Kids Clothing Trading Post

Cancellation Policy

2011-11-02T09:56:00.000-07:00

From now on if you are a No show/No call to your scheduled appointment:

For first time traders that don't show up and don't notify me that they will not be making their appointment, they will not be allowed to rebook and their chance at enjoying the benefits of the post are gone.
For existing account traders, if you have "trades" on the books from when you purchased multiple trades, you will be deducted one trade. If you have only credit on the books, you will be deducted 50 points from your account. Once your account balance reaches zero, you will no longer be welcomed back to the post.

Help!!

2011-09-07T09:36:00.000-07:00

I started the KCTP as a way to give back to my community and bring families together to help each other. And over the past year we have done exactly that. Growing from a handful of donations to a 200 square foot shed that is overflowing with great clothes and hundreds of happy traders making their way to Port Orchard every afternoon.

It was never intended to be this big money maker, because if it could be, then someone would have done it already! I want to keep the service open to anyone and keep it affordable, but so many people are now taking advantage of this service and are about to ruin it for everyone.

Every week, I have a handful of traders book appointments and not show up at all. They don't call or email, they just don't show up. I have tried the new online booking system that sends email reminders of their appointment along with my cell phone number that they can call to cancel if need be. I've given people chances and heard every story in the book as to why they couldn't make it or call me for days. But this has to stop.

Every time someone blows off their appointment, we all lose out. The trader that really wanted that time slot and the fact that there went another $5 that could have gone to paying off the $4,000.00 shed that was built to help all of you. Not to mention the fact that I work full time and commute two hours a day, then come home and spend another hour out in the shed waiting for traders that never show up, missing out on spending the small amount of time I have with my family. But what do they care, they just see a service that they can take advantage of and that the nice lady behind the counter will let it go once again. Well, not any more!

This is a service for our community, but it can no longer be for anyone. This will be a service for those that respect it, respect the other traders and respect me. I will not tolerate no shows anymore. If you were to not show up to a date or a job interview, do you honestly think that would be okay and that you would be welcomed back next time? In order to keep the trading post going and to keep me from throwing in the towel and saying to heck with all of it, I need to do some thinking and I need your advice.

Here are some options/ideas that I'm putting out there. I may implement none or all of them, but I'd like to hear your thoughts on the matter.

No shows/No calls. For first time traders that don't show up and don't notify me that they will not be making their appointment, they will not be allowed to rebook and their chance at enjoying the benefits of the post are gone. For existing account traders, if you have "trades" on the books from when you purchased multiple trades, you will be deducted one trade. If you have only credit on the books, you will be deducted 50 points from your account. Once your account balance reaches zero, you will no longer be welcomed back to the post.
Prepaying for trades. I'm going to be playing around with this one and see if I can link Pay Pal to the booking website so that in order to book an appointment, you must prepay for that appointment online. The cost of the trade would go up to $7/trade in order to cover the Pay Pal fees. But I think that if people were to prepay for their session, they will be motivated to actually show up. If they needed to reschedule, the payment would just be applied to their rescheduled appointment.
Raising the trading fee. I could just go ahead and raise the trading fee in order to make up for the loss incurred by the no shows. I'm not sure how much it would need to be increased to, but I need to be able to make the monthly payments on the shed, or I will be forced to shut down the post. I would hate to do this, because it would be like punishing those that follow the rules, but it seems like the threat of not being able to trade here is not enough to keep the doors open.

I open the floor to you. I started this by asking all of you for help over a year ago, to bring this idea to life and to make it worth it to all of us. With your continued help and support, we've been able to keep this running and reach out to more and more parents and caregivers all over Washington and other states as well! I realize now, that I cannot do this on my own and I need your help again. Let me know what you think or if you have any other ideas that may solve this problem. I really want to hear from all of you!

First Time Moms - You gals have to read this!

2011-06-03T07:10:00.000-07:00

At some point all mothers are "First Time Moms" and with that title comes a lot of uncertainty, but one thing is for sure, we want the absolute best for our new baby! I was there just three and a half years ago and I bought EVERYTHING new! I just couldn't stomach the thought of putting something used on my little angel. I went shopping like crazy and normally, I hate spending money, but I made sure that I had everything on that list I found (online of course) of all the items you will absolutely need once the baby arrives. And it came without saying that it all had to match....the car seat, the stroller, the diaper bag, the mini diaper bag and the portable crib!

Looking back, I wished I would have gone about it differently!

While some items I agree you should purchase new, such as car seats and bottles, other things such as clothing and bedding, you should look into getting second hand. Here's why...

1. Babies grow fast! Infants grow at such an alarming rate that you may not have enough time to get them into all of those cute outfits before they're on to the next size. Some babies are even born too big to fit into newborn sizes (great! there goes that whole drawer of clothes!) From running the trading post, I have seen so many newborn outfits come in that are brand stinking new, still on the original hangers and with the tags still on them! Most moms say that even if you were to put a new outfit on your baby every 4 hours, you still won't be able to get through all the clothes you will accumulate for your first born.

Solution: Go crazy! Buy all the cute outfits you want, but get them at the Trading Post. Spend just a fraction of what you would at the mall and get it all. That way, when your baby has outgrown them just as fast as we said they would, you won't feel sick knowing that you spend $40 on something that was only worn once! You just take those clothes that you got such an incredible deal on back to the KCTP and trade them in for bigger ones!

2. You won't know until you know. When I was a First Time Mom (FTM) I had no idea what I would need, so I "Googled" it! I found list after list posted by the baby stores of must have items and I fell for it. But the bottom line is you don't really know what you'll need until you need it.
I bought a ton of these zipper pajamas because I thought I would need them. I found out quick that I hated them because it was too difficult to change a diaper in the middle of the night with one of those blasted zipper pjs on!!! So they never got used and that money went down the drain.

Solution: Get a little bit of everything! At the mall, a lot of the clothes are sold in packs, so you may be stuck with multiple items of something that doesn't make your life easier. At the Trading Post, you can get a little something of everything. Try it out, if it works great, come back and get more! If not, no big deal, just bring it back and get something else.

3. Babies are expensive! There are things that I agree you should never buy used, such as diapers, food and car seats. So why not save money where you can by spending less on clothing! By getting all of your baby's clothes at the trading post, you will now be able to afford diapers and baby food without having to give up cable TV and your cell phone! By saving where you can and where it makes sense, it will make the financial burden of a new family member less noticeable and result in a much happier home.

Solution: The Kids Clothing Trading Post has an amazing variety of infant clothing. All of the items are in excellent condition and so very affordable. I cannot stress to you how much money you'll be able to save if you just take advantage of the post! My favorite thing new moms say when they shop at the post is "Urgh, I just paid full price for this at the store!!" That's when I tell them, "I hope you saved the receipt and you can take it back!"

So to all of my FTMs out there that are maybe just a wee bit curious on what the Kids Clothing Trading Post could offer you, just take a chance and come check it out. If it's not for you, no worries there's no cost if you don't like it. But I'm pretty sure that you'll find something that will tickle your fancy and you'll feel really good about saving money!

From one mom to another, this is a really good idea and I'm not just saying that because it's my idea!
~Michele

Big News

2011-03-22T10:23:00.000-07:00

Hello Traders!

Some big announcements here, so I’ll get right to it!

The trading post will be closed for three weeks in April including Easter (4/11 – 5/4)!! So if you are planning on stopping by to stock up on Spring attire, please be sure to make your appointment soon! There are a bunch of open trade times right now, but I’m sure once this email goes out to the hundreds of traders out there, they will start to fill up fast! Click here to get to our booking website now!

Saturday Trading on April 2nd from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM!! Since the post will be closed for most of April and I haven’t been able to open for a Saturday in March, April 2nd will be a big day and I am going to try to get as many of you traders in as I can! Spots are limited, so PLEASE keep your appointment. Here’s how it is going to work:

Option 1: Trading In and Trading Out
***If you are going to bring in clothes to Trade In, then you will need to schedule a 30 minute appointment by visiting our booking website here. Remember that trades are limited to one small box (diaper box size) or shopping bag (reusable size) and that there is a $5.00 trading fee.

Option 2: Trading Out ONLY
***If you are going to use your credit already on the books to Trade Out ONLY, then you do not need an appointment. Just stop in between 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM and start shopping. The $5.00 trading fee will still apply. If you would like to know how many credit points you have, please email me and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

Option 3: Cash Purchases
***If you are looking to make Cash Purchases only, then you do not need an appointment. Just stop in between 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM and start shopping. Since you will not be using credit points, the $5.00 trading fee DOES NOT apply.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email me and I hope to see you all very soon! Remember to log on as soon as you can to book that appointment, don’t say I didn’t warn you……

Facebook Fans Celebration!

2011-02-05T08:27:00.000-08:00

This week we hit 350 fans on Facebook and we are going to celebrate!

This Saturday, February 5th for 3.5 hours (10:00 AM – 1:30 PM) we will be hosting an Open House for a fee of only $3.50!!

What’s an Open House you ask? Well, it’s a chance for you existing traders to come by and spend the credit you already have on the books! You don’t even need an appointment, so come early before the sizes you’re looking for are gone! Plus, you’ll be able to shop as long as you like for just the flat fee!

If you don’t have existing credit and would like to just come to shop, you are more than welcome! Our prices are low and the baby selection is huge!

We’ll be shutting down right at 1:30 PM, so don’t wait for the last minute! And remember, I won’t be taking trades in that day; it will just be a change for those with existing credit to spend those points for a reduced fee!

Cancellation Policy

2011-01-18T09:10:00.000-08:00

With appointment times limited to just 4 per day, it is very important that everyone make it to their scheduled appointment. However, we understand that unavoidable things come up and cancelling your appointment becomes necessary. We ask that you notify us as soon as possible that you will need to cancel your appointment so that we may offer that time slot to another trader.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations may be made online up to 3 hours before your scheduled appointment. To do this, just click on the link provided in the confirmation email you received after booking your appointment online.

If you are unable to cancel online, you MUST contact Michele preferably by phone (360) 689-3142 or by email or Facebook to let us know that you are cancelling your appointment.

As an existing trader, if you are a "No Show, No Call", the trading fee will be deducted from your account.
As a new trader, if you are a "No Show, No Call" TWICE, you will not be allowed to return.

We reserve the right to refuse service to those that are habitually "No Show, No Call".

Now Open M-F 3-5PM by Appointment Only

2011-01-03T15:10:00.000-08:00

Happy 2011!! I have started the year off with, get this, another job! After reflecting on 2010 and the income potential from the trading post, I have decided that I need to take on another job in order to make ends meet at home.

What this means to you is that I will only be able to take 30 minute appointments Monday - Friday between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM. That's 4 appointments a day and they can fill up fast, so please book them as soon as you can! You can book your appointment up to 14 days in advance.

I have also moved to a different online appointment booking system that will allow you to view dates and times that are available and receive immediate email confirmation of your appointment. No More Email Tag!! Love it! You can get to this site by clicking on the "book now" button to the right.

Once you're there, you can choose to either schedule a "Trading Appointment" or "Shopping Appointment". Click on either one and you'll be able to select a date on the calendar, then time slots will appear on the right. Choose a time that works for you and then enter in your information. Click continue and then confirm your information. Once you've clicked on "Confirm Appointment" a confirmation email will be sent to the email you provided!

I will have one Saturday a month that I will be open for appointments so be sure to look out for those dates on the calendar if you are unable to make it through the week!

Thanks so much for your support through 2010 and let's make 2011 even better!

Happy Trading!
~Michele

Gift Certificates

2010-12-01T16:08:00.000-08:00

Just in time for the Holidays, KCTP Gift Certificates are in!!

They make the perfect gift for any parent who wants to not only save their money, but the environment too!

Gift Certificates can be purchased in any denomination and can be used to purchase quality used clothing or to pay for the trading fee!

You can purchase them here on our website, by clicking on the Buy Gift Certificates tab on the left or you can get them at the Trading Post on your next visit!

If you choose to purchase here online using your PayPal account, you can choose to pick up the card at the Trading Post or to have it mailed to either yourself or the lucky gift recipient! Just be sure to select the right "Buy Now" button and to include the correct shipping address. You can even enter in a personal greeting!

Last Day To Buy Cheaper Punch Cards!!

2010-11-30T09:33:00.000-08:00

Today is the last day that we will be offering the Multiple Trade Punch Cards at the lower price. Be sure to pick up your punch cards here on our website today to get in on the savings!! Starting at 12:01 AM, December 1st, 2010 the new prices will be in effect. If you don't have a PayPal account or would like to pay with cash, email me and we can set up a time for you to stop by the post!

11/30/2010 Price:
1 time trade = $3.00
4x punch card = $10.00 ($2.50/trade)
10x punch card = $20.00 ($2.00/trade)
22x punch card = $40.00 ($1.80/trade) **Best Value**

Starting 12/01/2010:
1 time trade = $5.00
5x punch card = $20.00 ($4.00/trade)
10x punch card = $35.00 ($3.50/trade) **Best Value**

Black Friday Special

2010-11-24T12:48:00.000-08:00

Since I am such a huge fan of Black Friday (as a lot of you already know from our conversations while trading!) I have decided to have my own Black Friday Special!
Purchase a $20.00 punch card online using your PayPal account on Friday, November 26th between 12:01 AM and 11:59 PM PST and receive an additional trade for free! That adds up to a savings of $35.00 or 64%!!! Love it!

Remember, the Trading Fee will increase to $5.00 per trade next week Wednesday, December 1st, so don't be caught without your punch card!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and your families and have a safe and thrifty Black Friday!

Happy Trading,
~Michele

Buy Punch Cards Online

2010-11-10T17:46:00.000-08:00

Starting in December, we will be increasing our trading fee to $5.00. It's still a great deal for the price and although I hate to charge more, we need to cover the cost of building the shed.

With that being said, the punch cards will still hold their value, so my advice is to stock up on those punch cards and rack up on the savings!

Traders now have the ability to purchase punch cards online using PayPal. Just click on Buy Punch Cards and select the right card for you. Since we track the number of punches left on your account, there is no need to have a hard copy.

We are also offering a Jumbo Punch Card worth 22 trades for only $40.00! That really knocks down the price per trade to just $1.80! If you really do the math, you'll save $70.00 in trading fees!

The prices for the punch cards are only good through November, so be sure to pick yours up soon! You can still purchase them with cash at the post. Once December rolls around we'll be increasing the prices of the punch cards as well.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at michele.evans@wavecable.com

Happy Trading!
~Michele

Weekly Wednesday Specials!

2010-11-09T16:11:00.000-08:00

Starting tomorrow and every Wednesday, I'll be sending out a "Weekly Wednesday Special" email to everyone on our email list! Specials may include certain items that are discounted and others that will be worth DOUBLE POINTS when you bring them in to trade!

Unlike other information that will be posted here on the blog as well as Facebook, these deals will only be announced to those on our emailing list! So to make sure that you don't miss out, email me at michele.evans@wavecable.com to get signed up!

Tomorrow will be our first "Weekly Wednesday Special" so email me today and take advantage of the special of the week!

Happy Trading!
~Michele

New Schedule - By Appointment!

2010-11-01T15:52:00.000-07:00

Awesome news, the new store is a hit! It’s dry and somewhat warm and cozy and it allows us to be open more often! So instead of just being limited to Wednesdays and every other Saturday, we are going to be open by appointment Monday through Saturday!

It’s super easy and way more convenient for everyone! Just send me an email michele.evavans@wavecable.com with your request for a certain time and date and we’ll make it happen! You’ll get full access to the entire latest inventory and you’ll have the whole shop to yourself! You can also schedule a trading party and bring along a few of your friends! Just be sure to let me know how many of you will be there and if they are first time traders.

Now you’ll be able to trade whenever you want and not have to wait in line! I’ve already started booking appointments, so send in your requests now!

Head of the Line

2010-10-28T20:26:00.000-07:00

This Saturday is our grand opening and I must say, I am super excited! We are going to be working our fingers to the bone getting everything tagged and ready for trading, so be sure to come and check out all of our hard work!

We are going to be open from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM and we are making appointments for those that wish to receive Head of the Line privilege during the open hours. By scheduling your time of arrival (between 10-2PM) you'll be able to skip any line that might have been forming from the walk ins and get taken care of right away! This will save you a ton of time just standing around and if you've been here before you know how crazy things can get!

Just email me at michele.evans@wavecable.com if you would like to schedule your Head of the Line appointment for this Saturday!

SAVE THE DATE!!!

2010-10-13T09:57:00.000-07:00

Construction is almost complete and the store is taking shape! Just a few more weeks to get everything in order and the paperwork complete and we are ready to go! On Saturday, October 30th from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM we will be opening our doors for the very first time!

Be sure to read over the new Guidelines and How It Works since all the previous changes we've made to our system will now be in place. If you have any questions, please let me know.

Also, in the near future I will be adding a tab at the top of the page Do's & Don'ts that will have pictures of what to do and what not to do. Hopefully this will help to answer any questions.

I hope you are all as excited as I am and that we see you all at the Grand Opening!!

As always, Happy Trading!

~Michele

Lots of Changes!

2010-09-23T15:54:00.000-07:00

Okay, so here's the scoop!

After speaking with my tax guy Tom, we came to the conclusion that what we are doing now does not qualify for tax exempt status with the IRS. What that means is that although we are operating as a nonprofit in the State of Washington, we would not be eligible to offer a tax deduction for donations or apply for federal grants for funding. Without that tax exempt status, we cannot continue to operate in the same manner as we have for the past 6 months.

So, we have decided to go another route and become a regular for profit business. We will be modeling our business after a consignment shop, but continue to offer a more valued service by trading at equal value and keeping our trading fees low. All the changes will take effect in October. The October schedule will be out soon!

There will be changes to the point value system, where items of the same category will have different point values based on size. For example, a pair of size 5T jeans will have a greater point value than a pair of size 0-3 month jeans. This will give parents with older children more credit points to spend and it will reduce the number of points needed to purchase infant items.

Another big change will be that all of the clothing items will now have "point tags" on them. You'll be able to shop knowing how many points you are spending without having to worry about having enough at checkout! Plus checking out will be a lot faster since we won't have to sort through all of the clothes and plug them into the system.

We will also be discontinuing trading the following items UNLESS they are part of a set:

Socks
Hats
Bibs
Mittens (Winter Gloves are Okay)
Onesies that are LARGER than 12 months
Larger bedding such as crib sets and large afghans (NB blankets and Swaddlers are Okay)
Shoes larger than toddler size 11

***Remember, if you have these items that are part of a set, they can be traded. Just make sure that they are placed together so that there is no mistaking that it is part of the outfit.

The last few changes will be on our "trader's" end! Yes, that means you! Real simple and a lot of you already do it, so don't freak out! When you bring your items in for trading, they MUST meet the following additional criteria or we will ask that you come back to trade on another day. To read over how to trade, which has the complete listing of trade requirements, please click on the tab at the top of the page labeled "How It Works".

Clothing must be separated by size. This is a big one! Since points will now be based on the size as well as the category, the different sizes must be separated before trading. If you do not separate the sizes, you can still trade that day, however, everything will be given point values according to the smallest size in the box. Shoes can be bunched together and we will go through them according to a generic size chart.
Sets must be put together. Certain items are now no longer going to be traded unless they are part of a set. To ensure that we assess the correct point value for your items, please group all of the pieces for your sets together.
We will only take ONE box of clothes per customer per trading day. If you have tons of clothes that you want to trade, you will need to bring them in one box at a time. We cannot make any exceptions.

Please email me if you have any questions regarding the changes that are not answered here on this website. We want to thank you for your continued interest in the Kids Clothing Trading Post and hope to see you again soon!

As always, Happy Trading!
~Michele

We did it!

2010-09-13T07:07:00.000-07:00

Phew! The Garage Sale Fundraiser is finally over and we did great! I want to extend a big thank you to everyone who was able to donate goods to sell at this year's fundraising event and to those that came out to shop! We had about 200 shoppers and although we didn't make enough money to move the trading post out of my garage, we were able to reach our goal to take KCTP to the next level of tax exempt status!

Once we have finished the tax exempt process with the IRS, we'll be able to apply for federal grants and corporate funding. We'll also be able to offer a tax deduction for donated items, the same way Goodwill does, and hopefully that will attract parents of older children to donate their child's clothing to the trading post which will increase our inventory in the larger sizes!

This process is long and tedious, but very exciting as it will benefit us all and will allow KCTP to grow into the community service we need!

Here is a short video of the sale. Please enjoy and we hope to see all of you back next year!

Happy Trading!
~Michele

Garage Sale Fundraiser This Weekend!!!

2010-09-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

We are almost there and believe me, I am ready to sell, sell, sell!! We have collected some amazing items from amazing people in our community! Thank you so much to everyone that donated this year! Just to give you an idea on the amount of items we have to sell, we've rented a 360 sqft storage unit that is full, my downstairs bathroom is full, Holli's garage is full and we still have people donating items! There really is something for everyone!

Check out our listing on Craigslist and please tell all your friends, co-workers, family, church members, day care provider, grocery cashiers, neighbors (even the ones you don't like!) to come on down!

There will be lots of covered space to keep dry or stay cool and no reasonable offer will be refused!

We'll be taking pictures/video and will be posting them here on the blog as well as Facebook! We plan to sell everything and have a good time doing it!

All the money that we make from this sale will be used to help us move forward and into a larger space!

Thanks again for reading and I hope to see all of you this weekend!

~Michele

The Strawberries Are Here!

2010-09-01T12:31:00.000-07:00

The Strawberry Bag is here! Tuck it in its berry drawstring pouch. Pull it out for instant travel carry! A fun alternative to plastic bags, the EcoBerry is the stylish, foldable, stow-and-go tote for your errands. No fuss travel, the eye-catching EcoBerry is made of water-resistant material for rainy day trips. Durable and easy to clean, this Earth friendly accessory is 100% recyclable!

Now the next time you come to spend your trading points, no need for that plastic grocery bag, just pick up the EcoBerry and you're good to go!

I just did a Google search and these bags go for as much as $8.95 online! Get them from the KCTP on trade days for only $2.00! I only have a limited number of bags and they are going quick. Once this first order is gone, I'll be going back for more and then I'll make them available for purchase online with your Paypal account!

Thanks for reading and Happy Trading!
~Michele

Let the countdown begin!

2010-08-31T09:08:00.000-07:00

We are down to just 10 days before the big Garage Sale Fundraiser! We've collected an amazing amount of donations to sell the weekend of September 11th and 12th. Trust me when I say, you don't want to miss this one!

The plan is to have a bunch of pop up tents and a large canopy tent out in the front yard, so come rain or shine we'll have dry or shaded place to shop! Some of the categories that will be showcased at our sale are:

Toys
Sporting Equipment
Crafting Supplies
Office Supplies
Vintage Collectables
Furniture
Clothes
Fashion Accessories
Camping Gear
Audio/Visual
Electronics
Home Decor
Holiday Decorations
Housewares
Books/CDs/DVDs/Cassettes/Vinyl

Everything will be priced to move and no reasonable offer will be refused! Everything must go by Sunday afternoon or it will be donated to the local GoodWill. So please take advange and come out to support this community service!

Thanks for reading and Happy Trading!

~Michele

A VERY BIG THANK YOU!

2010-08-18T09:34:00.000-07:00

Over this past week we have collected a lot of great items to sell at our Garage Sale Fundraiser and I want to say thank you to those who have donated so far!

Maureen - Kingston
Carrie - Port Orchard
Melodie - Bremerton
Darcy - Port Orchard
Janna - Gig Harbor
Janice - Gig Harbor
Wanda - Port Orchard
Tanya - Gig Harbor
Holly - Port Orchard
Mary Allison - Port Orchard
We'd love to add your name to the list! We will continue to collect donated items until Thursday, September 9th. So please give us a call or send us an email to schedule a pick up! You can also drop your items off during any of our open trading times!

Here is a list of some of the items that we are interested in, just to give you an idea! The only items we cannot take are broken/old TVs, computer and/or monitors.

Small Appliances
Electronics
Dishes/Linen
Clothing
DVDs
Tools
Sporting Equipment
Toys
Crafting Supplies
School Supplies
Furniture
Collectables
Home Décor
Pet Supplies
Baby/Kids Gear

Thanks for reading and as always, Happy Trading!

~Michele

Garage Sale Fundraiser

2010-08-04T09:54:00.000-07:00

It's time to prepare for our first ever Garage Sale Fundraiser! No garage sale is complete without usable goods to sell and we need your "good junk"! It will be the weekend of September 11th & 12th (Saturday/Sunday) from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM!

We are asking that you donate items that are still usable and in good condition. Depending on the amount that you are able to donate to the sale, you will receive up to 5 FREE TRADES!! If you have items that you would like to donate, you can either drop them off at the trading post or let us know and we'll come by to pick them up! We will be collecting donations from now until September 9th!
We will not be able to take old or non-working TVs, computers or monitors.

We will also be hosting a BAKE SALE table and a CRAFT SALE table, so if you've got a "to die for" cookie recipe or an artistic side, please let us know and we'll make room for your goodies too!

Please know that whatever you are able to donate will be going to a great cause for our community. The KCTP has been growing in popularity since the day we opened and parents from all over Kitsap, Mason and Pierce Counties have been able to benefit from our services. To continue to meet the needs of our community we need to grow and expand into a larger, more permanent space. Therefore, all the money we make from this sale will go towards moving us into a local mini storage unit so that we can be open longer and more often!!

Any items that are not sold by the end of Sunday 9/12, will be donated to Goodwill. The baked and crafted goods will be continued to sold on trading days. If there are items that you have donated and would like them back if they do not sell, just let either Michele or Holli know and we'll be sure to make note of that.

Thank you so much in advance for your continued support and we look forward to hearing from you soon!

As always, Happy Trading!

~Michele

Fundraising Ideas!

2010-07-30T10:56:00.000-07:00

If you've been following us on Facebook, you already know that we are looking into moving our operations to a mini storage facility just up the street from my house. It will be a great opportunity for us to grow and to keep up with the needs of our community.
Although my dream location would be a fabulous retail store front in the heart of Port Orchard, moving into a storage unit will be a huge step in the right direction and for the right price. Most retail spaces go for $10 per square foot and the storage unit is only about $1 per square foot, plus I won't have to pay electricity or any other fees that go with a retail space!
However, rent is rent and when you're only charging $3 per trade at most, it would take a whole lot of trades just to cover the rent and then there would be nothing left for the supplies! So, fundraising it is!
Holli Sergent, Development Committee Chair (or Fundraising Guru as I like to call her), will be meeting with me on Monday to go over our fundraising options. Two heads are better than one, but I figure I've got 100 "traders" let's get their thoughts too!
Please email me or comment on Facebook your money making ideas, so we can take this show on the road!

Thanks for reading and as always Happy Trading!
~Michele

KCTP Credit Points Donation

2010-07-26T13:46:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend I met a wonderful first time "trader" named Tammi. She came in with a couple of boxes of clothes that she wanted to trade in and found some treasures for her little peanut. Of course like many of our parents, she ended up with a lot of KCTP credit points and decided to keep an account open.

Later that weekend, I received an email from Tammi:

"My husband and I prayed over the amount you said I had and we would love to donate 100.00 credit to some family that could truly need it and use it. We have a lot more clothes to give you which we won't get to them until after summer break since we go camping a lot. I am sure you know a family that can truly use 100.00 credit with you?..... You can give it away as your choice we trust that you would do the right thing. I personally know that at a time in my past if someone gave me 100.00 credit to use on clothes I would have been very grateful and blessed......Giving this gift of clothing to someone that could truly use and need it would be such a HUGE BLESSING to us. I truly love what you are doing and if there is anything I could do to help you please please let me know."

So now I am working with local agencies that help families in need to find out where I can donate these clothes to or extend an invitation for these families to come and pick out clothes for free.

If you would like to follow in Tammi's footsteps and donate a portion of your KCTP credit points, please let me know. You can also email me to find out your credit balance.

I would like to extend a heart felt Thank You to Tammi and her family for being the first in hopefully a long line of KCTP "Traders" that will give back to our community anyway we can!

Thanks for reading and as always, Happy Trading!
~ Michele Evans

Fishing for Complements!!

2010-07-20T11:25:00.000-07:00

Yes, that is exactly what I am doing and I'm not afraid to say it!

The Kids Clothing Trading Post is growing faster than weeds! There are so many clothing items that I can't even fit them on the racks and so they sit in boxes in my house. I'm out of room and our only solution at this time is to build a storage shed on our property that will house all of the clothes in a retail store fashion. So it's fundraising time!

We are in the process of writing letters that will be sent out to local businesses requesting donations to help us build this store. What these businesses really want to read about is what the people that actually use this service think.

So here is where you come in! I'd love to hear what you have to say about the trading post! The comments that we use may be edited for size only, NOT content. Your name will appear as First L., City. For example Michele E., Port Orchard.

Please email your comments to michele.evans@wavecable.com or you can post your comment on Facebook!

Thanks for reading and Happy Trading!
~Michele Evans

Tips for trading!

2010-07-17T12:22:00.000-07:00

Hello "Traders",

After being open for a while and seeing the rush of people that come each day to trade, I've come up with a few tips and requests to help make everyone's trading experience more enjoyable and make it go a bit more smoothly! Please take a moment to read over these and let me know if you have any questions!

1. Read over the Guidelines for Acceptable Items and go through the clothes that you want to trade to make sure that you're not lugging over items that I won't be able to take as trade ins.

2. Have the clothes "right side out". When the clothes are inside out, it takes longer to go through them and asses the value, making your wait time longer.

3. If you can, please have the clothes folded or laid out neatly. This will also save time. Digging through giant garbage bags of clothes to sort them takes a lot of time and you may not want to wait that long.

4. Try to match up the 2 or 3 piece outfits. Your credit amount could be higher if items are counted as 2 or 3 piece sets and not on their own.

5. If it takes you more than one trip to your car to load up all the boxes or bags of clothes, then please schedule a time with me to drop them off so that I can go through them prior to your trading day. That way when you do come to trade, you'll have your credit amount waiting for you and you won't have to spend so much time waiting for me to sort through them. To schedule a drop off just email me at michele.evans@wavecable.com

6. Get here at least 15 minutes before closing time to ensure that you are able to get your trade on! I close promptly at closing time, so that I can get back to my other jobs of being a mom and a wife. The average trade takes 15 minutes, so please give yourself enough time to get here before closing.

Growing Pains

2010-07-13T14:20:00.000-07:00

In just two days the KTCP has had over $1300 worth of inventory come in! That's 600+ new pieces of clothing! Once again KCTP is experiencing major growing pains and I need your help! I'm trying to find an alternative to running the KCTP out of my home, my space has been maxed out.

There really is no budget for this since the trading fee is only $3/trade and I don't want to charge more.

There is the idea of running it out of a mini self storage unit in the area. I've called a couple but I would need one that would allow customers to drive up and visit my space. Most storage facilities are gated and you would need a security code to get in. If you know of one in Port Orchard that would work, please let me know.

I've also thought about getting a storage shed to place in the yard. I have the space for it, but the initial cost for the shed can be upwards of $2000.00. If I could find one that could be donated, I would need one at least 10'x12'. If you know or have one that could be donated to the Kids Clothing Trading Post, please let me know.

Any other ideas? I've looked into retail spaces in the area, but I can't afford them and I've already asked my husband if we could just buy a bigger house, but that didn't work either!

Let me know what y'all think!

Thanks for reading and Happy Trading!

~Michele

Wanna be a board member?

2010-06-18T07:58:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, I've started the Kids Clothing Trading Post as a very small operation out of my home with dreams of becoming a recognized nonprofit. Right now, I am on my way to realizing that dream and growing even more. I have now incorporated the Kids Clothing Trading Post and my next step is to take on the 501(c)(3)!
I've been able to do all this on my own, but now things are starting to get really serious and I could use some help. If you are interested in joining the board of directors please email me and let me know what you could bring to the table. I know there are a ton of really great ideas out there and I would love to put them to work!
This is all very exciting and new to me, so if you would like to be a part of this please contact me right away!

Email: michele.evans@wavecable.com

Thanks for reading and Happy Trading!
~Michele

June's NBBBO Sale

2010-06-16T13:54:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 26th from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM will be the first New Born Baby Blow Out Sale! I have gone through the inventory and pulled a bunch of NB-9mos clothes that have been sitting around and I'm looking to get them gone! Prices start at just $0.20 and nothing is over $4.00! All the money made will go right back into the trading post and all items that are not sold that day will be donated to local charities that will hand out the clothes directly to those in need.
For more information please read my previous post or email me at michele.evans@wavecable.com .

Please note that there will be no trading on that Saturday 6/26.

Thanks for reading and Happy Trading!
~Michele Evans

Newborn Baby Blow Out!

2010-05-18T14:14:00.000-07:00

...and no, it's not a reference to a really dirty diaper! Instead, it's a giant sale that I'll be having some time in June to slim down my newborn size inventory.

Why, you ask? Think of it this way....the trading post is like a straight line for most people. Your child is 12 months old, so you come in with all of your 0-9 month sized clothes and trade them in for the larger sizes. Now if everyone does this, then I'm left with a TON of 0-9 month size clothes and no one trading in the 5T clothes! Thus, keeping it a straight line.

My plan is to go through the enormous inventory of newborn clothes, pick out some of the older stuff that hasn't moved in a long time and sell them for cash at a discounted price. This sale will be targeting the new moms and dads that don't have any clothes to trade yet.

Now here is how I bring that straight line to a circle! I'll take the money that I make from the Newborn Baby Blow Out (NBBBO) and use it to purchase used clothes (from folks in the community) in the larger 4T/5T sizes! Now, I'll have a more even inventory and again, every one in the community benefits!

I'm asking everyone to help spread the word about the NBBBO and reach out to the "soon to be" parents. Please share this blog with everyone you know and help to bring the trading post full circle! I'll be posting the exact date and time in June as soon as I can. Those on the emailing list will hear of it first, so if you would like to be on that list just email me at michele.evans@wavecable.com .

Thanks so much for reading and Happy Trading!

Dates and Times for June!

2010-05-10T09:10:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

Here are the dates and times of trading for the month of June. Please note that these dates and times are subject to change, so make sure you check this site under the Hours/Directions tab, Facebook or Craigslist to make sure that we are open before you come to trade. I also send out an email to those on the emailing list when I have to make a last minute change to the schedule, so if you would like to recieve those emails, please sign up by sending a message to michele.evans@wavecble.com .

Open Dates and Times for June:

6/9 - Wednesday 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

6/12 - Saturday 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

6/16 - Wednesday 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

6/23 - Wednesday 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

6/26 - Saturday 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

6/30 - Wednesday 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Happy Trading!

Inventory Time Again!

2010-05-03T14:55:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

It's May and I'll be conducting my monthly inventory tomorrow with the help of Emilie and Alison! If you are already on my emailing list, you'll receive an email with the inventory charts by tomorrow night. If you would like to sign up for the email list, just email me at michele.evans@wavecable.com and I'll get you all set!

Also, if you would like to volunteer for June's inventory, please let me know and I'll be sure to contact you when the time comes!

Thanks so much for reading and Happy Trading!
~Michele

Trading Fee Starts in May!!

2010-04-16T13:42:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

After a long time thinking about it, I've decided that I need to start charging a small trading fee in order to cover the cost of running the trading post. We have grown so fast and so big that it's getting harder and harder to keep up with the demand and my financial resources are stretched!

Because this is not a means for me to get rich, there are a ton of other ways to contribute that will result in waving the fee! Check out the information below and for future reference, this will be posted under the "Trading Fee Schedule" tab at the top of the page.

Trading Fee Schedule

1 time trade = $3.00
4x punch card = $10.00 ($2.50/trade)
10x punch card = $20.00 ($2.00/trade) **Best Value**

Thank You!

To honor those that have a credit balance of $50.00 or more, I will be giving out free punch cards with one free trade for every $50.00 in credit you have on the books as of April 16, 2010.

Ways to Wave the Fee!

The reason behind the fee is to help with the cost of running the trading post. Therefore, there are tons of other ways to help out and wave the fee!

**Referral bonus cards: Refer a friend to the trading post and receive a punch card good for one free trade once they trade for the first time! There is no limit to the amount of referral bonus cards you can receive!

**Donate 25 child size hangers and receive a punch card good for one free trade.

**I’ll be adding more ways to wave the fee as needed. For example, when help is needed with a certain project (inventory, hanging new clothes or a helper during an open trading session) those who volunteer will be given a punch card good for one free trade.

Punch cards are completely transferable and can be given as gifts! All punch cards will also be backed up electronically if you happen to forget or lose your card!

Last day to trade for April!!!

2010-04-12T12:27:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

Just a little reminder that this coming Saturday, April 17th will be the last day to trade for the month of April. I will be going on vacation for the next few weeks, so there will be no one to run the trading post while I am gone. If you were planning on trading soon, please stop by either Wednesday, April 14th (4:00 PM - 6:00 PM) or Saturday, April 17th (10:00 AM - 2:00 PM).

I will open again on Wednesday, May 5th. I will be posting my dates and times for May here on the blog, on Facebook and also in an email sent out to those on the mailing list!

If you have any questions or would like to know more about scheduling a trading party, please email me!

Thanks for reading!

Inventory Update

2010-04-05T17:25:00.000-07:00

I just completed the inventory for April 2010 and it has grown by 400% in just 4 weeks!! Those of you who are already on my emailing list will have gotten a copy of the inventory. If you would like a copy of the inventory update, just send me a quick email with a request to be a part of the emailing list. I will be conducting an inventory update at the start of each month. If you have any special requests (i.e. girls summer dress size 2T) you can always put that on your wish list and I'll email you when something that matches comes in.

If the trend continues and I end up increasing my inventory by another 400% over the month of April, I will need help during the inventory process. I have a pretty good setup, but I doubt I'll be able to handle it all on my own! So if you are interested in volunteering, please get in touch with me and I'll put you on the smiley list!!

Thanks so much for reading and Happy Trading!

New Schedule!

2010-03-29T20:58:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

Thank you so much for bearing with me in my crazy search to find the right times to be open for everyone! So here it is!! I will be open every Wednesday from 4-6PM and two Saturdays a month from 10-2PM. Below are the dates for the rest of March and April. They have also been posted here under the "Hours/Directions" tab and on Facebook under the "Notes" tab.

3/31 – Wednesday 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

4/7 – Wednesday 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

4/10 – Saturday 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

4/14 – Wednesday 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

4/17 – Saturday 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

For those of you who have already scheduled an appointment for the coming weeks, don’t worry, I will be open for you. I did not get enough of a response from others to stick with the weekday appointments, so this should be a better alternative.

However, I will make arrangements to be open at a certain time for parties! Gather up at least two other friends to come and trade along with you and I will work with you to schedule a time that works for everyone! I will be out of town for the last part of April, so if you have a party that wants to trade, please schedule it soon.

I hope this makes sense to you all! If not, please email me! I try to get back to everyone as quickly as possible!

Happy Trading!
~Michele

Collecting Hanger Donations

2010-03-27T08:29:00.000-07:00

I am in desperate need of hangers!

As most of you know, I hang all of the clothes (except for the onesies) so that it is easier for everyone to look through. With the inventory growing with every person that comes to trade, I have exhausted my hanger collection. The Carter's store in Auburn has donated about half of the hangers I use already, but the drive to pick them up is getting too pricey. So from now on I will be collecting donations of either hangers or cash to buy them so that I can hang all of the clothes that are piling up in boxes. Just $1 can buy 10 hangers at Wal Mart and if I’m lucky I might be able to find them at Goodwill for even less.

If you would like to make a donation, please contact me via phone or email at anytime or if you prefer, they can be left at my doorstep.

I really appreciate your help! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me!

Happy Trading!
~Michele

Trying to become a real nonprofit!!

2010-03-23T08:22:00.000-07:00

Hello all!

In just a few short weeks, the Kids Clothing Trading Post has become more popular than I had anticipated! This is great news and I'm thrilled that parents are loving this project! Now that the demand for something like this in our community is growing, I'm looking into becoming a recognized nonprofit organization in the state of Washington. By doing so, I'm hoping I will be able to be open longer, offer a tax deduction for donations and possibly get a larger space to hold more clothes!

This is a new adventure for me and I could use all the help and advice that I can get! I've done some of the initial research, but if you or anyone you know has anything to offer (even if it's just words of encouragement!) please pass them along to me! I've looked into LegalZoom.com and they do offer assistance, but at a hefty price and needless to say, that's not in the budget. =)

Thank you so much for all your support and interest in this project! I hope to continue to offer even better service and more selection to everyone in this great community.

Now Posting Large Items For Sale!

2010-03-13T13:26:00.000-08:00

I've had a few people ask me about having a way to post their larger items that they want to sell, so I've come up with a way to help advertise certain items for parents in our community.

How it works:
If you have something you are looking to sell or give away (i.e. stroller, crib, high chair, toys...), take a picture or two of the item and email it to me at michele.evans@wavecable.com with a brief description. I will then post the picture and the description on this blog under the "Large Items For Sale" tab at the top of the page. ABSOLUTELY NO CAR SEATS!! Please DO NOT email me anything about price, I won't list a price for the item, it will be up to you to negotiate.
Each item will have an item number. If you are interested in a certain item, just email me with the item number in the subject line and I'll forward your information to the owner.

***The "Large Items For Sale" tab is only a means for people to get in touch with others that are looking for something they are ready to part with. The Kids Clothing Trading Post is not involved in the actual selling/gifting of these items. All parents should make sure that the item they are considering is not one that has been listed for recall.***

Let me know what you think about the idea and if you have any suggestions on how I can make this better!

Thanks so much for reading and Happy Trading!

One more week until the grand opening!

2010-02-22T08:52:00.000-08:00

I've got one week left before I open the doors for trading! I've gotten a lot of donations from some really wonderful parents! Thank you to all! I'm still looking for the larger kids clothes, sizes 4T and 5T in both girls and boys. I will have the grand opening next week regardless, but it sure would be nice to have at least some items in each size.
I thought about buying some clothes off of Craigslist, but then I decided against it. Since this is a community service project that is not intended to make any money, I really need to watch how much money I put into it. I am still offering the $25 credit for any donation of at least one bag of clothes and I will continue to offer the credit for the rest of the week.
Check back tomorrow for the date and time of the Grand Opening! I will also post directions to my home above on the Hours/Directions tab. Also, if you have any questions about my inventory or how to get here, please feel free to email me!
Thanks for reading!

New Layout!!

2010-02-18T15:11:00.000-08:00

So as I'm doing this, I'm discovering new ways to post information on this blog! Now the major pieces of information can be found on the TABS listed above instead of having to go through the history of posts! I will also be adding an FAQ tab and will add to that as the questions come pouring in! Plus there will be an HOURS/DIRECTIONS tab above so that you can click on that for easy access to when I'll be open and directions to the trading post!

As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to email me or post a comment!
Thanks for reading and I hope to see you in March!

First Draft Pricing Chart

2010-02-16T19:02:00.000-08:00

Today I have started the task of sorting through all of the donations and assigning a dollar value to each item group, so that there will be minimal confusion when parents come to trade. You will find the pricing chart in the post below. I'm calling it my "First Draft" because I will need to add items to the list as they come in or as parents email me to ask about. Please email me if you notice something missing or if you have a question regarding a certain item group!
I've decided base pricing on item groups and NOT sizes. For example, a shirt is a shirt is a shirt! No matter if it's a newborn or a 3T, it's the same value.
I realize that a lot of parents put value in a "High End Name Brand" item and I can appreciate that. However, nothing in the trading post will be assigned a value of more than $5. This goes towards my mission of providing a budget friendly alternative for parents and making the service affordable to all.
I will have more in tomorrow's post about what clothes will be acceptable for trade and what is not. I will also go over the process of the trade and answer any questions that you all might have!
Thanks for your support! I believe that this will be a huge success and benefit to all involved and I hope to see you all in March!

$25 Credit for donating a bag of clothing!

2010-02-10T08:42:00.001-08:00

Well, I've been posting for donations on Craigslist for a few weeks now and have gotten the help of some fabulous ladies! I've started a "Thank You" section here on the blog to show my appreciation to those that have helped so far!

I plan to open in March with whatever inventory I have. Right now I've got a bunch of girl's clothing mostly 0-18 months and some size 3T. I also have some boy's clothing sizes 0-18 months. I'm still collecting donations and now I'm offering a $25 credit to anyone that makes a donation of a bag of clothing! With everything valued between $1-$5, that credit will go a long way! I want to be able to offer the parents of our community a large variety, so that there is something for everyone and with your contribution, that can be a reality!

On a side note, I'm also looking for hangers. They can be the free ones you get from the stores or just old ones you don't need anymore.

Once again, thank you so much for keeping up with the KC Trading Post and I hope to see you all in March!

Getting Started

2010-01-28T09:08:00.000-08:00

So the other day I was cleaning out my daughter's closet and realized how fast she grows out of her clothes. I mean, some of the outfits are brand new, she's just never had the chance to wear them! So I think of my options, donate them to a thrift store, save them for when the weather gets better and I can have a garage sale, or try to sell them on Craigslist. All three options are great and I've tried them all in the past, but I don't get much out of it and the work you put into it doesn't match what you get in return.

I start thinking about what would make it worth it. Wouldn't it be nice if I could take her clothes somewhere and trade them for clothes that would fit her now. An even trade, I get what she needs and someone else will be able to go there and get what they need. No money involved, no garage sales, no waiting for tax time to get my donation tax break and no need to wait for someone to email me interested in haggling over pennies to buy my stuff.

What do you call a place like this? A Trading Post! But there isn't one out here that I know of, just a lot of thrift stores and other stores that sell used kid stuff. They'll take your donations and they'll SELL you what they have, but I don't know of one that will do a dollar for dollar trade on items. Why? Because they have to pay for the store space or other programs that the money funds.

So here is my solution! Start a Kids Clothing Trading Post out of my home! All items will be assigned a value of between $1 - $5 and you can trade dollar for dollar. If you see something you like and don't have something to trade for it, you can buy it. On the other hand, if you don't see anything you want but have items to trade, you can either take them back with you or trade them for credit. Then you'll be able to come back on a later date and check out the ever changing inventory!

To start I've posted an "Items Wanted" ad on http://www.craigslist.org/ for the Kitsap County area asking for parents to "donate" their child's gently used clothing to help start this trading post. I've decided to collect both boys and girls clothing sizes 0-5 years. Once I've collected enough items, I'll post it on the internet and in other various places around the community that the trading post is open.

So if you're reading this blog and you have some clothing that you would like to donate, please email me at michele.evans@wavecable.com and I'll come and pick them up!

Thanks for reading and I hope to post that "We've Opened!" real soon!

Michele Evans