This is wonderful and really saves big money. Finding items that will mix and match help you get more for your money. Remember that the consignor’s have possibly already made some outfits (not all outfits may be matching brands but that’s okay as long as matching sizes) so making additional outfits really helps.
- Double check the tags. If it says it’s a 2T Gymboree Seahorse Tee make sure it really is 🙂 no one is perfect and sometimes a simple mistake can happen.
- Make sure your item does have a tag! No tag means no sale 🙁
- After going through your pile, take eliminated items to a return rack and then go browse the racks one more time. You might have overlooked something or someone else might have put something back.
- Have a budget, go through your pile adding up prices to see what your total will be…if more than what you really wanted take the time to really consider everything. Do you really need all those tees? all those jeans? Work on the pile until it fits in your budget and you have your favorite items.
Our huge buggy full usually turns into just a simple laundry basket full for each of us by the time we are ready to check out. That’s because we set a budget before going in and we keep to that budget. At this last sale my sister came in a few hours after I did and ended up finding several items for Abby and her daughter that I didn’t find. She I think ended up with 15 items, I had about 30 just enough to fill my basket to the top plus two big toys.
The girls are all set and our shopping is done. The experience is always such fun, we find such amazing bargains and adorable clothes and our shopping for the season is finished! Here are a few pictures of some of our great finds:
*shirts purchased new. Pants for both girls and hat from Rhea Lana’s Spring Sale 2011
*entire outfit including shoes purchased at Rhea Lana’s Fall Sale 2011
*my niece’s favorite froggy dress, Rhea Lana’s Spring Sale 2011
*we loved this cute fishy outfit, purchased at Spring 2010 sale (bumbo also purchased at sale)
*shirt and pants from a Rhea Lana’s sale
*my niece’s pretty sweater purchased at Fall 2011 sale
*adorable dress purchased at Spring 2010 sale
*entire outfit including shoes purchased at Fall 2011 sale
I am more than excited for the upcoming sale, can’t wait to see what I find this year!! Now for some fun, a giveaway! Rhea Lana’s has generously offered one lucky Adventures in Abbyland reader the chance to win one of their Rhea Lana’s Friends and Family Cookbooks! I have heard so many wonderful things about this cookbook! The recipes are easy and so yummy plus a portion of the proceeds from each cookbook is being donated to Autism Speaks -a non profit organization committed to finding a cure for Autism and providing resources for parents with children who have autism.
To enter to win simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below! Giveaway Open to US Only.
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**I was contacted by Rhea Lana to share an honest review of my experiences, my opinion was not influenced in any way, all thoughts are my own. A huge thank you to Rhea Lana’s for generously donating a cookbook for the giveaway! This review is my honest opinion of the company and my experiences, I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any way for this post. The thoughts and opinions included are entirely my own and may differ from that of others. If you have any questions you can contact me or leave a comment.**
Thank you. Great advice.
Josie Ging-Glass