So I had a baby boy in 2007 and in 2009 I was pregnant again.  The 20 week scan confirmed we were expecting a girl.  A quick scan of the loft confirmed that it wasn’t just my belly that was bulging it was four (and counting!) suitcases of vac packed baby clothes from newborn through to aged 2 years and all of the Boy variety!  I don’t have them anymore, the suitcases that is the bulging tummy is another story!  Instead of the suitcases I have significant loft space and over £600 which I have been spending on lovely tiny pink items. 

Baby G is nearing six months old now (stop the clock someone please!) and the piles of grown out of baby clothes are beginning to form again.  It felt impossible to consider not keeping H’s stuff at the time but the reality was I never looked at it, not once, until the day I unzipped the bags to photograph them and list them on eBay to sell.  Yes I felt emotional and yes I shed a tear.  I chose what I would keep and I kept his tiny, but too big at the time, babygro he came home from hospital in and the personalised “Class of 2007″ t-shirt.  It is hard but necessary to keep only the significant momentos and for some reason they become more special and more representative of times gone by. 

So its time for me to refresh myself on the “how to” of selling baby clothes on eBay and I thought I would share how I do it.  So if you’re reading this and have tips, tricks and hints please do leave me a comment I’m in the zone and I’d love to hear from you.

1. I sell to get rid of stuff, or rather I sell to turn what I can no longer use into cash!  So I don’t focus on what I paid and what I make for each item, I focus on the final total.  It may only be £6 but 5 x £6 is £30 I didn’t have which I can most certainly use!
2. First sort your kids clothes into boys & girls then into size (newborn, 0-3mths, 3-6mths, 6-9mths etc).
3. Then sort into season (summer / winter) – sell the appropriate season at the appropriate time, right now I am going to be selling H’s Summer clothes from last year, his winter stuff will wait until September.
4. Make sure they are clean, freshly wash, stain treat and iron them nicely
5. Sort into:
   -  items you would sell individually (e.g. designer stuff, winter coat, summer dress)
   - Items to sell as outfits / sets (e.g. pair of age 6-9mth Baby Girl jeans, matching skirt, T-shirt, cardi & sox set)
   - and Items to sell as a bundle (everything else)
6. Count the items (30/40+ items is a good bundle size) and decide on a minimum and maximum price you would expect to pay for them if you were buying them (e.g. a good average is around £1 an item x 30 items = start price of £25 and if you want to do a “Buy it Now” set it around of £40).  If you do not want to have a start price you can of course put your bundle on for 99p and pay for a reserve (although the minimum reserve is £50 and I have only once sold a bundle for over £50).  If you do not want a reserve you must be aware that you could end up letting 30 items go for under a quid ! – not a great way to make money you will not cover your listing fees. 
7. Photograph the clothes in outfits, two or three items per item listed, close ups of any pretty details, logos, tags etc – try and make the clothes fill the frame, photograph patterned items against a plain background (wooden floors or white duvets work well) and plain items against a pattered background – photograph dresses and designer gear on hangers not the floor I bought a hanging toddler mannequin from here
8. Use Auctiva to create a professional listing with 16 photos (for free) and schedule (for free) the auction to start on a Thursday evening so that it will be listed for two full weekends and finish on a weekend around 8-9pm.
9. Create a great Title – most people search by title so always include GENDER AGE BRANDS CONDITION to get noticed ie Stunning Girls Monsoon Dress age 10-12, Bundle Boys Summer Clothes age 2-3 VGC …
   - Hot Tip USE CAPITAL LETTERS and !!! and *** to make your title stand out
   - Hot Tip if your item is new with tags you might want to say GIFT in the title ie ‘BNWT Next BOYS babygrow age 3-6m NEW BABY GIFT’
   - Hot tip – if you have a lot of a popular brand give a % of how much is Next ie: ’80%Next’ in the title
   6. Description – ALWAYS BE HONEST … Most people will want to know TYPE, BRAND, SIZE, SPECIAL FEATURES  and CONDITION (ESPECIALLY DAMAGE)…. ie. Button down collar Next Shirt age 18-24mths VGC, Gap Jeans age 24 mths adjustable waist button missing.
10. Some people will also want to know measurements so if you really want to do to town eg. for individual designer items include waist, inside leg, chest, armpit to wrist etc as appropriate. Otherwise just wait for buyers to ask questions
11. If you are using Auctiva ALWAYS go into revise item in ebay to fill in the item specifics to make sure that your item appears on search engines.  This is really important otherwise your listing will simply get lost among the thousands of others.
12. I buy all my packing stuff on eBay too from Just Packing Supplies fold and pack carefully, but don’t seal up, they may not sell, you may relist as part of a bigger bundle, just wait til you’re sold and the next stop is the post office! 
13. Decide if you are willing to send overseas, I’ve found it a pain and often stuff hasn’t arrived so now I say only with prior agreement – Northern Europe, USA, Australia & NZ have all been fine and fast but Eastern European post in my experience has been more trouble than its worth & I’ve ended up refunding items that haven’t arrived as the buyers haven’t been courteous and I want to to maintain my feedback ratings.
14. Offer collection on bundles too and calculate UK post to cover p&p and your time at £5 per hour.  I weigh the items in batches on my kitchen scales and total the weight up and use the Royal Mail weight guide adding £1.50-2.00 for packaging and my time so as a guide:
    One item of clothing – £1.99-£2.99 depending on size
    One Outfit – Two to Five Garments – £3.50- £4.99
    Bundle – Five plus garments £4.99 + £1 per extra large item (jeans not socks etc) up to max £15/£20
15. Then just wait for the bids to come in, questions are also likely especially in the last few hours so make sure you’re around to field and answer them.
16. Once you’ve sold and you’ve been paid off to the post office you can trot – the queues are never great, I have a Mail Box Store near me and have yet to queue – worth knowing!  Remember to get proof of postage!

So there you go that’s how I sell on eBay, I have some boys Summer stuff to sell and some baby girls stuff too and I will be sticking the item photographs in a Flickr a/c for any readers that want first dibs before they are listed to the eBay masses!

Back from holidays, had a fabulouso time, my camera & video camera are full, my head is clear and refreshed and bulging with posts and my inbox creaking at the number of unread items – time to prioritise!  So I start by seeking out the latest additions to the Toy Story 3 line up – but of course!  I have kept HannahSam and her bro waiting over a week due to my selfish jet setting ways! 

 So first down the blog walk this evening we have Mr. Pricklepants!  A veritable woodland favourite sporting charming lederhosen – yes I said lederhosen!  Next season we’ll all be wearing them mark my words Anna Wintour, you heard it here first!  He may look prickly, but this guy is plump and fuzzy.  Mr. Pricklepants is made strictly for cuddling!

A hard act to follow, there is only one Dolly that can match that lead and its my pleasure to introduce Dolly.  Dolly has the latest purple hair, googly eyes and gently blushing cheeks.  She is sporting a simple shabby chic dress with bold button details by the late Alexander McQueen.  (Hair accessories models own).

And the all important date for your diaries is 23rd July 2010

This was our Easter card last year.  It’s a super simple idea and thought I’d share with the Choc Fest Imminent!

Off on holiday
Yes indeedy, with the exception of one three day shopping trip to Milan with the girls this family unit have only ever been to Cornwall on holiday – until our imminent departure when we will be boarding a flight bound for Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt with a very nearly 3 year old H and 5 months old Baby G! 

Here’s is the current status of packing – yeah exactly – not good!

The truth is I’ve been too scared to brave a plane with them. *whispers* I used to be one of those people who prayed kids didn’t sit near me when they boarded *hangs head* But hey, whatever, we’re doing it!  I’m sure not going to make any friends on the flight but equally sure I won’t see any of them again either!  Anyway I thought I’d write a post of links and lists that helped me for everyone and anyone planning to head overseas with toddlers and babies.

Getting Childrens Passports
My little ones’ didn’t have passports but it wasn’t difficult, the until we decided to take the plunge and take this trip to Egypt. 

• For information about passports and application process go here
• To apply online go here you fill the application out online, it is posted out to you for signing and returning with the  required associated items – photographs, including one signed as being a correct likeness & birth certificates etc.
• OK the childrens photo’s – tried the photo booth in Tescos – failed!  Discovered Paspic where you follow their guidance and take your own photo at home – result!  The images are checked to meet the required criteria and 4 x photos are sent back to you for the bargain price of £3.95 for a UK/European passport.  I simply stood H in front of a white wall and laid G on a white sheet with a pillow underneath – job done.  Love this service, shall be doing my own when it comes to renewal!

Packing for a family holiday
We’re staying in a hotel, we don’t need to take car seats and I have checked beach towels are supplied, my best mate has bought my nappies and baby formula however I still appear to be trying to ram the contents of my home into two bags!  I am even taking a bath – no joke!  Its showers only in Egypt but my lovely mate Becky over at Lord and Lady Tantrum has just had the first UK shipment of the much raved about in the US Puj Tub so we are going to be giving it a whirl (I feel a Vlog review in its future!)

Anyway check your luggage allowance we are flying Thomas Cook and have paid the extra for 20kg per person with a seat, Baby G also gets a complementary 10kg however her requirements are in excess of this!  What I am hoping to be able to fit into this baggage allowance *prays for a kind person at check in*: 

• The stuff we are going nowhere without – passports, e-tickets, cash & credit cards!
• The basics – knickers, bras & socks
• Washbag & make up bag
• 10 outfits for each child
• 5 outfits in mix & match combo’s for each adult
• Sun & swimsuits & armbands
• Baby carrier – I have my snugbaby (don’t forget to vote for me & G!)
• Snooze shade (review to follow!)
• H’s Trunki – filled with personal DVD player, sticker & story books & snacks
• Nappy bag with the usuals plus bottles plus a change of top for me (puke anticipation/prevention!) 
• Buggy (review to follow!) next time you see this bad boy the backdrop & kids clothes will be very different

I have to confess to being more than a little anxious about restricted liquids on planes and what the score is on taking baby feeds on board , here is what I know about this one – you could be asked to snip open any cardboard packet of pre-prepared baby milk or juice so we’re going to carry G’s formula milk as powder. 

Baby milk/food/equipment permitted
Empty containers such as empty bottles, beakers or flasks
Baby milk (tasted by the passenger)
Sterilised baby water (tasted by the passenger)
Baby juice (tasted by the passenger)
Baby food in liquid, gel or paste form (tasted by the passenger)
Baby food powder (need not be tasted)
Pushchairs are permitted and will be x-rayed

And last but by no means least here’s my travelling pharmacy:

• To treat diarrhoea – Dioralyte sachets, Imodium melts & Kaolin for kids
• Calpol & neurofen sachets
• Teething releif
• Milton tablets for sterilizing
• Plasters & antiseptic cream
• Antiseptic wipes
• Hand gels
• Adult pain relief – Paracetamol & Ibuprofen
• Piriton syrup for kids (anti-histimine)
• Phenergan (anti-histimine, also sedative for night flight home)
• Zirtec or claritan for adults (anti-histimine)
• Bug repellent – we’re taking a Love Bug (review to follow!) & jungle formula room plug in
• Strong UV cream
• Sun block stick
• Beach shoes / jelly sandles
• Sun hats
• Arm bands
• Zantac for indigestion
• Sun tent

Have I forgetten anything?!  Probably nothing I can’t buy but tips, links to posts on holidaying etc. please do comment & share. 

So with that lot crammed into two suitcases, then our car, then dragged through Manchester Airport, with a few swear words thrown in for good measure, we should be on our way to sunnier climes! 

ARRIVEDERCI x

Now left to right the roll call goes:  Sparks, Trixie, Twitch, Stretch, Peas-in-a-pod, Buzz, Woody, Ken, Buttercup, Lots-O’-Huggin’ Bear.

Now this guy Sparks has got “Requires two AA batteries (not included)” written all over him!  My direct line to the Mouse in the know on Toy Story 3 tells me that Sparks will fly – literally – during electrifying playtimes with this new robot friend Sparks!  My ears are under threat at just the thought of Sparks coming to live at Lancaster Towers!   

This retro-inspired toy has flashing red LED eyes and a blaster cavity that actually spits out real sparks (Sparking action completely child-safe!) when he’s rolled along on his sturdy rubber wheels. Sparks also sports telescoping arms with working pincers, and an elevator action that raises his entire body to new heights.

Don’t forget the UK release date is July 23, 2010 – get it in the diaries folks me and Lil’ H will see you there!