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In today’s blog, we are putting our adventures aside…just for a week… and it’s all about the change of seasons and clothing shopping for those Fall and Winter essentials. I’m going to share with you some of my favorite local consignment shops, what I use to make sure I don’t overbuy or buy too much of an item, and, if I have to buy new, what brands I love.
Why is buying at local consignment shops so important to me?
It’s important to me because of the amount of waste we generate from clothing as consumers. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, every second, the equivalent of a trash truck load of clothes is burnt or buried in landfills. That’s an estimated 92 MILLION TONS of textile waste EVERY YEAR! They estimate that by 2030, textile waste will increase to 148 MILLION TONS PER YEAR!
These figures are just beyond alarming and are the reason why I make it a point to outfit my daughter with clothing purchased through consignment or thrift stores as much as possible.
My Favorite Consignment Stores:
I have four local consignment shops that are my FAVORITE to look for clothing during the change of seasons. They all have active social media accounts that keep me up to date on when they are changing clothing/gear for the seasons, having sales, and accepting consignment along with some options to sign up for email alerts.
- Sweet Repeats, Freeport, Maine
- Woods and Waters Gear Exchange, Brunswick, Maine
- Freeport Thrift Store, Freeport, Maine
- Starry Eyes, Portland, Maine
All stores are open on Saturdays but I love to try to go on Thursday or Friday since many of these stores go through their consignment/inventory earlier in the week and will put more new items out on Thursdays and Fridays in anticipation of the weekend shoppers.
In the end, it probably doesn’t matter when you go because there is always a GREAT selection at these stores but I like to think shopping on a Thursday or Friday gives me a slight edge in getting the items I need!
What consignment models do these stores use?
Sweet Repeats and the Woods and Water Gear Exchange use a traditional consignment model with slightly different profit-sharing models so if you are going to sell your items with them, be sure to learn to ask them what is the percentage difference if you get cash back versus store credit!
Starry Eyes does not use a traditional consignment model but rather will offer you cash or store credit on the spot for your items.
All of these places will offer a higher percentage for store credit regardless of the model they use!
Freeport Thrift Store is donation-based and check out the times below for when you can bring your donations to the store.
Also, outside the Freeport Thrift Store, which is run by the Freeport Community Services, all of the other shops are run and owned by WOMEN! Let’s give a huge shout out to women-owned small businesses!
Consignment Store Overviews:
is a children’s consignment store conveniently located off the highway in Freeport, Maine. Sizes range from newborn to size 14. When I’m looking to stock up on the essentials such as pants, shorts, shirts, dresses, etc., I am going to come here first! They carry everyday labels such as Cat and Jack from Target, Carter’s, Oshkosh, Primary, and more as well as premium labels like Tea Collection, Hanna Andersson, Crewcuts, Mini Boden, etc. They also stock outdoor gear labels such as Patagonia, North Face, LL Bean, Keen, Bogs, and Lands End.
They also carry shoes, hats, mittens, snow and rain gear as well as toys, books, and a good array of baby gear. They also have a good amount of new Melissa and Doug toys and activities in store.
If you want to sell your children’s clothes here, they use that traditional consignment model where they will sell your items for a set period of time. You do need to call them if you would like the clothes that do not sell back. I usually put a date two weeks before the end date of my consignment period on my phone so I can call them if I want any of the unsold clothing back. After your selling period ends, and you haven’t called, they will donate your consignment portion of the sales on any remaining items to local charities. Most years they are able to give over $10,000! They are huge fans of Camp Sunshine!
I had a high school friend who passed away during my senior year of college and she was also a huge supporter of Camp Sunshine so this makes me happy! When I see that Sweet Repeats is donating to Camp Sunshine, I often forgo picking up my unsold items, allowing, rather, what would have been my earnings portion to be donated to Camp Sunshine. It’s just a little something I do to keep her memory with me.
Hours at Sweet Repeats are: Monday through Sunday 10am-5pm.
They also have a FANTASTIC selection for adults; clothing, shoes, gearing, camping and hiking supplies.
Depending on the season, you should be able to find kayaks, paddleboards, PFDs, wetsuits/drysuits, hiking footwear, tents, sleeping bags, camp kitchens, sunglasses, vehicle racks, snowshoes, ice skates, skis, sleds, and more here! They will also carry a lot of these items, when appropriate, in kids sizes!
If you would like to sell clothing and gear with the Woods and Water Gear Exchange, you will find a similar consignment model to Sweet Repeats. You do have to make an appointment if you want to sell more than 5 items so check out those details on their website!
Hours at the Woods and Water Gear Exchange are:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10:30-5pm
Wednesday: 10:30-5pm
Thursday: 10:30-5pm
Friday: 10:30-5:30pm
Saturday: 10:30-5pm
Sunday: Closed
They also have what I will call “maker space/arts and crafts” supplies located near the children’s section as well (think stationary, stickers, envelopes, stamps, etc.) and I usually find something to bring home for the art space in our house. Maine teachers: This section gives off Ruth’s Reusable Resources vibe!
The store also houses a women’s section (I do wish they had more “plus” size clothing though!), men’s section, housewares, along with towels and bedding. I went two weeks ago and snagged a great mini fan for our camper and some towels.
The Thrift Store is donation only and you can drop off your donations on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10-3pm and Saturdays from 10-1pm.
The Thrift Store probably has the most active social media among all the stores here, check them out on Instagram where you can find them selling wonderfully curated items.
The Thrift Store is open: Monday through Friday 12-5pm and Saturday 10-3pm. They are closed on Sundays.
Starry Eyes does a great job of curating on Facebook items that are available for sale. You are able to comment on if you want the item and it will be set aside for you to come in and purchase it.
All new clothing and toys items are eco-friendly and responsibly sourced, which I love. We often stop in Starry Eyes during the holiday season to grab some great gifts!
Hours for Starry Eyes are:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 11-6pm
Thursday: 11-6pm
Friday: 11-6pm
Saturday: 11-6pm
Sunday: 11-4pm
Photo by Andrew Ridley on Unsplash
The Checklist:
To shop through consignment and thrift stores requires a little bit of planning, some patience, and a checklist; always a checklist.
I love a checklist for so many reasons! It allows me to know what I need, helps me to avoid over buying items, and most of all, it helps me stick to my budget. I have included The Wandering Chickadee version of my checklist here. It’s a one-page checklist where you will first determine what you NEED and then go through and inventory what you HAVE and then you will have figured out how many of each item you need to BUY.
I intentionally did not put the “recommended” number you need for each item because all of our families are so different.
I also intentionally kept this checklist to one page because that makes for easier storage in your bag or car so that when you are out and about and have a moment to swing by one of your preferred stores, you can have this for easy reference!
Lastly, the checklist has a “wish list” section on it. I like to put items we might be looking for for that season that are helpful or dreamy but not essential. Last year, we were looking for a headlamp and a sled. Both of these items were not essential to enjoying the outdoors but if I found one of them at the consignment or thrift stores I was browsing, JACKPOT!
Photo by Emily Toycen on Unsplash
Buying New:
Every season, there comes a time when I can’t seem to find some items on my checklist that I need for my daughter and I have to look at purchasing it new. When I have to do this, here are some of my preferred brands to shop from:
- Patagonia: Great for base and mid layers, fleece vests and jackets, and down jackets. They also have a Worn Gear Shop (used Patagonia clothing for less).
- Reima: Great for rain gear, snow suits, balaclavas, hats and mittens. Hands down my favorite for rain gear!
- Polarn O Pyret: Great for base and mid layers, socks, and hats. They also have a 2nd Love Shop (used Polarn O Pyret clothing for less) run by Thred Up
- LL Bean: We like their snow pants and outdoor hiking sneakers.
- H&M: Great for cotton pants, shirts, socks, undies. You can find some great merino wool pieces as well!
- Disana and Engel are both Germany companies that have received numerous awards for how their products are sourced and made. You can get wool products from them locally at Starry Eyes in Portland, Maine or Little Spruce Organics online.
Check out my Instagram stories and story highlights for specific products that I love!
Key Takeaways:
- Clothing generates literally TONS of WASTE! Consider shopping at the consignment and thrift stores mentioned in this blog or one close to where you live!
- Checklists are essential to making sure you don’t overbuy and stay on budget. Consider using The Wandering Chickadee’s Fall/Winter Checklist.
- When you have to buy new, consider buying high quality, made with sustainable materials and/or are sustainable produced from some of the brands listed above.
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~Natalie
This post may include affiliate links. If you click on one of them, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you.