All About Kinder Basars

I often joke with S that I wouldn't know how to be a parent in the US. There's so much I've learned that's specific to where we live.. it will be hard to (someday) re-learn things that I've come to take for granted. One of the biggest is access to kinder basars. I know a lot of churches host consignment sales, but I have yet to see something like the kinder basar system over here.

It would take a blue moon for me to pay
full price for shoes like these. For 4 euros,
gently used, however, sign me up!

Every Feb-March and Sept-Oct, each neighborhood in Mainz hosts a kinder basar for either spring / summer or fall / winter clothing for kids. Toys, shoes, carseats, strollers, bikes, etc... are also included. They are well organized events in which parents can either set up a table and sell their own goods, or drop off a crate of stuff and have the organizers divvy it up, attempt to sell it, and return what doesn't sell the next day. A portion of the earnings support a charity, sellers must bring a cake (it's imperative that shoppers be able to pause for cake and coffee while they browse), and kids are (naturally) welcome.

My midwife first introduced me to the concept, and I found several in my area. As a frequent flea-marketer, I knew this would be my jam. I didn't know what to buy at the first one, and brought along a +1 to help me shop (preggos are often allowed to enter early, and I needed help carrying things!). Since that first basar, in which I definitely bought things I didn't need, I've become a pro at finding useful items in good condition, following a now-tested set of strategies:

• Go early, and bring bags: 
• If you can enter early as a preggo, or with a pregnant friend, do it. I've even helped strangers out who were waiting in line, to come along with me as my pregnant +1. Karma, baby. 
• Some basars restrict bringing anything inside - you're allowed an Ikea bag but nothing else (not even a blue trash bag). Check the instructions, and definitely bring a shopping bag bigger than you think you'll need. Just in case. 
• Leave the kids at home: 



Apparently there are parents in the world
who don't lose their game pieces, or
even their full game set packaging. To them,
I say thank you for being a better parent/
owner of games than I. 

• If you can, browse kid-free. That might mean leaving them with your partner at the cake table, and letting them get sugared up while you shop. Sacrifice worth making. 
• Have a plan: 
• Know what you need, and go to that section first. For the 'abgabebasars', where everything is sorted by clothing size and item category, I often go straight to the toys. This section is often a huge mess after ~1 hour, so it's best to get in early to find treasures. 
• I've found that both used clothes and shoes get pretty rough after size 98-104. It can be hard to sift through rougher items for viable clothing, so it might not be worth the time.
• Be picky:
• Even though everything is much cheaper than they would be new, I'm extremely picky. Look for holes, loose threads, sweat stains, faded colors, etc. I also focus on brands - if I know it's Palomino, Baby Club, or impidimpi (C&A, Aldi), I'm much less inclined to buy vs Zara or even H&M. And oh, when I find anything from Jako-O I snap it up.
• Volunteer
• Volunteers often get special perks - like shopping in advance. I do this twice a year for a basar nearby. My employer offers VTO (paid volunteer time off), so I get a double win- credit for hours worked + first-pick shopping before the crowds.
• Bonus: great opportunity for language practice, too! 
• Get some cake!
• Seriously. Many of the cakes are homemade and they are always delicious. Usually available for takeaway and less than 2 euros/slice.