| Category | What to do |
| $2 fabric | $2 fabrics are any fabrics that measure over 0.5 yard and under 1.5 yard. Fold and roll them so that no edges are exposed, and tie them only with white string. They do not get a label. Rolls should be between 12 and 15 inches in length, so they fit on the fabric wall neatly. | | |
| art paper & art pads | For pads, first distinguish between student grade (for example, Mead, Pentel, Canson XL, Strathmore 300 and below) and nicer professional paper (for example, Strathmore 400-500, Canson that's not XL) pads first, as these have vastly different prices. Hardback books are always more expensive (add a few dollars), and pay attention to number of pages (for example 50 vs 100). Search the price list for "art pads", and if it's not on there, google the specific pad type and price at half of retail value, less if pages are missing. For art paper, look for Canson Mitientes will have a water mark and are on the price guide. For watercolor paper, try to determine the weight (140lb or 300lb), as this will affect the price. Check the price guide, if it does not have what you want, google it. Printmaking paper is similar to watercolor. If you cannot tell which it is, assume it is printmaking paper. Drawing paper is on the price guide if it doesn't have a watermark, but if it does, google it based on brand and weight. Google illustration boards. Google pastel papers. | | |
| art supplies | Most things in this bin are on the price list. If it is not, google it and price at half of retail value. Palette knives and cheaper pallets can have the price sharpied directly on them, but nicer things should have a sticker or tag stuck on. | | |
| batting | Measure batting, roll it, and price according to the price guide. Batting still in its original package can be googled. Small pieces do not need to have dimension written on their label, but it can be helpful if larger pieces do. If you have lots of remnant-sized rolls, do not price each individual one, but put them all in a container as a fill-a-bag deal, according to the price guide. | | |
| beading tools | Some of the more common jewelry tools (beading needles, bead trays, jewelry pliers and wire cutters, etc) are on the price list. Anything that is not on the price list should be googled and priced at half of retail value. | | |
| beading wire/cord | Make sure all cord is nicely bundled or else put attractively in a bag, if it is not already on a spool. If wire is not on a spool, loop it nicely and wrap the ends around to keep it tidy, or put it in a bag. Check the price list for "jewelry wire" and "jewelry cord" for the price ranges for these items. Feel free to make grab bags if there are lots of little pieces. | | |
| beads | Beads should be bagged in small, clear ziplocks that fit the number of beads without too much extra room. If beads are aleady in original packaging, they can be left as such. Do not make bags of only a few beads, unless they are especially large and fancy (for the most part, do not use bags smaller than 1.5x2"). If you have too few seed beads, set them aside to be combined with other colors of similarly-sized beads to make a larger bag. If you have a mix of beads, do not waste time sorting each and every type apart from each other. Simply sort plastic beads from glass/ceramic/fancy beads from wood beads, and add these into their appropriate bead soups. Never put seed beads in bead soup! If you have a very large quantity of the same type of bead, do not use a huge bag. Instead, split them into multiple smaller bags (3x4s ideally). Search the price list for "bead bags" for a general guide of price ranges for various beads. Consider material (plastic=cheap, glass/ceramic/bone=more expensive), fanciness, and quantity when pricing. If they are especially nice, or are semi-precious stones beads, you can increase the price based on the price guide, but if you are not familiar with the stones, you can set them aside for someone who is more familiar with them. | | |
| bias tape, hem tape, and rickrack | Sort rickrack (the zig-zagged stuff) from the ribbon and lace-like tapes. Make sure all ends are contained (either with a pin, tuck the end under, or put a rubber band around the whole card). Sort them into the container on the sales floor by color. | | |
| block printing & screen printing | For lino cutter handles, make sure the ones with compartments inside do not have blades in them. Take blades out of tip as well. Put each in containers flat priced according to the price guide. Brayers can be individually priced with a sticker on the handle, according to the price guide. Speedball Speedy-carve blocks are the pink rubbery sheets, and are priced individually according to the price guide. Lino blocks are also on the price guide, but pay attention to whether they are mounted on a wood block or not, as that affects the price. Lino blocks and speedy-carve blocks can all be put in the same container labeled "carving blocks". Screen and block printing ink can be put all in the same container, unless there are a lot of each, and then two separate containers can be made. Make sure all inks are still good, toss any dried inks. Price speedball inks according to price guide. Anything that is not on the guide should be googled and priced at half of retail value, decreasing the price if the container is not full. Squeegees are priced individually, according to the price guide. Screens are also priced individually according to the price guide. Misc supplies can be googled for a price, and can all be put into a single container. | | |
| bluckles & cord stops etc | Follow the price guide for these items. Simply sort them by type and put them into their appropriate containers on the floor. If buckles are in packs, price them individually. If there is a large quantity of one specific kind, put those in a separate container. | | |
| books | Separate out coloring and activity books. These are priced individually (coloring books almost always have the price printed on the back, which you can simply cut in half). Sort the remaining books into the following categories to be put on the bookshelf: crafts, paper crafts, quilting, sewing, knit & crochet, stitching etc, scrapbooking, fine art (includes drawing, painting, art books). If it is a particularly nice, big art book, consider looking it up and pricing it individually (do not put individually priced books on the bookshelf, put them in their own contianer). If a book does not have a visible name on the spine, put it with the free magazines, as they do not sell off the bookshelf well. If there is a large quantity of one category of books, consider putting some in that section (ie: putting a container of knitting books on the knitting table). | | |
| brushes | Make sure bristles are still flexible and do not have paint/glue dried in them! Throw out any ruined brushes. Sort brushes by quality: $0.10 kids brushes, $0.25 foam brushes $0.50 craft brushes, $1 stencil brushes, $2 fine art brushes, and $4 fine art brushes. Use these criteria: If the brush does not have a metal collar but is made only of plastic, it is a $0.10 brush, which should be displayed only on/under the kids craft table. If it has a metal collar, but the handle material is plastic, the bristles are plastic, or just not nice quality, or you see common craft brand names (crayola, artists loft, etc) on it, it is a $0.50 brush. These are typically also small brushes, but can be larger/longer brushes with low quality (usually rough) bristles. Many brushes will have no brand or text visible on them, in which case make your best guess between $0.50 and $2 based on size and fanciness of bristles (i.e. a fan brush is likely fancier than most craft brushes). $1 stencil brushes typically have coarse bristles and completely flat ends to the bristle bunch. For $4 brushes, look for very large ones, ones with especially nice bristles (especially if they say sable, camel, or similar on the handle), and high-quality brand names. These brands include: WINDSOR & NEWTON, GRUMBACHER, UTRECHT, PRINCETON, DAVINCI, ROBERT SIMMONS, and ESCODA. If you recognize a very nice brand, look up the brush to see if it should be individually priced (anything that costs $15 or more new). Anything with a very long handle and large brush head should also likely be looked up. Anything that feels like middle ground between $0.50 and $4 can go in the $2 brushes. If you have a lot of the big brushes used for house panting, they can be put in a container in tools priced according to the price guide. | | |
| burlap | Roll and tie burlap bags. If there are not enough to make their own container, label them so that people know they are bags, and follow the price guide for them. Smaller pieces of burlap can be roughly measured, but don't need to be marked. If a piece is at least 30 inches wide, it can be priced at $1/yard. Smaller/narrower pieces can be approximately priced by comparing the roll's size to measured rolls and/or burlap bags. I.e. a roll half the size of a $2 roll should be approximately $1. Odd or small pieces can be cut up if necessary and rolled as remnants. | | |
| buttons | Buttons on cards can be left on the cards and put out in the container for button cards, but if half or more of the buttons are missing off the card, simply pull the remaining ones off for soup. Loose buttons should not be in bags or tied/safety pinned together. Separate them. Pull out any foreign objects (i.e. coins, beads, and especially sharp objects). Sort buttons roughly according to the containers on the floor (sometimes black/white, colored, and metal, but if we are low on buttons, one container for all colors/types is advisable). Throw out any gross or broken buttons, and clean out any random non-button objects that are mixed in. Button cards of expecially nice buttons (i.e. hand-painted ceramic shapes) can be individually priced and put in their own container on the sales floor. | | |
| calendars | Sort out the free calendars that advertise various companies and organizations, such as the Sierra Club or Audobon Society. These can be thrifted or put in the free collage materials container. Weekly calendars (for example the spiral-bound ones) should be thrifted. All other calendars should be put in the calendars container on the floor, with the exception of any that are especially large and fancy (for example, one depicting fine japanese paintings on nice paper), which can be individually priced. | | |
| calligraphy | Sort items into categories (i.e. dip pens, nibs, fountian pens, rapidograph pens, ink, sumi supplies etc), and make a container for each type. Many of these things are on the price list. For dip pens, make sure to take the nib off the handle and sell them individually. Fountain pens, if they retail for $20 or less, should be put in one container and flat priced according to the price guide. Anything especially fancy can be individually priced based on a google search and put into the jewelry case. Calligraphy markers can go in a separate, flat-priced container. Rapidograph and similar pens are also on the price list. For rapidograph pen sets, only keep nice pen sets. If the set is not nice or complete, take them apart and sell each part individually. The empty box can be sold in containers. Sets are priced based on the price guide for rapdiograph pens, per pen in the pack, and add a couple dollars if ink is included. Calligraphy, drawing, fountain pen, and sumi ink can all be put into the same container on the sales floor. Sumi ink is the only one not on the price guide, so google any sumi ink and price at half of retail value, depending on fullness. Make sure ink is still good and not dried or congealed. Throw out any bad ink. Acrylic ink should go into the fine arts bin in intake, and should not be put out into the calligraphy section. Sumi brushes can go in one container and flat priced according to the price guide, unless there are also large ones (a different price point) and then two containers should be made. Sometimes these end up with the fine art brushes. If you see them in the fine arts section, move them to the calligraphy section. All other sumi supplies (ink stones, ink sticks, stamps) are on the price guide. Calligraphy sets should be individually priced based on a google search and put together into one container. | | |
| candle & soap | Sort apart soap from wax. If you are not sure, get a corner of it wet and feel it. If it repels water, it's wax, if it dissolves, it's soap. Put anything not packaged in a bag, unless it is the huge blocks of paraffin wax that are too big for bags. For wax, try to determine the type, if possible. Paraffin is usually semi-translucent or white in blocks, soy is usually white and frequently in shavings or pellets, and beeswax tends to have a yellow or off-white color and is in blocks, sheets, or pellets, and will sometimes smell of honey. Make sure to label the bag (if not already in packaging) with what is in it (soap, paraffin wax, beeswax, etc). Price these according to the price guide. If you can't tell what it is, price it as the lowest type of wax (and you can simply label it as "wax". For soap, try to determine if it is glycerine or shea butter, and price it according to the price guide. Molds can be sorted by simple plastic or silicone, and put them in containers with prices according to the price guide. Frequently resin molds will end up in this box. Try to identify if the silicone mold would be useful for soap or if it it is small and fancy enough (or very large) that it is probably for resin. Resin molds can be priced the same as silicone soap molds if they are approximately the same size (i.e. ice-cube sized trays), or look up similar molds if they are large/fancy and price them individually, and they can go near block and screen printing, usually on the little shelf under the paper roll table. For metal candle molds, look up prices. Silicone column candle molds are on the price guide. Dyes and scents are on the price guide. Modify prices based on size and fullness of the bottles. Wicks are a bit of a measure-with-your-heart item. Look up common packs of wicks of various sizes from shops like Michaels, and price what you have based on that (put into neat packs if they're not nicely contained). Wick holders (usually metal pieces in hour-glass shapes with a hole in the middle, or Xs of plastic with a hole in the middle are on the price guide. If resin ends up in this box, search "resin" on this guide to see how to handle and price it. | | |
| canvases | Measure stretched canvas and canvas boards, and choose the correct line from the price list based on what size fits most closely. Canvas boards are priced differently from stretched canvas, and used ones are priced differently from new ones. For stretched canvases, pay attention to how it is attached on the back to guide you in a price (cheaper ones are stapled, while nicer ones are wrapped and held in by another, inner wood frame, called "artist wrap"); increase the price by about 25% if it is an artist wrap canvas. Note that extra deep canvases (thicker than 1/2 inch) have their own price lines, and are always more expensive than the shallower ones. Canvases with significant texture/shit glued on should not be sold. | | |
| cardstock | Cardstock can generally be sorted by color and put into the drawers of loose cardstock for people to choose themselves. If you have a package of cardstock that is still sealed, it can be priced as you would paper packs. Make sure there is no regular, printer-weight paper mixed in with the cardstock. | | |
| chalk | Boxes of blackboard chalk can be priced according to the price guide, assuming they are mostly full. Sidewalk chalk can be kept in the original container or put in bags, and priced according to the price guide. For very large boxes of blackboard chalk (more than 50 pieces), split them up into 6x6 bags (approx 20 sticks) for $1. | | |
| chartpak & letraset | Separate out from stickers or scrapbook bits and make rolls of 3-5 sheets with a rubber band and price according to the price guide. | | |
| clothespins & doll pins | Sort clothes pins from doll pins and put in the containers on the sales floor. Throw out any broken/half-pieces. If there are an excessive amount in intake, you can make 6x6 or quart grab bags for $1. Any unopened ones in original packaging can be priced and put in the wood grab bag section (use our prices to figure out the price). | | |
| colored pencils | Go through all pencils and pull out any fine art pencils: drawing pencils, charcoals, berol/prismacolors, faber castels (especially the polychromes, which have a gold ring near the top) and any watercolor pencils (which will say watercolor or have a picture of a paint brush on them; except for the crayola watercolor brushes, they can just stay with the regular colored pencils). Also look for any regular pencils that have snuck in, and pull them out. The regular colored pencils can then be put in the colored pencil fill-a-bag bin on the sales floor, or if there are a ton more than will fit, they can be put neatly in 6x8 bags (approx. 50 pencils per bag) and priced according to the price guide. | | |
| containers | Sort the containers by type: plastic, wood, tin, glass, and miscellaneous. The container section on the floor is organized from left to right as plastic, gift bags and boxes, assorted containers (wood, decorative boxes, baskets, bins of multiple small things, etc), and then the seperate shelf at the end is for tins. Glass containers stay in the glass section unless there's an overflow. Price the containers according to the price guide, putting the price sticker in the most visible spot (usually the top or front facing side). Unless there are many of the same small container, containers are displayed without a bin. Arrange them on the shelf so everything is visible whether that involves stacking or turning things on their side, etc. Containers move really quickly so if you don't have room on the sales floor, feel free to keep pricing items for the RTF shelves so we can keep things full. | | |
| construction paper | Loose sheets of 9x12 construction paper can be sorted by color into the drawers on the sales floor. Packs of construction paper where the pages are meant to be torn out can be priced as paper packs if they're completely unused (and preferably still wrapped in plastic), but if there are pages missing, tear the rest out to sort individually. Take out and recycle any sheets that have been drawn on or had pieces cut out of them. For the 12x18 sheets, tear them out of any book they are in, and roll them into packs priced according to the price guide. | | |
| craft foam | Separate out the 9x12 sheets, and half sheets to go in the $0.20 bin. Make sure all pieces are complete and do not have chunks cut out of them. For the 12x18 sheets, cut them in half to put them in the $0.20 bin. foam balls can be put in the $0.25 bin, but any that are smaller than 1" diameter can be made into grab bags (for approx $0.10 per ball in the bag). Craft foam shapes should be put in appropriate sized ziplocks, if needed, and priced by weight according to the price guide. Random foam pieces can be priced individually or put in a "$0.50 foam shapes" bin. Any cut up pieces of foam sheets can be cut into squares between 4-6" and made into grab bags. | | |
| craft kits | Craft kits should generally be googled and priced at half of retail value, but make sure the kit is complete and in usable shape (liquids not dried out). If it is partially used but still usable, decrease the price. If it is no longer usable to make a complete project, part it out. The pieces can be sold individually or thrown out if not sellable. | | |
| craft paints | For bottles of craft acrylics, make sure they are still liquid (shake them if they've separated a little bit) and price them according to fullness, as stated in the price guide. If there is only a tiny amount left (i.e. so little that it won't pour out), just throw the bottle away. Make sure you are separating out brands like liquitex and other fine art acrylics, as these should be priced with fine art paints. The majority of craft paints go in the fine art section. Only temperas and fingerpaints go in kids art. | | |
| craft sticks | If they are neatly packaged and new, they can be priced at approximately $0.01 per stick in the pack, or half of the price written on the pack if there is one. Loose craft sticks can simply be dumped into the bin on the floor, or if there are too many, they can be made into handful-sized bundles, rubber banded, and priced according to the price guide. | | |
| crayons | Loose crayons can simply be put in the container for customers to fill a bag on their own. Twistables simply do not sell individually, and so should be sorted by type (crayon vs colored pencil) and put neatly in 6x8 or 6x6 bags (depending on length) and priced according to the price guide. | | |
| crewel yarn | Make sure the yarn pieces are nicely bundled and put them out on the floor in a container priced according to the price guide. If they are messy or unravelling, toss them or save them for yarn scrap bags. Make grab bags when there are more than 2 containers already on the floor. | | |
| crochet yarn | Crochet yarn rolls are always flat priced, unless they are very small ones or mostly empty. Ones with next to nothing left on them can be tossed, very small or parttially empty ones (you can see spots of the cardboard roll underneath) can be saved for grab bags, which should be priced according to the price guide. | | |
| elastic | All elastic should be nicely bundled with a rubber band and a tag, or else nicely put into a plastic bag of appropriate size. If it is in its original packaging, leave it as such. Make sure to measure any elastic 1" or thicker in order to price it correctly, and follow the price guide to price all pices. Anything shorter than 1 foot should be tossed, but otherwise shorter pieces can be gathered into variety grab bags and priced based on an estimate of the quantity of elastic in it. | | |
| embossing supplies | Test all embossing guns to make sure they work. Search the brand to price it at 50% off of retail price, less if it is not in great condition. Embossing powders should be priced according to quantity as stated in the price guide, with prices written on each individual jar. | | |
| embroidery floss | Make sure the floss are neatly bundled and not unravelling. Neat bundles can be sorted by color and put in the containers on the sales floor. Floss on little cardboard rolls should be put in a separate container priced according to the price guide. Embroidery floss on bobbin cards or that is a little bit messy but not a huge tangle can be put in grab bags priced according to the price guide. | | |
| embroidery hoops | Make sure each hoop has both pieces, and tape them together. Most hoops go for a flat price according to the price guide, but extra large ones (i.e. 1 foot or more diameter) can be individually priced higher. | | |
| envelopes | Separate card/office envelopes from bigger mailing envelopes, and put the latter in the appropriate containers according to the price guide. Regular envelopes can be bundled with rubber bands in packs of 20 identical or similarly-sized envelopes. Odd sizes or excess envelopes that don't fit well into packs can be put loose in a container for individual sale. Recycle any envelopes that aren't sticky anymore or are beat up looking. | | |
| fabric | Fabric should be sorted by size and type. This is usually done already in intake, but in general, remnants are anything 1/2 yard or less, $2 rolls range in size from over 1/2 yard to 1.5 yard, and anything bigger or especially nice should be priced by measurement. Burlap, felt, and fleece all go in their own bins and are priced differently. For fabric to be priced by size, first try to determine if it is an especially nice fabric like silk or wool, corduoy or denim. These should be priced higher than most other fabrics. Search the price list for "fabrics" to see what these rates are. All other fabrics are priced at a flat price per yard as stated in the price guide. Measure the width (from selvedge to selvedge), and write it on a return-label sized sticker (ie 44" wide), and then measure the length and put that on the sticker as well (i.e. 1 1/3 yard). Calculate the price according to the length and the price guide and add that under the measurements on the sticker. Fold the fabric and roll it so that the final roll has no raw edges exposed and the roll itself is between 12 and 15 inches long. Tie it with ribbon (NOT string!), double-knotted without a bow, and fold the sticker around the ribbon and stick it to itself. | | |
| fabric dye | Sort Rit dyes apart from fancier brands (like Jacquard). Make sure all dyes in bottles are still liquid. Price Rit dyes according to the price guide based on fulness. For fancier brands, make sure they're still liquid and Google the item, price at half of retail price, decreasing the price if the bottle is not full. Dye chemicals should all be Googled as well and price based on quantity. | | |
| fabric markers | Test all fabric markers to make sure they still work, and put them in a containter priced according to the price guide. Packs can be priced according to how many markers are in the set, or they can be researched online and the retail price can be cut in half. | | |
| fabric paint | Make sure the paints are still liquid, and shake them if they are a little separated. The small bottles, regardless of fullness (though throw them out if there is next to nothing in them), are all flat priced and can be put on the floor in a container with the price on it. Larger bottles of paint should be priced according to the price guide, but discounted if it is not full. | | |
| fabric samples | Upholstry fabric samples are typically put loose in containers on the floor and sold at a flat price. Very nice or big ones can be put in remnants or rolled as $2 fabric or simply put in separate containers at a higher price. Fabric sample books can be priced separately and put in another container. If there is a large quantity of a specific kind of sample that warrants a higher price point, put them in a separate container and price accordingly (ie: nice silk samples 50c each). | | |
| feathers | Long/fancy wing or tail feathers should be sorted out (and if needed, sorted into regular and extra fancy categories) and put in containers at prices according to the price guide. If feathers are in sealed packs, leave them like that and price the pack. All loose feathers should be put in bags, generally by type (sort brightly colord craft feathers from undyed feathers) and priced according to the price guide. | | |
| felt | Sort felt by size and shape. Full 9x12 sheets without significant chunks cut out can be rolled with a small rubber band and put in a container at a flat price according to the price guide. Any oddly-shaped pieces or sheets with large chunks cut out of them should be set aside for a fill-a-bag bin (see price list). Large pieces should be rolled and priced according to the price guide, based on the size of the roll. Cut-out felt shapes, if not already in their original packaging, should be sorted into sets of similar pieces and put into bags, priced according to the price guide. Felted wool pieces (as in cut from sweaters) can be sold as fill-a-bag or individually, based on the price guide. | | |
| fine art paint | Pay attention to if it is a student grade or professional grade, as this vastly affects the price. Golden doesn't have a student grade. Check the price guide for the brand you're dealing with. If it is not on the price guide, google it and price at half of retail value, but decrease the price further if the tube or bottle is not full. Tubes of watercolor paint that are dried out should be saved to make into sets/grab bags, priced quite cheaply (about 1/4 price or less of new tubes of that brand), with "dried, reconstitute me!" written on the bag. | | |
| fine art pens, fine art markers | Make sure all pens/markers still work. Search the price guide for "fine art pens" and "fine art markers" and put the appropriate pens/markers in containers with the price according to the price guide. Anything in sets can be googled and priced at half of retail value. | | |
| fine art pencils | Sort into these categories: drawing pencils, fine art colored pencils, watercolor pencils, pastel pencils, charcoal pencils, china markers. Search the price guide for "fine art pencils" to bring these categories up. For any pencil type that comes in multiple colors, gather sets if possible of the same type, and make grab bags or bundles. Price these by googling the type and brand, and base the price approximately half off of retail value per pencil in the pack. Drawing pencils can also be made into sets. Look for pencils of the same brands and include one of each hardness available. Price according to the price guide. Charcoal sticks sell best in packs preferably in clear plastic boxes from the containers section, see the price guide for how to price these. | | |
| fleece | Roughly measure fleece pieces, and price approximately according to the regular price guide for fabric. You do not need to worry about width, nor put measurements on the tag. Tie them with ribbon, not string. $1 rolls (approximately half a yard) do not need to have a tag, but can be put out with a sign simply describing them as $1 fleece rolls. Larger rolls should have a sticker tag attached to the ribbon tie with their price on them and should be put out separately from the $1 rolls. Small pieces can be put in remnants. You may need to cut them up more so the remnant isn't huge. Oddly shaped pieces can also be cut up for remntants, or simply cut odd bits off of larger pieces of fabric so that the larger piece can be rolled normally and the odd pieces can become remnants. | | |
| florals | Floral stems can be sorted into approximate sizes (small, medium, large, huge) and priced according to the price guide. Keep like stems together in the same container, such as a group of roses or daises. Especially large or fancy things (like big boquets) can be individually priced. Any partially cut up/not in good shape stems can be taken apart and added to flower heads or leaves fill a bag containers. Things like floral foam, fake fruits, floral wire, and wreath forms are also on the price guide. Items like fake birds, eggs, butterflies, etc can be looked up online and priced according to size or fanciness. | | |
| foam (big pieces for fiber arts) | Measure the thickness and area of the foam, then roll, tie, and price according to the price guide. | | |
| frames | Measure the opening of each frame (not the overall dimensions, and not the opening of the mat) and price according to the price guide, considering quality, material, and condition. Empty frames (no glass or backing) are now flat priced according to size/fanciness. See the price guide for these prices. These frames do not need to be individually priced, but can simply be put in a container labeled "glassless frames" with the appropriate price. Simple, screw-together metal frames without glass or backing do not sell and should be put in metal recycling. For frames with glass/backing, simple metal frames always start at the lowest base price for their size. Shadow boxes always start at the higher end of the base price for their size, with some consideration towards quality/condition. If the frame is an unusual size, pick the size category from the price guide that is closest. Pay attention to if it has glass and backing, which will increase the price according to the "extra info" column in the price guide for that size. If the glass and backing are not staying in the frame, tape or rubber band them together. There is a separate line item on the price guide for frames that have nice pieces of art in them. Calculate the base price according to size and add what you think is an appropriate amount based on the quality of the art. Price all frames by putting a price sticker on the top left corner of the glass (make sure you have the frame right side up!). Avoid sticking it to the wood/etc of the frame itself as they tend to get lost or damage the frame. Make sure frames are clean, not dusty or with anything smeared all over the glass. | | |
| fur | Sort large pieces of fur apart from scraps. Large pieces can be rolled, with their prices on a sticker tab on the ribbon used to tie it. Small pieces can be put in grab bags of similar types of fur. All fur is priced by weight according to the price guide. | | |
| game pieces | Sort game playing pieces from dice, puzzle pieces, cards etc. Cards can be rubber banded into packs (which don't have to be complete or matching), and puzzle pieces can be bagged in 6x6s. Price according to the price guide. Game boards should be merchandised so they're open and visible. | | |
| glass | Glass paints, tiles, flarbles, marbles, and mosaic tiles are all on the price guide. Many tools are on the price guide, though some may need to be googled and priced at half of retail value. Glass grinders should always be googled since they differ by brand, size, and what's included. | | |
| glass containers | Recycle any glass containers with paper labels/writing on them as they do not sell. Sort containers by type and keep like ones together. Most items are on the price list. If there is room in containers, it helps to put some there since that is higher visibility. Basic flower vases (like the ones you get when you order a bouquet from a florist) generally do not sell well, so price them low. | | |
| glitter | Prepare to get messy! Glitter sells best in bottles bigger than 1 ½ inches long so anything smaller will need to be combined into bigger containers. Organizing glitter by color helps with this process (though mixing colors is totally fine). Add the too small bottles, thin bottles that fall over too easily, and small sample bags of glitter into bigger containers. Price via the price guide. For glitter glue, make sure it's not dried out then price according to the price guide. | | |
| glue | Make sure glue is still liquid, and glue sticks are not dried up. Price according to the price guide, considering fullness of the bottle. A lot of the less common glue types should be googled and priced at half of retail price, unless the bottle is not full, then price it down more. | | |
| googly eyes | Pour all googly eyes out of their packaging and bags, into a single container, and label it as fill-a-bag, priced according to the price guide with the appropriately sized bags clipped to the container. | | |
| greeting cards (individual) | Sort greeting cards by whether they have an envelope or not, and make sure those with envelopes will actually fit their envelopes, and that the envelopes are sandwiched inside the card. Cards without envelopes can all go in one container. You may also grab some envelopes from the envelopes bin and see if you can match any cards to envelopes. Cards with envelopes should be sorted by type according to the containers that are on the sales floor. Get rid of any oddly specific cards (i.e. "to my husand on easter"), and any cards that are given away free by organizations (like the Sierra Club), as these do not sell well. Price containers of cards according to the price guide. | | |
| hot glue | Make sure all glue guns work. Hot glue can be put out as single sticks with the container labeled according to the price guide, or bundled with a rubber band in bundles of 5 or 10 (make sure the glue sticks are all the same size/shape) and put in a container labeled according to the price guide. Very fancy glue guns can be googled and individually priced at a higher price. | | |
| interfacing | Approximately measure interfacing and determine if it is heavy or light. If it is not in a package, roll and tie or rubber band, then attach a label with the price according to the price guide. You do not need to put measurements on the label. | | |
| jewelry | Sort necklaces, bracelets, and earrings from each other. If earrings are matched, put them in small bags together, which can be individually priced. Mismatched earrings can be saved up in a bag until we have enough to make 3x4 grab bags. See Jewelry case entry for especially nice jewelry pieces. Necklaces should be priced based on quality, with a long price sticker folded over the cord/chain/clasp, and taped so it doesn't fall off. cheap beaded bracelets can be put in a container with a flat price (see price guide). Anything that is broken (but not dirty) can be collected in the jewelry bits bag in intake until there is enough for a fill-a-bag container (see price list). | | |
| jewelry case | A lot of this stuff simply needs to be priced with your heart, as it varies so much, and can not frequently be looked up. Be sure to check any metal jewelry for stamps on the back or inside, indicating it is real sliver or gold. Marks like sterling, 925, or 958 will tell you it is real silver. For gold look for these markings: 916 (means 22 karat gold), 750 (means 18 karat), 585 (14 karat), 375 (9 karat), GP (gold plated), GF (gold filled), GEP (gold electroplate). For other jewelry, consider if it has any nice stones (stone or gem) and price these higher. For vintage things, you can sometimes research them, but we usually price things much lower than you see online, as people come here expecting low prices and things priced higher than $30 usually sit around a long time. | | |
| jewelry findings | Sort findings by type (i.e. similarly sized and shaped clasps, identical earring hooks, etc) and put in appropriately sized bags. Do not make bags of a single item (i.e. one pair of hooks or a single clasp) unless they are very big or fancy (i.e. acutal silver earring hooks). Bags should generally have at least 10 items in them, if possible. Jewelry chain should have only one chain per bag, of a length that can be used at least as a bracelet, and without charms or decoration (these should be put in jewelry and priced as necklaces, not chain, or if it is not a complete necklace, take the charm off and sell them separately). For two-part clasps, make sure it has both parts! Very short chains, or mismatche findings can be saved with broken jewelry bits for a fill-a-bag (see jewelry entry). Dirty items should not be sold. Once items are sorted, they can be put into the bins in intake for pricing, sorted into the gallon bags that are labeled with the different types of findings. For pricing, search the price guide for your item ("jewelry findings" will bring up most types, but you may need to search specifially for things like hair clips), and price according to the price guide, using the tiny scale that is kept in one of the jewelry findings bins in intake. Round to the nearest neat number (10c or 15c is okay, but otherwise stick to 25c, 50c, 75c, etc). Charms and pendants should be sorted into two price categories (see price list) based on size/quality. If there are a bunch of the same type of charm, put them in a separate container (with the same price) or make small grab bags of them. | | |
| journals & notebooks | Get rid of planners, contact books, and the like. Any small spirals/notebooks with water damage or just not great quality can be saved for people to record their prices as they shop. Similarly, any branded notepads should be set aside for customers to use as they shop. Make sure notebooks do not have writing in them. Tear or cut out pages with writing on them if they are few, but notebooks that are mostly full should not be sold, nor should notebooks that are more than half gone. Sort notebooks by spiral notebooks (full-size, regardless of how many subjects), composition books, legal pads, and everything else. Search the price guide for "notebooks" and price according to what it says. Spirals, compositions, and legal pads are all flat priced regardless of how many pages they have left. For other journals, use the price guide, taking into account the size and quality of the item. Some new journals may have original prices on the backs, and this can be cut in half if they are in good condition. For individually priced journals, write the price on a sticker on the top front corner (use tape if necessary), and simply put a sign on the container of the spirals, compositions, and legal pads with their price. | | |
| kids art | Many kids paints are on the price list. If they are not, you can google them and price at half of retail value, decreasing the price further it the container isn't full. Things like paint pots and aprons are on the price guide. | | |
| knitting & crochet tools | Crochet hooks should all be put in the same container for a flat price according to the price guide, though tunisian (extra long) hooks may need a separate container due to their size. All other supplies should be sorted by type and searched on the price guide for pricing, if a container for that item is not already out on the floor. Many items are already on the price list, but if it is not (such as punch needles), google the item and find an equivalent version to base the price on. Needle and hook organizers should be googled and priced at half of retail, using something that looks similar if you cannot find your exact product. | | |
| knitting needles | Single-pointed knitting needles should always be in pairs (set aside mismatched ones for the Junkyard Social Club), and should be bundled facing opposite directions with two small rubber bands, one near each end. They should then be sorted by size (get rid of ones that don't have clear US sizes printed on them) and put in the appropriate tube in the knitting needle display on the sales floor. Extras that won't fit can be bundled together by size and tied with a ribbon or put in a ziplock on the RTF shelves. For double-pointed needles, make sure there are at least 4 per set, but there can be up to 6. Bundle with a rubber band. These do not need to be sorted by size, but can simply be put all together in a container on the sales floor. For circular needles, use the needle sizer that is kept in the knitting needle bin in intake to figure out what US size they are, then measure the needles from point-to-point. Write the size and length on one of the bags that are also kept in the bin (i.e. Size 7, 30") and wind the needles neatly to fit in the bag. Bags should then be sorted by size and put behind the appropriate separator card in the circular knitting needle container on the sales floor. If there is a binder or knitting needle holder in the intake bin, look through it. If the needles are neatly contained and it looks like a useful array of sizes, the entire pack can be priced as one unit. Generally go lower than the price guide for each needle (25-50% lower usually works), but consider the quality of the case to add to the price. For interchangeable circular needle sets, you can usually look up the brand name and price it at half of retail value, decreasing the price if pieces are missing. Binders of knitting needles that include a ridiculous amount of needles (say, more than 20) or are very messy should be pulled apart and all the needles dealt with individually as stated above. The case can be googled and priced at half of retail value. | | |
| lace | Consider the material and length of the lace, and whether it is new or vintage, to the best of your ability. If the lace is already nicely bagged or rolled on a card, it can be kept as such and priced like that (only big bags, ie 6x6 for cheap synthetic stuff; shorter lengths should be taken out) but otherwise you will set aside only the nice, vintage stuff (usually identifiable by being yellowed with age or clearly hand-made), doilies, and particularly nice things. All other strips of modern/synthetic/non-fancy lace edging should be cut up into 1-3 foot sections and put in a large container for customers to pick through and fill their own bag (see the price guide for pricing and bag size). For the remaining vintage and nice stuff, fold or bundle strips of lace nicely and put it in an appropriately sized bag. Search lace on the price list, and write the price on the bag based on the appropriate line. If it is doily-like instead of trim, up the price. Beaded trim with glass beads always goes on the more expensive end of the price guide. Proper doilies can be separated out and priced according to the price guide, and vintage linens and handkerchiefs/napkins are also on the price guide (just search "vintage linens"). If anything feels too large/nice for the suggested prices, feel free to individually price it higher. | | |
| leather | For scraps, simply put them in the fill-a-bag container on the floor. If the piece is larger than approxmimately 12x12 but is a very weird shape that cannot be neatly rolled, it can be cut up into smaller pieces for the srap bin. Larger pieces should be measured, rolled, and priced by square inch according to the price guide. Since leather rarely has straight, neat edges, measure at approximately the average width and length, leaving off any odd flaps. Tie the roll with string or ribbon, and attach a sticker label to the tie with the approximate dimensions and the price of the piece. Leather cord should be measured unless it is already neatly wound on a card or spool, and priced according to the price guide. If it is neatly wound, it should be kept as such, and just estimate the price. Loose leather cord can be bundled into small bundles with a rubber band and the price on a sticker tag, or can be rolled nicely and put into bags with the price on the bag. If you have a lot of small pieces of cord, they can be put in a grab bag. Estimate the price at a lower rate than what is on the price guide (measure with your heart). Leather stamping tools and rotary punches are on the price guide, any any odd tools should be googled and priced at half of retail value if it is in good condition. Decrease the price if it is not in great condition. | | |
| magnets | Refrigerator magnets should be put on a magnetic board on the metals table, priced according to the price guide. If there are a lot of the same kind of magnet (i.e. an alphabet magnet set), they can be put in a grab bag and priced by number of magnets, but lower than the standard single magnet price, as a sort of bulk discount. Magnet tape is on the price list. Standard, black magnets can be put in bags together, and priced by number of magnets in the bag, according to the price guide. Neodymium magnets (also called rare earth magnets - the small sliver ones that are very strong) should also be put together in bags and have their own line item in the price guide. Unopened magnet packs with the price still on them can be priced at half of their original retail value. | | |
| maps | Make sure all standard folded maps are road maps. Remove and recycle bus maps, or small, cheap guides to cities or national parks, etc. All road maps should be put together in a container with a label priced according to the price guide. Nice, topographic maps have their own line item on the price guide and should be kept in a separate container. Similarly, maps that have come out of national geographic magazines (not road maps, but educational) should go in their own container, priced according to the price guide. We do not sell atlases or map books. Larger wall maps can be priced individually and be put with paper rolls/posters. | | |
| marker packs | If the marker pack is still completely sealed and unused, they do not generally need to be tested, but can simply be googled and priced at half of retail value. If the pack has been opened and potentially used, test to make sure all the markers are still working, and then google the set and price at half of retail value. Decrease the price if some of the markers are missing. | | |
| markers and pens | These should all be tested to make sure they still work (this is usually already done by volunteers). Any that do not work should be thrown out. These then usually end up in a bin all mixed together, and should be sorted by type before they are put on the sales floor. The types are: regular ballpoint pens (i.e. bic pens), gel pens (gelly roll, or ballpoints that have an especially thick cartridge in them), kids markers, highlighters, dry/wet erase, permanent markers (sharpies, etc) and "fancy" markers/pens (anything that doesn't really fit into the other categories). Micron pens and fine art pens (like prismacolors and chartpak) should be put in the fine arts section, in a container priced according to the price guide. Fabric markers should also be separated out and put in a container near fabric paints. | | |
| matboard and foam board | Keep cut and uncut matboards separate, as these have different price points. All matboard and foam board should be in a container, even if it is housed in one of the frame cubbies (this allows people to slide the whole container out and flip through it easier), except for the huge poster-sized ones. Any cut matboards that are bibger than 24" in their longest dimension do not sell and should be recycled. Do not put them on the sales floor. | | |
| metal | Metal is a lot of measure with your heart pricing. Things like copper, keys, medals, screws, etc are in the price guide, and will likely have containers on the sales floor that you can simply sort these items into. Search "metals" on the price list and peruse what items are there to get a sense of how to price certain things. Anything that is not specifically on the price list can be priced individually if it is large or unusual, or put into one of the $1, $0.50, or $0.25 "funky finds" containers. If you have a lot of something similar, it can go into its own labeled containers, priced at whatever you think is fair and that people will pay (usually between $0.10 and $1 for most things). If you have a small quantity of the same thing, or things like screw sets (10 or more of the same screw), you can make grab bags of them, priced according to the price guide. | | |
| minis | A large portion of the items you'll find in this bin are on the price guide. Rather than searching each individual item, you can simply search "minis" to bring up all relevant line items and scan through them. Note that some variations of an item may be spread out through the list. For all dolls, make sure the limbs are properly attached, not falling off. If the doll is falling apart, you can take it apart completely, and sell the limbs/head/torso individually (check price guide). You can clean most dolls with a general spray cleaner and a clean towel, but may want to test on a small patch first, especially for porcelain dolls. Some dolls will sell in the nude if they're nice or creepy enough, but for some, you may want to try to find some clothing to put on it. Ribbon and some stretchy fabric can make a quick, easy dress. Most dolls can simply be priced by the price guide, but for nicer dolls (porcelain, art dolls, hand-made, or vintage), there are some general guidelines on the price guide, but it is also worth googling (by brand if known, or google image search with camera is helpful) and price based on available prices online, cutting the general online value in half or less depending on condition. Doll clothes are on the price guide, based on size, quality, and possibly brand. If you have a number at the same price point, they can be put in a container labeled at a flat price. Bigger/nicer ones, you may want to individually price and put in a separate container from the flat priced ones. A tag and a safety pin is a good way to do this. After a while, the clothes left in the bins on the sales floor will get picked over and only the rejected pieces that nobody wants to pay that price for will remain. These can be set aside to dress naked dolls before sale, or you can make grab bags of them at a low price. For furniture, check the price guide, but consider things like cast iron, lights up, highly detailed, American Girl brand, and hand-made wood items should always be priced on the higher end. Plastic and damaged furniture goes on the lower end of the guide. For dollhouse building materials, note that wallpaper does not sell well in small amounts, or if the print is hideous. Price these very low, or get rid of them completely. Wooden building materials should have loose components bagged together, tape the bag shut, and write on it what it is if it's not visually obvious. Follow the price guide for these items. Vintage toys should usually be googled, and consider size and material. Metal and "trending" items should be priced higher. For small furniture pieces, bag anything that could get lost in the container on the sales floor, and combine like items where possible (i.e. a set of stools). Accessories should also largely be bagged in sets (i.e. a dish set, or a bunch of little plastic cans of food) and priced per item in the pack, according to the price guide and considering the quality/material of each piece. | | |
| naturals | Most shells go in the fill a bag container. Pull out any extraordinary shells and price separately, either individually or flat priced (like a "fancy shells" container of similarly sized shells). Sand dollars and coral are on the price guide. Most rocks go in fill a bags. Toss any junky/boring ones (like gravel) and try to keep rocks separate by type (rough and smooth). Make & price grab bags if there is an excess of one kind of rock or shell. Polished gemstones, and polished stones are ont he price guide. Individually price any crystals, special gemstones, huge rocks, fossils, etc. Make gallon grab bags of corks when there are more than fit in the container on the floor. Raffia and moss/lichen are on the price list. Google cork sheet/roll prices. Odd things that come up (bones, gourds, etc) can be priced with your heart or googled. In general, it is helpful to simply search "naturals" on the price guide and scan through all results, rather than searching each individual thing. | | |
| needles & pins | Pins and needles in their original packs should be left as such. Price according to the price guide and write the price directly on the package. If you have loose pins or needles, you can make your own packs by scavenging clear containers or tubes from the small container bins (do NOT put in bags!). Price the packs according to the price guide. | | |
| needlework canvas | Plastic canvases are always the same price if they are full sheets or mostly full sheets. Small pieces of plastic canvvas (smaller than 8x8") can be put into grab bags and priced according to the price guide for bags. Cloth canvas, regardless of its count or material can be priced according to the price guide. Pieces smaller than 12x12" can be gathered with other pieces and folded into 6x6 grab bags (a few pieces but not stuffed too full), priced according to the price guide. Larger pieces of cloth needlework canvas should be measured, and priced according to the price guide. If it is not in its original packaging, it should be folded and bagged with the price sharpied on the top of the bag. For all larger pieces of cloth needlework canvas, include a tag or a note on the bag of its dimensions. Needlework canvas with designs printed on them are priced according to the price guide, regardless of size. | | |
| needlework kits | Only price kits that are full, ideally unopened ones. Price them using the range on the price guide or estimate the value based on the amount of fabric/floss. Any sets that are not complete can be pulled apart, and pieces in sellable form can be sold individually, or if not, thrown out. | | |
| office supplies | Make packs where necessary (rubber band half-inch stacks of index cards, put loose push pins in clear plastic boxes, etc). Most office supplies are on the price list. If it is not, google it and price at half of retail value. Most office supplies are not idividually priced. | | |
| paper cutters | Test all paper cutters to make sure they cut paper alright. A few paper cutters are on the price guide. if it is not, google the brand and size and price at half of retail value. If it is very old, find a modern equivalent and use that retail value. Decrease price and put a note on a sticker on the tool if it is dull or missing its safety catch or guard. Write the price on a sticker and stick it to the cutter. Make sure price is easily visible once it is displayed! | | |
| paper packs | Paper packs are generally only printer paper (not cardstock weight), stationery paper, and lined notebook paper (must be in original plastic). Make stacks of 1/4 inch to 1 inch, tie with string (string must contain all four edges and be double-knotted, no bows) and write the price according to the price guide on the corner of the top page in pencil. You can mix colors or make packs all the same. | | |
| paper rolls | Paper rolls sell best when like ones are in the same container - try not to mix types of paper in a container! Make sure all paper rolls are secured in some way (tape is okay for cheaper paper or if it is already taped, but rubber bands should be used on nice paper). Separate by type (decorative/handmade, fine art, craft paper, wallpaper, contact paper etc) and price using price list. For handmade papers, search "specialty paper". If a paper roll comes in packaging that is not see through, take it out. Make sure the price is visible on top of roll once it's in the container or put the price on the container. Paper rolls can be priced with a sticker folded over the rubber band, or with pencil on the top corner of the roll. Posters are on the price guide, unless they are very fancy, and then can be individually priced and put in a separate container. Any basic ones that are flat already can go in the flat files, while rolled ones go on the table in a container. If a type of paper you're pricing is not in the price guide, google them to estimate a price. Also search "Specialty paper" on this guide for more information about papers you might encounter here. | | |
| patches & appliques | Mostly these should be sorted by size (small, medium, large and very large/specialty), and flat priced in containers according to the price guide. Things like logo patches should be put in the lower category as they don't sell as well unless they are a popular brand. Very nice patches (e.g. beaded, national park patches, etc) can have higher prices if you think they are worth it. Packs with multiple patches can be individually priced (half of the price on the package, or priced according to the price guide per patch in the pack). Miscellaneous large packs (i.e. iron-on pockets or repair kits) should be googled and priced at half of retail value. Packs of small, iron-on repair patches that are not nicely contained should be pulled apart and put in the container with the other loose ones. If they are nicely packaged, you can choose to price the whole package individually. | | |
| patterns | Remove any patterns that are especially bulgey because the pattern paper has been badly folded and stuffed into the envelope. Throw these out, as people do not buy them. Sort patterns by type (e.g. jackets, tops, outfits, dresses, vintage, kids, etc. Look at the containers already out on the sales floor). Put as many patterns as you can reasonbly fit into the containers on the sales floor, without overstuffing them, and then rubber band any that won't fit with a sticky note on the front labeling what that stack is, and put these bundles in a bin on the RTF shelf. Get rid of any home decorating patterns (curtains, bedspreads, etc) as they do not sell. Make packs of unsold patterns to sell as alternative gift wrap in paper section. | | |
| pencils | Go through the pencil bin and check for colored pencils or fine art pencils that have accidentally ended up in there. Pencil packs that are unused can be kept together. Sort the remaining pencils by mechanical or wooden, and put them into the appropriate containers on the sales floor. Unsharpened yellow pencils can be set aside to make bundles of 10. Rubber band them and put them in their own container with a label priced according to the price guide. If you have an excessive amount of pencils, they can be made into 6x8 grab bags or gallon grab bags, priced according to the price guide. | | |
| pencil packs/colored pencil packs/crayon packs | Crayon packs that are less than 12 should be dumped into loose crayons. Full or nearly full sets of crayon or colored pencil packs/boxes in original packaging should be priced according to the price guide or googled and priced at half of retail value. Regular pencils in packs can be priced at the price guide price per pencil in pack, rounded to a neat number. Very fancy-looking colored or regular pencils in nice boxes can be priced higher. Google if necessary. | | |
| perler | Perler beads can be left in their original containers if it is nice enough and priced by googling similar sets. Loose perler beads, or ones that are in containers that are crappy, opened, or mostly empty, can be put into 3x4 bags and priced according to the price guide. Perler boards are always flat priced, and can simply be put in a container with a label and price according to the price guide. Same with perler ironing sheets. | | |
| photography | Most of photography is simply sorting items by type and putting them in the proper containers on the sales floor. Slides, contemporary photos, vintage photos, vintage portraits, and negatives are the general categories. Use fill a quart ziploc bag for $2 sale when there is overflow. If you spot a bunch of photos that are duplicates/boring/blurry, toss them. For things like tripods, enlargers, vintage cameras, etc, google the item and price at approximately half of retail value, though you may want to decrease that price further because photography stuff doesn't tend to sell well. Albums can be priced according to the price guide based on size and quality. | | |
| pipe cleaners | Pipe cleaners should be bundled in groups of 10-12. Take one of the pipe cleaners in the bundle and wrap it around the others a few times to hold them together. Put these in a container with a price according to the price guide. | | |
| plastic | Plastic is a lot of measure with your heart pricing. Some common plastics are on the price list. Random pieces should end up in one of the fill-a-bag funky junk containers. Larger, cooler pieces can be put in a container of $0.25 or $0.50 pieces. Odd, larger things can be individually priced at whatever price you think is fair. Keep like items together or make grab bags. | | |
| plastic lacing | Standard plastic lace bundles should be nicely contained with a rubber band. Rolls can be left on the spool. Both should be priced according to the price guide. | | |
| polyfil | If it is in its original bag, it can be left there (even if you have to tape shut a hole in the bag to contain it). Loose polyfil, or polyfil donated in trash bags can be put in gallong or larger ziplocks. Polyfil is priced by weight according to the price guide. | | |
| postage stamps | Cut or tear apart individual stamps, and put them in a container at a flat price according to the price guide. If you have especially nice stamps in full sheets, they can be priced for the full sheet at a price you think is fair for its age and condition. | | |
| postcards | Sort postcards into two groups: new, and vintage. The easiest way is to look for yellowing on the backs. If it is very yellowed or has an old-timey print, consider it vintage. Each type can be put into its respective container on the sales floor, priced according to the price list. Postcard books should be individually priced according to the price guide, with a sticker on the front displaying the price. These should go in their own container on the sales floor. | | |
| punches | Small punches do not need to be individually priced, and can be put together in a labeled container according to the price guide for small punches. Larger punches should be individually priced, according to the price guide. Hole punches (with the handles you squeeze) should go in their own container, labeled with the price according to the price guide. Paper corrugators are also on the price guide. | | |
| quilt patterns & quilt kits | Separate quilt patterns from kits (kits have tools or fabric in them). There are two price points in price list for patterns - small and large. Write price on top of bag as well as on the container. Feel free to recycle any patterns that look very old or beat up, save the bags! Kits get individually priced based on their quality and contents. If it looks newish, feel free to google the original price. For older ones, use the price list. | | |
| quilting | Packs of pre-cut quilting fabric shapes (squares or triangles usually) can be priced by weight according to the price guide. Fat quarters (MUST be at least 18x22, with no pieces cut out) are in the price guide as well. Large, finished and almost finished quilts should be rolled, tied, and priced according to the price guide with a sticker tag folded over the ribbon used to tie it. Large started quilt pieces can be rolled and priced at the same rate as regular fabirc. Started quilt packs (usually a mix of pre-cut shapes and partially-sewn start of a quilt) can be priced by weight at the same rate as other pre-cut quilting fabric shapes. If you have a bunch of larger pieces of quilting fabric consistently of a non-standard size (i.e 15x26), they can be put in their own container at a flat price you think is fair, with the label stating the dimensions of the pieces. Quilting stencils should be priced according to the price guide. Quilting rulers, templates, and tools can be googled and priced at half of retail value. Cutting mats should be priced according to the price guide. | | |
| remnants | Remnants are any fabrics that are less than 1/2 yard, and are bigger than 8"x8". Cut off any weird strips/flaps/messy bits that will tangle or just look uninviting. Remnants should simply be put in the remnants fill-a-bag bin (don't worry about rolling them, they just stay loose). | | |
| resin | Make sure to check if the resin is two-part resin (a container will usually either say "A", "B", "hardener", or indicate a mixing ratio on the label). Most resins are two-part unless it says it is UV resin. If it is a two part resin, make sure it has both parts! It is completely useless with only one part. Two-part resins donated with only one half should be put in the hazardous waste bin. If the bottles are not already contained in a box, tie the handles together or bag/tape the bottles together and make it clear on your price tag that the price is for both bottles so they don't get separated. Google the brand and size of the resin you have and price at half of retail value. Also check if either part of the resin is yellowed. Both parts should ideally be clear. If one or both are yellowed, cut the price in half again. Decrease price further if the bottles are partially used. | | |
| ribbon | Ribbon rolls are generally sorted into three main categories (small, medium, large) at three price points, based on the price guide. Put a rubber band on any spools that are coming unrolled, to keep them neat. Look for large rolls with retail prices that are $9 and higher (usually also 1.5" wide or wider), and use those as a guideline to pick out others of a similar size and quantity. These should be priced as large rolls. Small rolls are generally up to 3.5" diameter spools and less than an inch wide. Anything between these two categories should be considered a medium roll. Pay attention to rolls that are partially or mostly empty, and either price them down a level, or take the last of the ribbon off the reel and set it aside for scrap bags. Tulle rolls have their own line item in the price guide. once you have your rolls sorted, write the price of each directly on the spool based on the price guide, and sort them into the proper containers on the sales floor. If there is a container on the floor for fill-a-bag ribbon scraps, the scraps you have left can be put in there (cut them into sections no longer than 2 feet if they are longer). Otherwise, save them to be put into ribbon scrap bags. Scrap bags are made by nicely rolling the ribbon scraps, and putting them attractively in 6x6 bags, often sorted by colors that go well together. Price these according to the price guide and based on the niceness of the pieces in the bag. | | |
| rope & cord | Bundle cord and rope into nice bundles or rolls or balls, and rubber band or tie to make sure they don't come apart. Some cords will work best in plastic bags. Price pieces according to the price guide. Searching "rope/cord" will get you the full range of items on the price list. Do not price any bundles for lower than the small cord listing on the price guide. If bundles are small enough to not be worth that price, put them in a bin for a fill-a-bag deal. The price guide in this case is a very loose guide, so feel free to bump bundles up or down in price if you think they are worth it. A helpful technique can also be to pick out the bundles that have original labels and pricing on them, and base similar types of cord on that, sliding up or down depending on bundle size. | | |
| roving & felting | Roving should be put in clear zipper bags of appropriate sizes. Most bags will be all the same roving, but if you have multiple smaller pieces of differnt colors, you can make grab bags of multiple pieces. Roving is always priced by weight, according to the price guide. If there is information about the roving already present (i.e. merino wool, or alpaca fiber, or raw wool), make sure the bag you put out reflects this information. Write the weight in oz and the price on each bag. Raw wool should generally be sold in large quantities, not pieced out into smaller bags, and has a separate line in the price guide. For felting tools, needles are on the price guide and can be put out individually or in packs. Make sure needles are not broken, and have the full, pointed tip with little barbs down the sides, or they are useless and should be thrown out. Needle felting handles and brush pads can be googled and priced at half of retail cost. Felting kits should be googled and priced at half of retail cost. Foam pices should be priced according to regular foam prices on the price guide. | | |
| rubber stamps | Look at the containers on the sales floor and sort stamps into those categories. Large stamps can be separated from their categories and put in a separate bin just for large stamps (this makes digging through the boxes easier for customers). If there is not enough room in the bins on the sales floor for the stamps you have sorted (and feel free to change bin sizes or add bins for a certain type depending on how many you have of what), they can be put in bags labeled with their category, in a bin on the RTF shelf. | | |
| scissors | Test all scissors to make sure they are good. Testing on a piece of fabric first can tell you if they are fabric scissors, but even if it doesn't cut fabric, it may still cut paper well. Even scissors that do not look like fabric scissors but cut fabric well can be sold in the fiber section. Pinking shears (the large zig-zigged ones) should always go in the fabric section if they cut fabric, but can be put in the decorative scissors container (with a sticker price to avoid confusion) if they do not cut fabric. Normal decorative edge scissors are the only exception to being tested on fabric. Sewing scissors and pinking shears are both on the price guide. All other scissors should be sorted by decorative edge, kids', and regular and put into the proper containers on the sales floor, priced according to the price guide. | | |
| scrapbooks and photo books | Dermine if a book is a scrapbook or a photo book in order to put it in the right section, as they will not sell in the wrong sections. Scrapbooks are frequently made to hold 12x12 sheets, but can be 8.5x11 sized, or smaller. Photo books come in a great variety of sizes and shapes. The main way to tell a scrapbook from a photo book is to look at the page sleeves inside. If the sleeves are made to hold a single sheet, it's a scrapbook. If the sleeves have multiple separated sections on each sleeve (generally photograph sized), it's a photo book. Any photo books that have the sticky pages (peel back a clear sheet and stick the photo to the backing of the page) should be thrifted, not sold. | | |
| scrapbook bits | Most scrapbook bits are priced at a flat price, regardless of any price tag on the packaging. Sort apart these categories: large sticker sheets; 3d embellishments or packs of paper embellishments; eyelets; brads; letraset. If a pack of embellishments is not contained in packaging, bag it neatly. See the price list for prices of these items, though frequently there are already containers on the sales floor you can simply refill. Eyelet and brad packs should be individually priced according to the price guide. If you have only a few of some types or unsecured ones, they can be combined into grab bags. Make sure containers are secure and will not fall open. Tape if necessary. Clear rubber stamps without backs (that peel off and stick to an acrylic block) should be in nice packs, and priced according to the price guide. | | |
| scrapbook paper | Loose scrapbook paper should be sorted by color and put in the drawers on the sales floor. Multi-colored pages can be put in the box on top of the drawers if there is one, or just pick the color drawer that fits best. Scrapbooks are flat priced according to the price guide, and packs of scrapbook paper should be individually priced according to the price guide, but pay attention to the price on the book if there is one, and don't price it more than 50% of that. | | |
| sculpey | Sort apart oven-baked clays (sculpey, fimo) from modeling clay (the stuff that never hardens), from air-dry clay, and make sure these end up on the sales floor in separate, clearly-labeled containers. Most sculpey packages come in a standard size, which should be priced according to the price guide. Decrease price if the package is partially used. Make sure all clays are still malleable, especially air-dry clay. For larger packs of clay, google the price of the pack and price at half of retail value. Plastic sulpting tools can be price according to the price guide. Rubbery clay molds have their own line in the price list. | | |
| sequins | Sequins sell best in sequin soup grab bags. To make the soup, you'll need a plastic tub to add all the ingredients. Remove sequins from their original packaging (recycle the film plastic if it has no sticker and is completely clean of sequin bits, and paper labels) and add to the tub. Do this with all the sequins (watch out for sequin pins that can be occasionally mixed in!) and mix them all together. Use a scoop to fill up 3x4 bags with the sequins. Price according to the price guide. Seasonal sequin mixes sell well! During the holiday seasons (xmas, valentine's, halloween) feel free to make themed sequin soups to sell. For example, put aside tropical and ocean colored sequins for Mermaid Confetti, which should have small shells, a few flarbles, and fake pearls added in. | | |
| sewing machines | Test each sewing machine, making sure it stitches well forward, back, and zigzag, if available. Make a paper sign to tape to the machine with what it is, whether it is tested and works, what is included with it (i.e. case, booklet, accessories). Machines that don't work, or you can't test them because of a missing power cable or foot pedal, should be priced at $10, and state what doesn't work on it or why it couldn't be tested. For pricing newer machines that work, you can look up for retail value and cut it in half if the machine is in good condition and not missing any parts. For older machines, consider if it has vintage value (i.e. a really old singer, like a treadle machine, featherweight, etc). Featherweights in good condition, start at $300-$350, less if it is in less good condition. Treadle machines in good condition, start at $250-$300, less if it is in less good condition. Older, basic machines that aren't available new anymore, but don't have great vintage value (i.e. machines from the 80's, machines that still have plastic bodies, etc), tend to sell for $60. You can add $10-$20 if it is a fancier machine. If any machine works but is missing pieces like the flat bed attachment, knock the price down by approximately what that piece would cost (usually around $20 for the flat bed attachment). | | |
| sewing tools | Some tools (magnetic pin cushions, measuring tapes, travel sewing kits, presser feet, etc) are on the price guide. Many other things (e.g. rotary blades, irons, bottles of oil/fabric glue) will need to be googled and priced at half of retail value. Test all scissors and pinking shears to make sure they cut fabric well. These are on the price guide. Decrease the price and make a note on the scissors if they are not very sharp. Pinking shears that do not cut fabric should be put in decorative kids scissors (priced according to the price guide), with a price sticker on them to avoid confusion at register. | | |
| snaps/rivets/hook & eye | Price any bags/cards of snaps, rivets, hook & eyes that are mostly full using the price list. If there are lots of bags/cards with just a few of one item, make grab bags and use the price list as a guide. If there are lots of loose items (not attached to a card), you can make a "sewing bits" container for the metal table (use price list) as they sell very well there. If there is a huge quantity of one kind of rivet, for example, you can do a fill a bag or make individually priced bags. For snaps especially, make sure what was donated has all parts (2-4 different things, depending on how they attach), and if they are not complete sets, they should go in metals. | | |
| specialty paper | Start by sorting everything into like groups (eg, origami paper, quilling paper, handmade papers in rolls). Make packs of smaller papers using a binder clip or a bag. Sheets of fancy paper (like very nice cardstock or handmade papers) at approximately 8.5x11" can go in the drawer for specialty paper. Origami paper can be priced according to the price guide. Larger sheets of paper should be rolled with a rubber band (NOT tape!) and priced according to the price guide (search "specialty paper"). Doilies can be made in packs of 5 or 10 and priced according to the price guide. Things like scratch paper or solar paper can be put in the kids crafts box. Odd things, make packs if neccessary and price with your heart. | | |
| spray paint | All spray paints should be shaken well (45 seconds to a minute, ideally) and tested to make sure they spray evenly and are not clogged. Make sure to turn the can upside down and spray again until the spray comes out clear, so that it does not immediately clog after testing. Some brands have cans that can spray from any angle and thus do not need to have their nozzles cleared out (as it simply won't work), but you can wipe off the nozzle. Any that are partially or fully clogged should be set aside to be taken to hazardous waste. Working ones can be priced according to the price guide, depending on fullness. Make sure to pay attention if it is a fine arts spray (workable fixatif, varnish, etc), as some of these have their own line items in the price guide. If you're dealing with a fancy type (or something like a spray glue), google it and price it at half of retail value, depending on fullness. | | |
| stained glass | Clean all pieces of glass before pricing and putting out. For larger pieces of stained glass, follow the price guide based on the type of glass, but consider the shape of the glass (nice squared edges can sell for more than odd-shaped, funky cut pices). Additionally, glass colored red, blue, purple can be priced higher than their green/yellow counterparts. Completely clear, colorless glass should be priced even cheaper, sometimes below the price guide range. If there is a bulk amount of a smaller funky size, you can make a bin priced at a flat price instead of individually pricing each piece. Small, funky/broken pieces can be put in the container for customers to fill an envelope and buy by weight. If there is an excess of smaller bits, they can be put into pre-made grab bags of approximately 4x4 and priced according to the price guide. | | |
| stamp pads | Test all stamp pads with a stamp to make sure they work well. Throw out any dried out ones. Sort by size (most fall into standard or very small), as these have different price points in the price guide. If it is especially large and has multiple colors, it may need to be googled and priced at half of retail value. Put the different sizes in separate, labeled containers on the stamps shelves. | | |
| stationery & greeting card packs | Stationery should be sold as packs, unless there is a lot. Greeting card packs should be priced according to the price list. If there is a pack of 6 cards, that would be $3 based on our 50c/card price, which you can adjust up or down based on the quality of the cards. If they are in the original packaging, like a nice box, you can add a $1 to the price. If there are a lot of one kind of cards (ie: thank you note packs), keep those together for customer shopping ease. It is okay to sell card packs without envelopes, but price them for less than you would a full set. | | |
| stencils | Stencils typically fall into two categories: small (anything up to approximately 8x8") and large. These are priced according to the price guide. Large packs or books or especially big stencils (larger than 12x12") can be individually priced. Creative Memories custom cutting system templates (typically blue plastic ovals, squares, circles with holes in the middle) do not sell in packs, and should be pulled out and sold individually according to the price guide. | | |
| stickers | Stickers take a LOT of sorting! Do not attempt this task if you are tired! You will lose your faith in humanity based on the sad state of of the sticker sheets that some folks choose to donate...do not give up! Remember, stickers make people happy! Start by sorting by type: ABC letters (full sets without any stickers missing get individually priced, save partially used ones for fill-a-bag), waterbottle stickers (1 sticker, not on a sheet), sticker books/packs (price individually), anything that fits in the bulk priced "sticker sheets" 50c container (these should be full sheets, not half used!), partially used stickers for the fill-a-bag bargain container. Throw away stickers that are not in packaging and fall off their backing once you touch them as they make a mess! Obviously free stickers, like from Moe's bagel or "I voted" can go in the fill a bag container. Any obviously scrapbooking stickers can go in that section or be sold with stickers, depending on how the stock of each item is doing at the time. If there are a lot of one kind of stickers, you can make a separate container for them, like 25 sheets of lego stickers will sell faster separated out rather than mixed in with the rest of the sticker sheets. Chartpaks and letrasets have their own entry in this guide. | | |
| stretcher bars | Make usable bundles of 4 where possible 2 of one size, 2 of another size, or all 4 of the same size). The brand must match each other, and even within the same brand, make sure the pieces fit together. Tape the bundles together securely (packing tape or duct tape). For Frederick brand, use the price guide, pricing each bundle based on the longest bars in the pack. For the heavy duty Richeson brand, google the prices of each length, and price the bundle at 1/4 of what it would cost new. Any mismatched bars can be put in the container to be sold separately, but it is beneficial to go through it periodically and see if any usable sets have collected there. | | |
| tape | Make sure there is still tape on the roll. Most tapes are flat priced according to the price guide (search for "tapes" and find the appropriate type). Large/fancy tapes can be priced up at a price you think is fair. | | |
| thread | Sort out small spools of thread (any spools an inch or less in diameter AND height) and spools that are mostly empty (some of the spool is visible underneath the thread), and large serger thread spools (anything with a wider base than top is generally a serger spool). Resonably full, normal-sized spools can be sorted by color to be put on the thread wall. Serger thread spools should go on the shelf below the thread wall. Mostly empty and the smaller spools you sorted out earlier can be saved to be put in grab bags, priced according to the price guide. | | |
| tiles | Most tiles approx 2x2" to 6x6" are flat priced according to the price guide. Smaller mosaic tiles can be put into grab bags or in a container for customers to fill their own bag, priced according to the price guide. If larger tiles are especially fancy (for example, hand painted), they can be priced higher, based on the price guide. | | |
| tissue paper | If not already in nice packages or rolled, sheets should be neatly folded into squares approx 6x6" (you can fold more than one sheet of the same color into a square), and should be made into stacks approximately 1 inch thick (when somewhat compressed), and tied with string such that all four edges are contained so they don't fall apart. Feel free to make packs all the same color (not as popular), or mix and match colors for variety packs (more popular). These should be flat priced according to the price guide. | | |
| tools | Tools frequently require a lot of googling. Some common things (screwdrivers, wrenches, t-squares, gloves, files, bits, etc) are on the price guide. If clay tools have ended up in this box, they should be put on the ceramics table, priced according to the price guide. If the tool(s) you're dealing with are not on the price guide or are in a nice set, google them and price at half of retail value. If you're really not sure what something is, google reverse image searches can help, or failing that, just price it somewhat low and put it in the "handy tools" box on the sales floor. | | |
| trim | Start by separating out tassels. These are usually flat priced based on size, according to the price guide. Anything especially large can be individually priced. As you go through the trim boxes, pull out and set aside anything that is already nicely bundled or in original packaging. These can be priced as packs/bags according to the price guide. Things that are not nicely bundled but are very long and nice can be made into bundles, or ideally rolled nicely and bagged, also to be priced according to the price guide. Anything that is not particularly fancy and short pieces are not worth our time to individually bag and price. Pieces of 1 yard or shorter should be thrown together into a single container for customers to pick through and fill their own bag (see the price guide, and clip a stack of the proper sized bags to the container), and even longer pieces of not-so-nice trim can be cut up into sections a few feet each and put into the fill-a-bag container. Sometimes rope and cord pieces end up in this bin, in which case you can simply put them in the rope and cord box in intake to be dealt with later. Try not to have large grab bags be a tangled mess of trim (sometimes it's unavoidable depending on the form of the trim), and if necessary, you can cut up huge lengths and make multiple bags. Bags should ideally not be larger than a gallon-sized bag. Most bags should be approximately in the 6x6 range. or a little smaller. | | |
| velcro | Velcro should be rolled, bundled, or bagged neatly if not already in original packaging. For new packs, google and cut the retail value in half. For loose velcro, price according to the range on the price guide. If a long strip of velcro only has one half, make a note on the bag or tag that it is only the hook side or only the loop side, and decrease the price. For shorter pieces (shorter than 10 inches but longer than 2 inches), variety grab bags can be made and labeled as such. Very small lengths of velcro strips should be simply thrown out. | | |
| vintage paper | Sort items by type: e.g. small booklets, larger magazines, books, post cards, greeting cards, sheet music. Books and magazines that are falling apart can be made into packs of approximately 1/2 inch (binder clipped or put in bags). Price items according to the price guide if it is on it. Any miscellaneous things can be put into 12x12 grab bags, approximately 3/4 inch stack inside, and priced according to the price guide. It can be a mix of things, as someone might use for collage (i.e. some sheet music, some magazine pages, some single misc sheets of paper). Small, unusual things from before 1950 that look valuable can be googled and put into the jewelry case. If you have a fair number of something random not listed here (i.e. paper dolls) you can price them at a price you think is fair. | | |
| vintage textiles | Vintage doilies, handkerchiefs, napkins, and table runners are all in the price guide. Larger pieces of fabric and lace should be measured, rolled, and priced according to the price guide. Misc items are generally priced with your heart, considering its age and quality. | | |
| webbing | Webbing should be approximately measured and priced according to the price guide. It should be rolled or bundled and contained with rubber bands, with a label on each for the price. Smaller pieces (1.5-3 feet) can be bundled and put into all one container and flat priced according to the price guide to save time labeling. Pieces shorter than 1.5 feet can be put into a fill-a-bag bin, priced according to the price guide. | | |
| wire | Make sure all wire is neatly rolled with ends wrapped around to contain the roll, or else the whole roll put into a plastic bag. Twist ties can be used to control some unruly rolls. Price wire according to the price guide, using a scale. If the roll of wire you're pricing is especially huge and the price you've calculated seems high, feel free to knock a few dollars off of the price. | | |
| wood | If there are multiples of a certain type of item (i.e. dowels, plaques, shapes, blocks, etc), they can be put in a labeled container at a flat price for each item, at a price that is somewhat low but feels fair to you. Some common items are on the price guide. Random small things that can fit in a 6x6 bag can be put in the wooden fill-a-bag junk bin, or if multiple items have some similarity, they can be made into grab bags. Random larger wooden pieces should generally be priced low (usually $1-2) unless it is fancy or large, and make sure the price tag is stuck on so it is clearly visible as it sits on the shelf. Hang up any items you can on the wall/shelf nails. | | |
| xactos and blades | Xacto handles and similar hobby blades should be put in a container that is flat priced according to the price guide. If there is a blade already on the handle, stab it into a cork so customers don't cut themselves. Box cutters have their own price point on the price guide and should be put in a separate container. For blades, make sure they are in packs of approximately 5-12 and flat priced according to the price guide. You can use small tubes or clear boxes from the containers section to make these packs safe to handle. It is generally better if the blades in a pack are all the same, or at least similar. Specialty blades (like saws or rotary blades) can be individually priced according to the price guide, or if it's not on the guide, google something similar and price at half of retail value. | | |
| yarn | Make sure all yarn is already nicely bundled or balled, and put a rubber band on the ball if necessary to keep it together. Anything that is messy should be simply thrown out. If the yarn still has its original label, the price on the label can simply be cut in half. Cross out the original price and write in sharpie on the label the Art Parts price. If there is no label on the yarn, determine if it is acrylic, wool, cotton, or silk and weigh it. Price by weight according to the price guide, with a sticker label or taped paper label attached to a few strands of the yarn, or written on the original packaging. Make sure to also include the weight of the yarn with the price. If the yarn is clearly hand-woven or very fancy, you can increase the price per ounce as you feel is appropriate or according ot the price guide. Small balls should be rubber banded and put in a single bin for a flat price according to the price guide. If you have multiple balls of the same yarn, you may choose to put it all in a single bag and price the whole bag by the weight of all the yarn it contains. This works best for nicer yarns or unusual yarns, and enough to make a sweater of. Cheap yarns, even if there are multiple of the same, can simply be priced individually. | | |
| yarn cones | Determine if the yarn or string is acrylic, wool, or cotton, and weigh the cone. Subtract 1-2 ounces for the weight of the cone, and price it according to the price guide. The price can be written on a tag looped through a few strands on the cone, or written directly on the base of the cone. Include the weight of the yarn with the price. | | |
| yarn remnants | If there is an especially large number of small balls of yarn, they can be made into grab bags. Make sure all balls are neatly rolled. Bags of similar or complimenting colors sell well, but bags of a mix also go eventually. Put as many small balls as you can easily fit into a 6x6 bag and price according to the price guide. | | |
| zippers | Zippers in packages should be sorted apart from loose zippers, as each of these require different styles of display on the sales floor. Sort the zippers into size ranges according to what is on the sales floor or what seems appropriate with the number of zippers and amount of space you have, and then put them into appropriate containers, labeled with their size ranges. All zippers are flat priced according to the price guide. | | |