Forget the lemonade stand in the front yard, the next generation of entrepreneurial youngsters is turning their unwanted toys into cash at My Kids Market NSW.
“This year we have seen an increase in the number of kids hosting stalls with their parents to make some money to buy a prized toy or experience” said Jennifer Harrison, Market Organiser, My Kids Market NSW. Just recently we saw Alec and his Mum on a mission to sell his unwanted toys and books to make way for his long-awaited Xbox One!
“The markets have always been a great way for mums and dads to clear out unwanted baby and kid’s items from the house and make some extra cash for the family”.
Sydney mum Leanne Lewis is one such parent. “My 8-year-old has been wanting an Xbox One for some time. We’ve resisted and decided that if he wanted it, he’d have to earn it. Selling all of his old toys was the way to go”. Leanne said “The benefit of the market stall was far greater than the cash 8-year-old Alec made to purchase his prized Xbox One. This was such a valuable learning exercise for my son. He got to work for something that he wanted, the value of working for his money, sorting through his old toys and honestly saying that he no longer wanted them, also pricing the toys, which proved to be hilarious fun!”
Are your kids dreaming of something new? To help them on their mission, My Kids Market NSW are giving them a special $10 CASHBACK from their stall fee on Market Day!
To be eligible, BOOK A STALL at their Penrith Market online and type the words GAZETTE CASHBACK in the notes when you make your booking, then email them at info@mykidsmarketnsw.com.au, confirming your booking with a photo of the kids cleaning out their unwanted treasures. Stalls at the market are only $59, the event is held indoors, and they provide the table.
Here are their top five decluttering tips to help get you and the kids started:
- Startyourdeclutter in the morning rather than the afternoon. You need the kids to be on board with the idea and not grumpy or tired. Plan a fun activity for the afternoon as a reward.
- When starting your toy cupboard clear out, create four piles – keep, sell, donate and throw. At the end of most of our markets we have a local charity, such as Mummies Paying It Forward, come to collect any items stallholders don’t want to take home so you can kill two birds with one stone.
- A visible goal will help keep their eyes on the prize! Stick a picture on the wall of whatever it is the kids are planning to do with the money they make from selling their toys.
- When it is time to pack away the toys the kids have decided to keep, if there are any that you don’t think the kids willplaywith again, put them in a separate box and store it out of reach. If the kids ask for a toy in the box you can get it down, otherwise after a few months you can suggest that these are also toys that they no longer need as they didn’t even realise they were missing.
- Encourage the kids to identify unwanted toys on an ongoing basis. Keep a box in the laundry or garage and anytime they decide that they have outgrown a toy they can pop it in the box for their next market stall. It will make the decluttering process much simpler next time