A few weeks ago, we participated in our neighborhood garage sale. I have never liked going to these, and now I hate being a seller at one. I know there are a lot of people that look forward to them each weekend, but I'd rather watch Saturday morning cartoons.
The night before was spent like an Arabian snake oil salesman... setting up a little table, piling up junk we didn't want, putting little homemade price tags on things. Because the weather was raining, our garage sale literally happened in the garage, as opposed to outside where they are normally at.
Keep in mind that the inside of our garage is still packed with boxes from our move to PA. No, we haven't emptied them all out yet! So, our "shop" was an area about 8'X10' inside Garage Door #2, cleared out for the express purpose of selling our unwanted garbage.
So, as people started to trickle in, we started to get questions that, to be honest, made me laugh upon reflection:
1. Do you have any neon beer or bar signs?
2. Are your shovels for sale? (Note: the shovel was outside in our flower beds minding its own business.)
3. $1 for the baby swing? But, it's missing the battery cover!
4. Do you have any lacrosse gear?
5. Any discounts for these shoes if I buy more than one pair? (Note: they were already marked at $1 a pair... what a cheap shopper!)
I could fill up a page of these, but I'll stop with 5.
What was surprising was the result of this madness. Four hours and $55 later (not very good wages), we were done. And, we had sold almost everything we thought we'd never sell, and very little of the stuff we thought would go like pancakes.
Sold was the storm door I ripped off the front of the house, including trim and screws; an old baby bed mattress and supporting springs; a ziploc bag full of old used almond colored wall recepticles and covers I removed from inside the house; and, a magazine holder with a busted handle, among other odd items. Not sold were most of the kid clothes and shoes and toys.
Looking back, I would have done it very differently. With a garage full of boxes, I would have told any customer that for $5, they could have any box in the garage they wanted-- but they had to take it without looking inside until after the sale. The only promise was that whatever was inside would be worth far more than the $5 spent. I'd get $5 for crap we've learned to live without for 1.5 years, and they'd get a box full of stuff at a great bargain. Further, I'd end up with a clean garage and rid myself of the guilt (and reminders) that we still have not moved in yet.
The night before was spent like an Arabian snake oil salesman... setting up a little table, piling up junk we didn't want, putting little homemade price tags on things. Because the weather was raining, our garage sale literally happened in the garage, as opposed to outside where they are normally at.
Keep in mind that the inside of our garage is still packed with boxes from our move to PA. No, we haven't emptied them all out yet! So, our "shop" was an area about 8'X10' inside Garage Door #2, cleared out for the express purpose of selling our unwanted garbage.
So, as people started to trickle in, we started to get questions that, to be honest, made me laugh upon reflection:
1. Do you have any neon beer or bar signs?
2. Are your shovels for sale? (Note: the shovel was outside in our flower beds minding its own business.)
3. $1 for the baby swing? But, it's missing the battery cover!
4. Do you have any lacrosse gear?
5. Any discounts for these shoes if I buy more than one pair? (Note: they were already marked at $1 a pair... what a cheap shopper!)
I could fill up a page of these, but I'll stop with 5.
What was surprising was the result of this madness. Four hours and $55 later (not very good wages), we were done. And, we had sold almost everything we thought we'd never sell, and very little of the stuff we thought would go like pancakes.
Sold was the storm door I ripped off the front of the house, including trim and screws; an old baby bed mattress and supporting springs; a ziploc bag full of old used almond colored wall recepticles and covers I removed from inside the house; and, a magazine holder with a busted handle, among other odd items. Not sold were most of the kid clothes and shoes and toys.
Looking back, I would have done it very differently. With a garage full of boxes, I would have told any customer that for $5, they could have any box in the garage they wanted-- but they had to take it without looking inside until after the sale. The only promise was that whatever was inside would be worth far more than the $5 spent. I'd get $5 for crap we've learned to live without for 1.5 years, and they'd get a box full of stuff at a great bargain. Further, I'd end up with a clean garage and rid myself of the guilt (and reminders) that we still have not moved in yet.
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