How I Kicked the Second-Hand Stigma

Yep, I’ll admit it. I was one of those moms. The kind of mom who would never shop second-hand for my baby, reasoning that my child deserved nothing but the best. And ewww, what about the germs? In my perception, thrift stores were dark, stinky places where used clothing would go to die. Not that I was super-well off, but come on, I wasn’t desperate.

My best friend from work would shop resale all the time. She’d often return from lunch with a sizable bag of baby clothes. Sure, the things she’d find were cute, almost new-looking, and the prices were super cheap. But I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. Did her husband lose his job? Did she get a demotion?

Then it hit me. It hit me right in the wallet.  As I snipped the $39.99 tags off my daughter’s new outfit, I realized that something I just paid a lot of money for had now drastically decreased in value. Once the sales tag is off, it’s unreturnable. And it’ll be worth even less when my daughter actually wears it…or heaven forbid, spits up on it. Not to mention, will it even still fit in a week after she has another crazy growth spurt? It really got me thinking. Maybe my friend was right. After all, she drove a way nicer car than I did.

According to most financial advisors, baby clothes are among the top 10 items you should buy second hand. The cost of having a baby alone can quickly deplete the bank account. Think of things you have to buy. Diapers, wipes, formula, more diapers. And did I mention diapers?

Most new parents end up with way more clothes than they could ever use anyway, after baby showers and gifts from excited friends and family. And don’t forget about grandparents who are the worst offenders at going overboard on gifts.  That explained why my friend’s thrift store finds were more new than used. My snobbery was humbled.

I eventually gave in and tagged along to my friend’s treasured resale store. I’ll admit, I was surprised. This was not my mother’s thrift store. It was bright, well-organized and it didn’t smell like feet. The staff was nice, seemed knowledgeable.  I even found a few outfits for my daughter. Of course I only bought ones that were new with tags, but hey, baby steps. And the prices? Wow! I think my total bill was just over $20 for four outfits. I also learned that I could sell the things my daughter outgrew for cash or store credit. Boom, I was sold.

Several years and one child later, I overcame my resale phobia. So much so that I opened a kid’s resale store of my own. After being open for seven years, I truly feel like I’m making a valuable contribution to my community, families and especially the environment. Less waste for the landfills.

Thankfully, a lot of moms today are getting over it and discovering the benefits, even the enjoyment of shopping second-hand. So if you haven’t tried it already, come over to the resale side. And let one of those moms foot the bill for the new stuff.

Kid to Kid is in Covington, WA