If you’ve ever wondered whether you can flip Goodwill Bins finds to Once Upon a Child and actually make money, I decided to test it.

After seeing other resellers use Once Upon a Child to subsidize their Goodwill Outlet hauls, I figured it was worth a try. Worst case? My kids could wear what didn’t sell. Best case? I’d make my money back (or more).

Here’s exactly what happened — what I bought, what they took, what they paid, and what I learned.

The Investment: What I Spent at the Goodwill Bins

On my first trip, I spent:

$94 total on everything I purchased for resale
About 15 pounds of that haul was kids clothing intended for Once Upon a Child
Estimated cost for the kids bin portion: ~$30

Later, I went back (because apparently I enjoy experimenting 😅) and picked up more.

By the second round:

I had about 30 pounds total
Roughly $60 invested into the Once Upon a Child pile
I had already received $19.15 from my first drop-off

My goal? Break even or at even better, significantly offset my bins haul.

What I Picked Up at the Bins

I focused on:

Name brands (Zara, Levi’s, OshKosh, Nike, Under Armour)
Jeans and structured pieces
Some boutique-style dresses with matching bloomers
Shoes (Crocs, sandals, boots, sneakers)
A few vintage-inspired and natural fabric pieces
Minimal Carter’s and basic Target brands

I intentionally avoided loading up on basic, oversaturated brands — or so I thought.

First Once Upon a Child Visit: Reality Check

They gave me:

$19.15
For about 10 items

Not terrible… but not amazing either.

What surprised me:

They passed on some really cute boutique-style dresses with bloomers
They didn’t take a Zara shirt I thought would be a sure thing
They skipped over several sleepers
They didn’t take swimwear
They passed on pristine white pants (later learned they’re very selective with whites)

Lesson #1: What YOU think is cute doesn’t always match what THEY need in inventory.

Second Once Upon a Child Visit: Much Better Results

I tried a different location.

This time:

They took items the first store passed on
I received an itemized receipt
I essentially broke even overall

Breaking even on my first real attempt? I’ll take it.

What Once Upon a Child Actually Paid (Itemized Breakdown)

This is where it gets interesting.

💰 Higher Paying Items

OshKosh denim (youth) – $2.85
Levi’s jeans – $2.55
Crocs – $2.55
Youth jacket – $3.15
Zara shirt – $2.55

💵 Mid-Range Items

Under Armour youth shirt – $1.95
H&M skirt – $1.65
Youth denim (non-premium brand) – $1.65

👟 Shoes

Crocs (brand name) – $2.55
Most sandals/shoes – $0.90 – $1.50
Brand name shoes paid slightly more

👶 Lower Returns

Toddler Cat & Jack denim – $1.65
Infant sleepers – ~$1.10

What I Learned (So You Don’t Have To)

Brand Matters — A Lot

Even a $0.90 difference adds up.

Youth name-brand denim = $2.85
Toddler store-brand denim = $1.65

That’s just under a $1 difference per piece, which matters when you’re paying $1.99 per pound.

If it’s between:

Carter’s basic onesie
Or Levi’s youth jeans

Pick the Levi’s.

I had a few lovely people who commented on my video (linked above) that said theirs don’t take certain brands because they don’t sell well (Gerber, Fruit of the Loom, Hanes, Shein, Cherokee). I will say I did see one Shein on the racks when I was looking but maybe that slipped through the cracks.

The commenter (who works at a Once Upon a Child) said they will typically add $1 for a higher end brand.

Bigger Kid Sizes Pay More, But Also Weigh More

Items in:

5+
Tween sizes
Youth sizes

Consistently paid more than infant pieces.

I’ll be prioritizing sizes 1T and up moving forward. However if I have a choice between two 3T pieces and one teen of the same brand, I’ll choose the two 3T to maximize my return.

We weighed the Levi’s size 10 teens jeans and they were 13 oz, so they cost me $1.61 and I was paid $2.55. So about $1 profit. The 3T were half the weight, meaning the profit for buying the same weight in clothes would be $1.60.

Crocs = Best Bang for Buck

They’re lightweight.
They’re easy to clean.
They paid $2.55 for a pair.

At bins pricing? That’s a big win.

The pair I had were still a little dirty even after cleaning but they still took them!

Seasonality Doesn’t Matter but Condition and Age Does

They took all seasons, and a few people in the comments of my YouTube video confirmed. They will take all seasons at any time, but focus on items in good condition (no stains, no rips or tares).

Presentation matters a lot too. Do not bring wrinkly clothes, because they won’t accept it. They want items ready to hang and go on the floor.

Lastly, they don’t like to take items older than 2 years. If a tag has a manufacture date, consider removing it (but not if it is a size or brand tag) or throwing it back.

They’re Selective About Whites

I overheard staff mention they’re picky with white items — even if pristine. Which makes sense why they passed on the kids white jeans I picked up.

As a mom, that makes sense. I barely wear white clothes myself because of my kids, I probably wouldn’t put my own kids in white.

Some Items Get Taken at One Store but Not Another

Location matters.

Trying multiple locations increased my acceptance rate significantly. What one store might pass on, another may take.

Did I Make Money?

Technically?

Yes.

After two visits:

I broke even on the Once Upon a Child portion
Covered a chunk of my Goodwill bins haul
Still have inventory to sell online

And I gained something more valuable:

Data.

Now I know what to pick up next time.

What I’ll Pick Up Moving Forward

✔ Youth denim
✔ Levi’s
✔ Zara
✔ Crocs
✔ Structured jackets
✔ Natural fabrics in bigger sizes

What I’ll Skip (Unless Exceptional)

✖ Basic sleepers
✖ Under 1 year sizes
✖ Generic Target brands
✖ White pants

Final Thoughts: Is It Worth It?

For me? Yes.

Not because it made huge money.
But because it:

Helps offset my bins hauls
Prevents good items from going to landfill
Moves inventory quickly
Teaches me what local demand looks like

And if something doesn’t sell?

My kids wear it.
Or I bundle it on Depop.

No real loss.

Would I Do It Again?

Absolutely.

Now that I understand:

Brand prioritization
Size strategy
Seasonality
Store variability

I think I can improve my margins next round.

If you’ve tried flipping bins finds to Once Upon a Child, drop your tips below. What brands or sizes do best for you?

I Took 30 Pounds of Goodwill Bins Kids Clothes to Once Upon a Child – Here’s What Happened