Did you ever think that you could stay at home with your children - and turn your children into a profit? No, I'm not talking about selling your children on the black market! But your kids likely have a large amount of clothes that they no longer fit in to, old toys that they no longer play with, and other gear laying around the house that is just collecting dust. If you ever catch yourself complaining about the clutter of toys that your children never play with, or wincing at the amount of almost brand-new clothing sitting in your children's closet that they never wear, it's time to turn your children's old stuff into a home business.
Using eBay, you can create a home business that allows you to stay at home with your children, and get rid of the clutter around your house at the same time. To get started selling on eBay, simply sign up for a seller's account with your current username. Enter in your personal information, your address, and your bank account or credit card information, and within minutes you can get started with selling on eBay.
Once your account is ready to go, have your children round up all of their old clothes, toys, and games. Check each item to make sure it is in good quality condition. Then, use a digital camera to photograph each item. For toys and games, you may want to enlist the help of your children to show you how it works. Then, you can take photographs of the item in use, giving your bidders a better idea of what they are buying.
When your photographs are ready to go, it's time to start listing! You can list as many items as you want on eBay, but you may want to start with just ten or twenty until you get the hang of selling. Make sure to list everything about the item that you can think of, and specify the quality of the item. If it is used, make sure you let your bidders know this. If the item is missing parts, has stains, or doesn't come with all of its original pieces, make note of this in your auctions as well. It's always better to err on the side of caution by offering your buyers too much information, than to accidentally leave an important piece of information out and have an unhappy buyer.
As your children get older, you will continue to have a steady flow of clothes, toys, and games that you can list on eBay to make some of your money back. While you may not be able to make a complete profit, or even break even on the things you have previously purchased, you will certainly be able to make more money than you would at a garage sale or consignment shop. And, if it was just laying around the house, it wasn't doing you any good, anyway. So why not use your children's old toys and clothes for something profitable, and start selling them off on eBay?
Your WAHM career probably hits a major bump in early June, when the kids are home during the day from school, and they might just be too much for you to handle. It is easy to get the same amount of work done, however, so if you follow some easy tips you'll be able to have smooth sailing, during the summer and all year round!
First of all, get everyone on schedule as much as you can. Remember that you want to spend time with your kids, after all, that's what being a mom is all about - but you also need to get your work done. A good suggestion is to look at your kids' sleeping schedules. Do they like to stay up later than usual and then sleep in during those summer mornings? If so, you know that early mornings will be the best time for you to get that quiet-time work done on your computer or anywhere else. Schedule your toughest work when they'll still be sleeping.
If your kids are still on a go-to-bed-early and get-up-with-the-sun type schedule, use those few hours between when they are going to bed and when you are to get that work done that needs to be completed without any interruption. If you can work while they are still sleeping, you'll be better off.
Next, be sure that you also schedule a quiet time early in the afternoon. This can be right after your late sleepers get up and eat, or after lunch for your early-risers. Explain to the kids that it is important to do quiet activities at least once a day - and have them read books, or do educational games. The little ones can even take a nap if they were up early. Use this hour or so to get more work done.
Another great option is to enroll your kids in a couple of summer activities that you don't need to be present for. You'll have to go to the games if you put them in a sport, but you'll have the times when they are practicing. There are great education things like discovery programs and music lessons that kids like to do during the summer. If you can get an afternoon or two a week out of a program, you will be able to concentrate on your work even more.
Lastly, remember that being organized is one of the best ways to deal with your kids and your work all at once. If you have a nicely organized home as well as office, then your kids can find their toys, know where the scissors are for art projects, and not need to bother you every five minutes to help them find something. You'd be surprised at how quickly interruptions can add up, so keep organized to keep on top of it. Also, try to schedule yourself enough time to simply be with your kids during the summer.
These years will go fast, and soon they won't even want to be around when the weather is nice!
Both Vickie Sayce & Chris Simpson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Vickie Sayce has sinced written about articles on various topics from How to Sell on Ebay, How to Sell on Ebay and Parenting. If you want to make money on eBay while still raising the kids, visit to f. Vickie Sayce's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.
Chris Simpson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Work From Home, Joint Venture and Pets. Chris Simpson is dedicated to helping people find honest and legitimate and home based business opportunities. Find legitimate. Chris Simpson's top article generates over 110000 views. to your Favourites.