Well time to put winter clothes away and break out the Tee's and shorts ! It's also the time to go through what you (and the kids) have. Weed out the things you won't wear. Divide them into 2/3 piles.

Pile 1 ~ stuff that looks new

Pile 2 ~ garage sale

Pile 3 ~ items to donate

Pile 2 and 3 can be combined if your not going to have a garage sale. And if you are, whatever is left from the sale goes into items to donate.

Now for the items in Pile 1. In my neck of the woods we have stores that resell name brand clothing. You take your stuff in and they buy it from you. They pay a bit more then you would get at a garage sale, so it's worth it if you have more then a few items. Keep in mind that they will be buying clothing for the upcoming season. They proably aren't in the market for winter wear in April. You can find them by checking the phone book under resale shops or look online. Search for resale clothing shops in your town/city. Then call before you go. Ask if they buy used items, what type of items they will consider buying (brand name only, children, adult that sort of thing). You should also consider consignment shops for any really expensive items. They resell your item and keep a % of the sale. Make sure the items are clean and stain free. Also check to make sure all the buttons are there and any ripped seams are sewed up. Now you aren't going to get what you paid for them but every little bit helps.

And don't forget to browse around the shop while you wait for your items to be checked. There are some things that just never go out of style and you can find really good deals on just like new brand name items (our shop carries clothing, purses, belts, hats and even shoes). You can also find things at some of the thrift stores. Look over anything you find very carefully. Most of them DO NOT take returns. Check for missing buttons, rips, stains, zippers that don't work. And try it on ! No use getting something even at a steal if it doesn't fit. Tip, if your looking for shorts, check out the pants. You can always cut and hem (if you want a more finished look) them. Look for things that you can add to what you already have and give it a new look.

I'll save what to do with Piles 2/3 for the next hub. Got some tips on how to make your next garage sale successful.