Monday, May 31, 2010

Bench Talk: Garage Sales

Who doesn't love a garage sale! Sunshine and family participated in a street sale this past Saturday and managed to get rid of a lot of stuff. Many, many years ago when we ladies lived on the same street, we hosted a neighbourhood street sale. Carolin was the leader and did a great job in rallying the troops! We had a great time. We vowed that whatever stuff was not sold would not come back into our homes. Whatever was leftover was taken to the Salvation Army or Goodwill.

(Sunshine) We had a street yard sale today (last Saturday) and it went really well. We started taking things out and setting up at 4:00am and although the sale was advertised to begin at 8:00 am, two of our biggest sales were made by 6:30 am. The traffic was great and we got rid of so much stuff. Some of it was good stuff and a lot of it was just junk to me. I enjoy selling to people who give you close to the price that you are asking and who seem as though they will give things that you have enjoyed a new home. My frustration comes with people who really want to nickel and dime you and really want to get as much stuff as they can for really no money at all. They even have issues with paying a dollar for something that is worth a lot more. If all of the customers were like that, then I would rather not even participate in a yard sale at all. Thank goodness most people are fair and although they are out there looking for a really good deal (I mean come on it is a yard sale) they still manage to get a great bargain and still be respectful of the sellers.

In the end, the weather was perfect and the traffic was great and we sold a lot of things. I did have some items that I would not part with unless the price was right and I took them back into my home as I would rather use them somewhere rather than give them away. There were about 10 items in that category. We had about 2 boxes of what I would call junk that went to Goodwill and those that Goodwill did not take went to the local dump. It was a very busy day but definitely worth the effort. Little Miss Sunshine was invaluable in her services. She was so helpful and right into the set up and selling and clean up and she made a lot of sales on her own. Of course she did, when I came by she was the only one manning the sale. Way to go LMS! Miss Teen Sunshine, helped to set up and then disappeared for the rest of the day. Mr. Sunshine did so much lugging around and lifting and carrying of all of the heavy items that I am sure that he will be very sore tomorrow. I was doing a little bit of everything and I am also tired and sore.

Two of the women in our neighbourhood coordinated the entire thing and I am not sure in the end how many houses actually participated but I believe that the number was greater then 14. It costs us all $5.00 per household as we all contributed to the cost of the advertising in the paper. It was a good day and well worth all of the effort. It was also very nice to see Carolin as she dropped by for a visit at some point during the day. I would guess closer to 30 - 40 houses. There seemed to be crowds of cars everywhere. You live on such a big street that there were lots and lots of houses participating.

(Carolin)I am glad the sale went well. I would type more but I had already put my two cents in and it seems to have disappeared. I don't have the energy to do it again. Let me say that yard sales are just too much work. And the people who come wanting armfuls of stuff for a nickle drive me crazy. I would rather throw it out then sell it to them for a nickle.

No comments:

Post a Comment