Guest Post by Jenni Hunt at Holiday Toy Guide.

Looking at trends in the toy industry can be valuable for an eBay seller… it helps to know what kind of inventory to keep an eye out for – and you can bet that the most popular toys this year will likely follow these trends. This is true for new and used toys.

Following are some trends that outline what buyers are paying attention to this year and are useful to keep in mind when shopping for inventory.

1. Eco-Friendly Toys

“Green” is IN… it is everywhere and toys are no exception! Toys that are environmentally friendly are expected to be very popular this year.

2. Budget Friendly

The economy is all the talk – but that doesn’t mean parents aren’t going to be buying toys for their kids this Christmas. Retailers are already gearing up to offer some great prices on their toys this year.

3. Realistic Toys

I think it started with Baby Alive years ago… but it has become a huge trend these past few years and looks like it will continue. These are toys that respond to touch and interact with the child somehow.

4. Classic toys

Many parents are turning to toys that they had when they were young.

5. Movies

There are always a few movies that are released during the year that have a very timely DVD release right before the holidays. Look at what movies did well this year – and keep an eye on the merchandise available for that movie… usually they do well on eBay.

KNOW which toys are selling this holiday – the biggest selling season of the year – with the Holiday Toy Guide.

http://www.holidaytoyguide.com/

So, if selling toys on eBay to make some extra money or just to be a better informed eBay seller sounds like a good idea to you (as I mentioned yesterday).

Jenni from the Holiday Toy Guide just put Another new free report on her website and I think you’ll like it.

This report is only available TODAY – so go get it right now!

It is a short report showing you how to find what is selling on eBay for 2009.

You can get the 5 Keys For Researching eBay For Hot Items here:

http://www.holidaytoyguide.com/

Enjoy!

If you are anything like me, you are always looking for ways to make some extra money, especially for the upcoming Holiday Season!

Selling toys on eBay for the Holidays has become quite profitable for lots of sellers or maybe you already sell on eBay and could use some tips on choosing what toys are going to be the hot sellers this selling season.

Jenni from the Holiday Toy Guide just put the new free 2009 Toy Trends report on her website and I think you’ll like it.

You can see it here:

http://www.holidaytoyguide.com/

You’ll like it because it shows you an easy way to know what some of the most popular toys are expected to be this holiday season.

Enjoy!

So now you have the tips and the tools to maintain your sanity this summer and keep your kids and house in order, but what to do with them?

Now it’s time to get it all together and get it organized!

Some of your charts and lists can be kept in your Household Planner or in a folder or binder. Be sure to keep all of your originals in a safe place too, so you can use them again next summer!

Some of your charts and lists you will want to display in a place where the whole family can see and access them.

As you can see here, I have a narrow space in a hallway where I put up my Summer Survival cork board. I found the cork board for $10 at Menard’s, it was a generous sized 2.5 ft. x 4 ft, I did have to trim it, but it works great!

You can display whatever you want here; you may not need the same charts for your family as I need for mine. You can pick and choose what works best for you!

From top to bottom, here is what I have displayed:

• Things to Do this summer
• Older Kid’s Job Chart Calendar
• Healthy Snacks
• Weekly Summer Job Schedule
• Daily Schedule
• Healthy Snack Request List
• Detailed Job Descriptions (these are in page protectors so they can be used with dry erase markers and hanging on a tack)
• Summer 2009 Calendar
• Little Kid’s Job Charts

Good luck to you all in Surviving Summer Vacation this year!

And again, all of these templates can be found in The Busy Mom’s Guide to Summer Survival!

Please come back and share your stories with us:)

Here are some close up pics:

This always seems to be the biggest challenge for me during summer vacation…keeping the house in order. I don’t even mean it has to be clean, I mean keeping the toys off the floor, keeping the shoes on the shoe shelf, keeping dishes in the kitchen and keeping toys, shoes and dishes out of the bathroom! If you have children, you know what I mean :)

It’s impossible to follow them around all day long getting after them to pick up after themselves, plus that just makes mom extra irritated and stressed!

In order for your house to maintain some order this summer, you have got to have a game plan that you can stick to.

Tips for Keeping your House in order:

I’m sure your kids, like mine, are already accustomed to helping out and doing jobs around the house, but summer vacation is different. There are more kids and a much bigger mess!

Click the image to Download the Free Job List Template.

1.   Create a Job List

The kids can help out with the housework, start by creating a list (with the kids) of all the household jobs that need to be done daily, weekly and occasionally.

2.   Create a Weekly Job Schedule

Determine and record which days of the week specific jobs are to be done and keep this posted where everyone can see it.

3.   Assign Jobs

You can either let the kids choose their jobs or you assign age appropriate chores to the kids; these could rotate on a weekly basis or be permanent.

4.   Use Job Description Checklists

Create a checklist for each job. I tend to be very picky about doing good work, so I made up detailed job descriptions for each job. The checklists are easy to follow and a great way for the kids to do a good job without mom standing over their shoulder!

Detailed Job Description Sample

5.   Use Job Charts

Recording their jobs on job or chore charts can help keep them motivated, especially if they are earning wages on specific jobs they do. The little kids love to put stickers on their charts.

On a personal note…I like the idea of the kids earning money for their work.

I don’t pay for all jobs, some things you just have to do because you are part of the family! With the older kids we set a price for a specific job and when they complete that job they need to record it on their chore chart. Payday is Friday:)

This is harder to do with the younger kids, so I just set a specific weekly amount for them (my 6 year old gets $3 a week) and they can put stickers on their charts for their jobs. They are learning how the real world works and they have their own money (to save or spend) which means they don’t ask me for money!

The Busy Mom’s Guide to Summer Survival includes the following templates:

• Job List (pre-filled and blank)
• Weekly Summer Job Schedule
• Detailed Job Description Checklists for the Bathroom, Kitchen/Dining, Living Room, Dishes, Bedroom, Windows & Glass – Also includes a blank template
• Job Descriptions with Pictures for the Younger Kids – Also includes a blank template
• Summer Job Charts for Older Kids
• Summer Job Charts for Younger Kids

Hopefully you can use some of these tips to help you survive the summer!

What do you do to keep your house in order during summer vacation? Please Share:)