posted by SingleMomSam 1mo ago

Clearing out kids clothes and gear - what are your local BST golden rules?

My son blew through two shoe sizes and an entire wardrobe change this past month, so I spent my Sunday sorting through bins. I posted a small bundle of size 6/7 clothes and a Strider bike on Facebook Marketplace and within ten minutes I had three messages asking for my phone number to send a Zelle verification code. Obviously I blocked them, but it is so exhausting. For those of you who sell outgrown stuff regularly in the Spring or Klein area, what are your personal rules for keeping it safe and not wasting time? Do you do porch pick up or only meet up in public spots like the HEB on Louetta? How long do you hold items for people who say interested? I just want to clear out space in his closet without dealing with endless flakes and scammers.

Doing it all, badly, daily

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BudgetMomBeckDevonshire Woods19 points1mo ago

Rule number one is cash or Venmo in person only. The second someone mentions a code or a Google Voice number, block and delete immediately. I bundle clothes by size and season in gallon Ziploc bags or grocery sacks for $10 to $15 max. It moves much faster than trying to get $3 a shirt. If someone wants a bundle, I give them 24 hours to schedule a pickup. If they miss the window without messaging me first, I go straight to the next person on the post.

Sale price or no price

BendersLandingBritBenders Landing14 points1mo ago

ppu is life honestly i am way too lazy to drive around meeting people for ten bucks worth of target shorts so i put a plastic storage tub on my front porch and tell them cash in the doormat or venmo when you grab it only had one person take off without paying in three years and it was for a five dollar puzzle so whatever

Twins. Yes really. No I do not sleep.

DIYDanielleLexington Woods9 points1mo ago

If you do porch pickup, make sure your Ring camera or whatever security camera you have actually covers the porch area clearly. I installed a small metal cash box with a combination lock mounted inside a plastic container on my porch. I change the code once a month. Buyers just drop the cash in the slot and take their bag. Works great and keeps cash safe from blowing away or getting pinched.

Home Depot loyalty card

MamaMartinez281Spring, near Airtex16 points1mo ago

If I am selling gear or higher value items like a bike or stroller, I always meet in public. The parking lot at the HEB on Louetta and Stuebner Airline is usually pretty busy and feels safe during the day. Another good spot is the Harris County Sheriff office parking lot off Cypresswood. Most legitimate buyers do not mind meeting there at all, and scammers disappear as soon as you give them that address. Que le vaya bien with your closet purge!

Se habla chaos

LurkerLisaImperial Oaks14 points1mo ago

I second the Cypresswood station lot, used it twice last year for large toys and felt very safe.

WindroseWhitneyWindrose12 points1mo ago

I keep a strict system for my buy sell trade posts: 1. No phone numbers exchanged ever. All communication stays inside the app chat. 2. Cash upon pickup or Venmo while they are standing on my driveway/porch. No advance payments from accounts with generic profiles. 3. First to set a firm pickup time within 24 hours gets priority. I do not hold items for pending paychecks or next weekend. 4. Address is only sent two hours before the agreed pickup time. It sounds rigid, but it eliminates 90 percent of the back and forth messaging.

If it is not in the spreadsheet it did not happen

AugustaPinesAmyAugusta Pines13 points1mo ago

Oh girl I feel your pain so much! Last spring I tried selling my daughter's old balance bike right when dance recital rehearsals started and it was utter chaos! This lady swore up and down she was on her way from Tomball so I waited at home instead of running my quick errand to Target, and then she just ghosted me completely! Now if someone flakes once I just move right down the line. Life is way too busy to sit around waiting when you have kids running in three different directions!

Dance mom by day, referee by night

KleinMamaOf3Gleannloch Farms5 points1mo ago

Have you considered listing the clothes in a neighborhood specific buy sell group or asking in your school PTO chat first? I usually offer my kids outgrown uniform shirts and jackets to our elementary carpool moms before I ever put anything on public marketplace. It saves so much headache because you already see them at pickup every afternoon anyway, and you do not have to give your address to strangers.

Three kids, one minivan, zero patience for the carpool line

SingleMomSamSpring, near Louetta3 points1mo ago

Thank you all so much, this makes me feel a lot better. The cash box idea on the porch is brilliant Danielle. Beck, when you price winter coats or boots, do you bundle those in with the regular clothes bags or list them separately? I have two nice jackets from last winter that barely got worn before he outgrew them.

Doing it all, badly, daily

BudgetMomBeckDevonshire Woods8 points1mo ago

Nice coats and shoes I separate out. Bundles are great for basic tees, play pants, and pajamas. For a solid winter coat that still looks new, I list it individually for $8 or $10 depending on the brand. If it does not sell in a week, I drop it by $2 or pair it with winter boots in the same size.

Sale price or no price

WindroseWhitneyWindrose4 points1mo ago

One last logisitical tip: cross-posting to multiple neighborhood groups can get messy if you do not track it. If you list on both Facebook Marketplace and Nextdoor, make sure to mark the item as pending on both places as soon as someone commits to a time. It avoids awkward messages from people who thought they were first in line.

If it is not in the spreadsheet it did not happen