Outfitting 3 growing kids without breaking the bank is no small task. When I look at it as an organizational challenge, it becomes a lot of fun for me (I know, I'm an organizational nerd).

The whole process starts with three pages like this, one for each kiddo. It's basically a list of all the clothes I think they need to make a full wardrobe. I inventory their current closets and drawers full of out-of-season clothes and make notes of the holes that need to be filled. Also, while going through those out-of-season items, I pull out anything outgrown that I'd previously missed and add it to the kids' sale stockpile.

Though there are tons of these consignment sales around now, I use the Popsicles Kids Sale in Jonesboro to both sell the kids' outgrown things and fill in the gaps in their closets. I hang, price, and tag all my items for sell and haul them to the sale. By being a consignor, I get the privilege of early shopping; for the most recent sale, this was last Wednesday.

It's hard not to get carried away when shopping because there's so much cute stuff. But, I keep my inventory sheets on hand and refer to them as needed during shopping. As pictured here, I always surprise the kids with a treat from the sale. I'm usually able to get them each a pretty cool toy for less than $5.

This year, I spent $133 (including the toys) on the items I purchased. And, I earned $151.80 on the items I sold. I do have to drive a ways to participate in this sale, so I have to consider the price of gas, but the enjoyment I get in having a shopping night all alone is worth that price, easy!

For more on Kid Sale Consignment, check this out. If you're interested in getting involved in one of these sales, check out the Popsicles website or like them on FaceBook to get info about their twice-yearly sales.