Yard sellin'

So we’re participating in a yard sale on Saturday. I say “participating” because we’re not hosting it at our house. Instead, we’re joining a million other people and their carloads of crap a few blocks away in a parking lot. This is good—I prefer neutral ground for yard sales anyway, because yard sales have a tendency to be major self-esteem busters.

I get a little nervous just thinking about it. Me, in a parking lot, with a bunch of people milling around either completely disregarding my stuff or else telling me it isn’t worth what I think it’s worth and they’d like to pay me less than half of what I’m asking, thank you very much. But this is MY STUFF, and even though I don’t have room for it any more, that doesn’t mean it ISN’T NICE. So come Saturday, there I’ll be, with my stack of fives and ones trying not to cry when someone tries to offer me only two dollars for my plastic file box instead of the five it’s TOTALLY WORTH. Come ON! A FILE BOX! Sturdy plastic, gently used, comes with a neatly placed Apple sticker and a half-inch thick layer of dust. Seriously, two dollars, dude? You’ve got to be KIDDING ME!

I also am selling a bunch of clothes that don’t fit anymore, including a handful of cute dresses from Ann Taylor LOFT that I bought at the end of summer clearance in 2005 and then was too pregnant to wear in 2006 and then was too skinny (HALLELUJAH) to wear in 2007. So yes, they’re three years old, but I happen to think they’re still cute. Of course, this theory is easy to shoot down IF NO ONE BUYS THEM. And I’ll be wondering: Is this because they don’t fit anyone or because THEY’RE SO UGLY AND OUTDATED?

I’m just not very practiced at yard sales. I’m not good at having them and I’m not good at going to them. I don’t like to have them because I don’t like to bargain. And I don’t like to go to them because I don’t like to bargain. And also because I don’t want to get sucked into buying things because they’re so CHEAP only to get home and find that I have buyer’s remorse. Not because I spent too much, but because I bought something heinously ugly/pointless/broken. My family hosted a yard sale a few years ago and I was TERRIBLE at selling things. If it hadn’t been for Dave stepping in, I probably would have instigated a Buy One, Get Three Free policy. As it was, I think we only ended up making something like $100 that round. It was kind of pathetic, actually. Until I remember that a yard sale is only as pathetic as its Product Mix, of which ours basically consisted of 16 Rubbermaid tubs of old stuffed animals and a fondue pot.

The other thing that confuses me about yard sales is where to draw the line concerning Personal Items. Like, for instance, I have this bag of bathing suits that are either a little too big or a little too unflattering. Is there even any REASON to try to sell bathing suits at a yard sale? I mean, bathing suits and underwear are like, the only two things I can NEVER imagine buying secondhand. But would other people? Honestly, I’d hate to just donate them to charity without TRYING to sell them for a quick buck or two first. But then I wonder: Will I look like the Yard Sale Newbie for putting crap on my table that all the Professional Yard Salers know will NEVER SELL? Also, how embarrassing would it be to watch someone BUY YOUR OLD SWIMSUIT? About as horrifying, I imagine, as watching a total stranger try on your old bra.

All proceeds from Saturday’s yard sale will go towards furnishing Asher’s new playroom, which, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, is looking a hair better than it was last week.

THEN:


NOW:


Of course, what you’re not seeing is what it took to get us to this point. That journey included one trip to the dump, three vacuum canisters of sawdust, 3,000 decibels worth of nagging, and a giant gash in the carpet made by a circular saw. AWESOME. "Don't worry," said Dave. "I'll tape it down." Yes, Asher, doesn't that sound exactly like the playroom of your dreams? I THOUGHT SO.

Comments

[PumpkinMama]

Cool yard sale tip I learned from a family member: on your price tags, write an amount higher than what you want for it, cross it off, then write the real price - people will think "hey, its marked down! What a bargain!" and be more apt to buy it w/out haggling.

[Megan]

I did garage sales for like 10 years straight. Believe me, after a few hours of sitting in the sun, you'll be like "Sure, take the new sink for $1. Just GET IT OUT OF HERE!"

At least make it fun - when I did the garage sales, it was always with my parents and their next-door neighbors. We'd have coffee and coffeecakes in the morning, snacks, and then deli sandwiches. We actually had a pretty good time. Good food and good conversation will do that!

My other piece of advice is to be ready well before the start time. My dad would always start at like 7 a.m., but he's ready to go by 6:30. Yes, people are rude and ring the doorbell 30 minutes before it starts...but that's when you'll probably make the most of your sales. If someone's handing me money for the tacky Christmas gifts I've accumulated over the years, then I don't mind having to start early.

[Stephanie]

I was at a family yardsale and someone bought my SIL's old bras, bathing suits and socks. I wouldn't put my own out bc it seems wierd, but shit. People bought it!

[Rbelle]

Wow, I totally feel you. Having just gotten back from our honeymoon, my husband and I are in the process of moving him in/merging all our things. Holy. Crap. He's all excited at the prospect of the yard sale we're going to have, and how we'll be able to get rid of all our extraneous stuff while simultaneously making some money. Meanwhile, I'm trying not to break out in hives over the prospect of having someone bargain down the price of our entire duplicate CD collection to a nickel.

And I already told him I won't be selling clothes. I know people sell clothes at yard sales. I know people buy clothes at yard sales. I myself dontate to and buy clothes from the Goodwill. But I can't abide the thought of standing out on the lawn, actually watching people rifle through stuff I once loved but don't deem worthy of wearing any more. Because really, what are the possibilities there? Someone will buy what I've cast off, and I'll feel guilty that I'm taking money from them for something I now consider, ahem, kind of dated, or unfashionable, or uncomfortable, or whatever ... or no one will buy any of my clothes and I'll feel horribly embarrassed that I wore any of them, ever, or tried to sell them to my neighbors, ohmyGod!

Seriously, sorry to go on about it, but I think you hit a nerve :P

[Amanda]

I have the same yard sale anxiety. It actually makes me nervous to SEE a yard sale. I WANT to stop, but...

Oh and people will buy ANYTHING.

[Tessie]

Haggling. *Giant shudder* There are two kinds of people in this world: those who haggle, and those with the Nervous Tummy. I think we can both guess which type I am.

[Lissa]

I was just thinking to myself man I need to clean out my closet and I also need to make some more money somehow and then you posted this! GENIUS I TELL YOU! So I'm going to start the process of getting my own garage sale ready. I will probably start complaining in 5 minutes.

[Jessica]

Our family is huge on having yard sales, but mostly because it gives everyone the opportunity to replace all of the things they just sold.

Good luck Saturday!

[Shanna]

I grew up in a neighborhood where every spring there was a weekend designated to garage sales. It was so fun, and as a kid we loved to go around the neighborhood and buy all sorts of crap. I have held a few as an adult but I have to say, the most recent (last year??) didn't really make us much money. I needed to sell my very nice, very expensive, bedroom set and ended up getting haggled down way too low just because I didn't want to deal with it anymore. I totally regretted selling it afterwards, I mean I probably should have just stored it until we move to a bigger house and I need a guest bedroom set. It was just dumb. So bottom line, have fun but decide before hand what you are willing to part with for pennies and what your bottom prices are. That way do don't feel sellers remorse after your weekend, especially when you walk away with all you stuff gone but only a $100 to show for it.

[Amy]

I second Shanna's advice: sell what you'd otherwise donate, but store whatever you think you might want again (especially big stuff like furniture). We moved to a city (read: from a big house to a tiny apartment) and I sold a lot of stuff I shouldn't have for WAY too low a price (pretty nice leather couch for $30 because we didn't want to carry it back up the stairs, flat-screen tv for $20). Why didn't I just put that stuff in storage??? I kick myself for that often.

[Mary]

My stepmom is a yard sale queen. She has at least 2 a year. And every year she sells bras, swimsuits, and on occasion, underwear. (Yes I know that's disgusting and I tell her that often)The really sick thing is that they sell like hotcakes. Seriously. So I think you are safe with the swimsuits.

[Erin]

Good luck on the yard sale. BTW, love the baskets under the television in Asher's playroom. So cute!! You have such good taste in things.

[nonsoccermom]

My theory with yard sales is that you will always be shocked by the things people buy. Just put it all out there, no one is going to judge you on the contents of your yard sale. At least I don't think so.

I need to have one myself but UGH. They are so much trouble, especially if you don't have any big ticket items. Not to mention the dreaded haggling. GAH! It only costs a quarter, people, why try to get it down to a dime?

[nonsoccermom]

Hmm. My original comment didn't show for some reason so I'm trying again...you'll be surprised by the things people will buy. Seriously. It's always the crap that I was sure wouldn't sell.

I need to have a yard sale myself, but it is hardly worth it if you don't have any big ticket items like furniture. And the haggling, GAH. Why? I only want a quarter for it, why try to get me down to a dime?

[nonsoccermom]

ACK! Now there are two comments from me. SORRY!!!

[Lawyerish]

People are seriously freaking me out with the stories of bathing suits and SOCKS and BRAS OMG selling at yard sales. Geh!! But yeah, people arrive crazy early for these things. Like, PRE-DAWN.

Maybe the saddest thing ever is the detritus left after the yard sale. You want to hug it all and console it for being the stuff that is too pathetic even to be bought by yard sale people.

[M&M]

My yard sale last year had two wetsuits for sale. Yours better not. Because you still owe us.

WE SHALL NEVER FORGET!

[Jessica]

Well, I am not a yard sale person. I would love to be - SERIOUSLY - but I am not. Why? I am just that lazy. I would rather dump it in a garbage bag and take it to Goodwill (tax deduction too!) than have to deal with haggling and the sun and people on a Saturday, especially when I would likely be hungover.

However, I hear yard sales are all the rage once you have kids and can get cheap stuff, so... who knows.

But bras and bathing suits? Um, I think I would rather send those to Goodwill where you don't have to look at the offenders who would BUY THEM IN FRONT OF YOU.

I'm kind of eeked out just thinking about it, honestly.

[Jacqueline]

My mother in law wears underwear, bras, bathingsuits, and even shoes from thrift stores and yard sales. It still horrifies me, even though I've known her for 10 years now. There's no way my bits and pieces or feet are going into someone else's used undies and shoes. But if you can get people to pay you for yours, why not? I'd sell that stuff, just not buy or wear it.

[S]

Good luck - Lemme know if the Ann Taylor dresses don't sell I may buy them! :-)

[M]

I want to come to your yard sale for your Ann Taylor dresses! What size(s) are they, and where is the sale??

[M]

I want to come to your yard sale for your Ann Taylor dresses! What size(s) are they, and where is the sale??

[ie]

I love doing yard sales (and particularly if I'm selling other people's crap, because hey, it's not my ironing board I'm selling).

I go in with the idea that whatever doesn't sell was destined for charity anyway, so I detach myself from what would be gone from my sight anyway.

I think you could put the swim suits out there, just hang them up with the dresses and see what happens. I know people who have bought used swim wear from Goodwill, so someone will profit from them.

And, for big ticket items (or small things, too, I guess) I was told to not expect to get more than 10% of what you paid, retail. That seems very harsh, but if you can part with it for that much, then it's off your hands. If that's not enough, you could try to sell through the paper or put it in storage.

Oh, and one last thing. My last sale, three ladies tried to buy the dress I was WEARING. haha.

Have fun! It's a great place to people-watch.

[Lori]

Did you Bedazzle his curtains??

[Kristy]

I have some friends who do yard sales often, and they say underwear is a "hot item" (Not as in: burning with VD. As in: the first thing to go.) They say people SWARM the undies table and snatch it up, like they're laced with gold.

I don't know. Who woulda thunk it? I certainly don't get it. It actually makes me a tad gaggy to think about wearing someone else's used underwear. Or someone wearing mine. I know it's clean. But still.