I've been toying with the idea of having a garage sale but after seeing these images over on stephmodo this morning I think I'm sold. I didn't realize the impact they had on me until I tried to go to sleep and couldn't get garage sale logistics out of my head. I finally decided that in addition to the big purge our home needs, my mind needed one as well. So here I am at close to midnight typing away!I haven't had a garage sale in years! The last time was while I was in college and a few friends and I decided, on a whim, to have one. Luckily one of them had a house on a fairly busy street and 48 hours later her yard was flooded with our "wares." I can't remember how much I made but I know it was more than I thought. What I can remember, however, was how late I was up the night before sorting & tagging. Not a pretty sight.
It's the memory of the hassle it was that's kept me from having one in our current house. Well, that and the fact that I thought it was against our HOA rules. Given a neighbor of ours had one last weekend that's either faulty information or she decided to buck the system. Either way the idea of our own garage sale snuck into my mind and after seeing the images above, they've taken hold.
I've been trying to attack our clutter for some time now and would love [and I mean LOVE] to free up some of our very limited closet space. I did a huge purge of the master closet a little while ago and while that stash is destined for Goodwill, I have a ton of other things that really need to find good homes. This new push is being driven by our desire to finally attain a cohesive look in our living area and a lot of what we have is in desperate need to go. Some things will definitely need a little TLC but isn't that what a lot of "garage sale seekers" are looking for? That and a good deal? I certainly hope so because I can offer both.
Before I take a serious jump off the deep end and commit to this daunting task I think Lee + I should make the rounds of a few upcoming garage sales. We can see what works [and what doesn't] and decide if this is something we want to take on. I could take everything to Goodwill [minus what I'll be donating to the children's hospital] but it would be really nice to make a little money off of it. I know it wouldn't be much but some is definitely better than nothing.
If my mom was here [or lived close by] I wouldn't even be questioning it. She's a whiz at such things and I'm fairly certain she'd have everything organized, tagged, and sold before I could count to ten. Given she's in California and I'm in Louisiana I don't see one of her "garage sale spectaculars" in my future. That being said I could use your help...what advice do you have for me if I do, indeed, decide to go through with this?
::image originally from Good Housekeeping
8 comments:
I just spent all day Friday purging. J was overjoyed when he came home... and I didn't even make a dent. How awful is that? I have told myself that I'll put things on Ebay, but I end up donating them. It's so easy to just give it away... but the $$ is SO much nicer to have. Go for it!
Having a sale IS a lot of work, but those of us who love to go to them thank you for your efforts! Your plan to go to some sales as part of your planning is brilliant--I can always tell the sales given by folks who have never gone to one. I always think having a garage sale is more about moving stuff out of my life rather than making money (that's the icing on the cake) so when I have a sale I try to set my prices low enough to give people a thrill. Lord knows I feel that thrill when I find something I love at someone else's sale! Good luck with your sale, and HAVE FUN!
girl, hubs and i have put off having a yard sale for over a year. we combined two whole households into one and we have sooo much stuff to do something with. so we are having one this summer and i can't wait!!
check out this link from modern eve - she has a list of supplies you'll need, plus some great tips for hosting a garage sale!
http://moderneve.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-to-host-garage-sale.html
It would also be fun if you teamed up with another family...just be sure to color code your items.
I would try to sell EVERYTHING! You will be surprised at what sells and what doesn't. It's usually the junky stuff that goes first. We had this hideous garden globe that the seller of our house left, and it was the FIRST thing to go. So funny.
I think you should do it! It takes some planning and organization, but it is a lot of fun (especially if you do it with some friends). Just be sure to post pics! =)
You need to call me. Lisa and I did one during the fall and it went great. Lena and I were talking before about doing a HUGE multi-family one in the circle. We could each have a section at the end of our driveway set up, or just have everything together and color code it. The sales do REALLY well out here, especially if you put it in the paper. I also want to get together some toys, books, and games for the hospital. My cousin is a child life specialist at Shriners.
I like your idea to check out a few garage sales before planning yours. Looks like you've gotten a lot of good advice here, have fun and good luck!! Wish I could team up with you.
Oh how I wish I was there. We would have so much fun......It is a lot of work getting ready, but it's worth it. You have gotten some good ideas. The main thing you need to know is that it takes a lot longer to get everything ready than you think. As you go through closets, etc. put everything that you are going to sell in one place - the garage is always the best. I put everything up on tables - I HATE having to go through stuff lying out on the ground. Also, put "like" things together. The last sale I had is when I sold all the decor from the third bedroom. I put all of that stuff together on one big table and a lady came in a bought all of it. Same with some things Bonnie brought over - it was all things from a certain decor. The same lady bought all of that too. The more things are noticible, the better it is. I think going to some garage sales will help a lot. Some people just sort of dump stuff out, and I know I don't like rummaging through a bunch of junk - I'd rather just walk up and see all the goodies out on display. Lavender Lilly is right about not throwing anything out. It's amazing what people will buy. Give yourself a full day to tag, and be prepared for early birds.
What a coincidence you mention this on the day David and I just wrapped up our sale! The hardest part for me is deciding what goes and what stays. What worked for us was to divide and conquer. We
culled items from one small area at a time over the winter in quick, almost pain-free sessions, stashing them on tables in the basement or garage. We set the bar at "Would this come with us on our next move to a smaller home?" and an on-point quote from your blog "We are not what we own." Then one final pass through the house the weekend before and voila!! we had mountains of stuff we can live without. One whole bedroom suite was sold on Craig's List. It's a good thing. You can do this!
Mary
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