Thursday, August 29, 2013

August is the Month for Hot Stuff at Yard Sales!


By Glenys O'Connell, @GlenysOConnell

I have to confess that I’m an addict – there’s no such thing as a garage or yard sale where I can’t hunt down something that I didn’t know I needed until I saw it there….
 August, frankly, is yard sale addict heaven. Lots of people buy homes with the idea of moving in for September, before the weather turns bad or in time for the start of the school year. And moving, for most people, means shucking off all the junk and unused or unloved items that have accumulated since the last move.

That means fine pickings that for people like me, who have Magpie somewhere in their genetic history.
Unfortunately, the let’s-sell-it-rather-than-move-it logic doesn’t apply to us yard sale addicts. Picking up treasures (sometimes highly questionable ones) is fine, but when it comes to parting with them…well, you can hear our screams for miles around.

How do you recognise a yard sale being held at a yard sale addict’s home? Watch her play tug of war with would-be customers over those cracked dishes, or weep as that odd looking piece of machinery or kitchen gadget (she never did know what it was intended for) is carried away triumphantly, probably by another addict.
I have had some great finds – the set of Captain’s Chairs that I refinished and sold for six times what I paid for them – oh, did I ever feel self-righteous about that! Pity that I then took the money and – you’ve guessed it – went yard sale-ing again…

Then there’s this lovely antique nursing rocker that I got for so little I felt guilty about it. Good finds, yes?

But this made-in-Kashmir brass and enamelled Item – not only does it not fit in with anything else in the house, but I haven’t got a clue what it was intended to be used as. Let me know if you have any ideas!

And the quilts – oh, I love hand stitched quilts. I guess it would be more ethical to make my own, but why bother when someone else is willing to part with their family heirlooms for just a few dollars?

Yard sales are also great places to stock up on books – yeah, 5 for $1! Who can just take five? Of course, some writers say it’s wrong to buy second-hand books because the authors don’t get a royalty. Well, I can honestly say that I’ve found some great authors I might never have read if it hadn’t been for a cheap yard sale pick up – and I’ve gone on to buy their all their back lists and new releases, so book-buying at yard sales is guilt free!
I’ve donated a few of my own treasures (yes, it hurt to part with them!) to the upcoming annual auction and yard sale fundraiser at our church. I heard a rumour the other day that they’ve a nice little sideline fundraiser on bets as to how many of my donations I’ll try to buy back…..

Oh, the shame of it…..

Glenys O'Connell is planning to finish her next romantic suspense novel, Dark Revenge, just as soon as she can find her laptop among the latest yard sale clutter..... You can read first chapters of her other books at http://www.glenysoconnell.com/firstchapters.htm

 

 

11 comments:

Jannine Gallant said...

Too funny, Glenys. I can picture you in a tug-o-war with another addict! LOL Me, I never go to garage sales--or have them. Last one was to get rid of baby clothes for my now teenager. Maybe that's why there's so much crap cluttering up the closets! As for used books, I don't have an issue with buying them. With the philosophy of re-reading books hurting authors, you'd have to ban libraries!

Margo Hoornstra said...

Too funny, indeed. My last yard sale was a bust. Less stressful to donate. But then not nearly as much fun.

glenys said...

Thanks for commenting, Jannine. Cluttered closets? I opened the one in my study and so many files fell out - well, it looks as though the room was ransacked by a (very disappointed) burglar....

glenys said...

Margo - I've noticed fewer people at yard sales. Means there's more for me..er...did I say that out loud? The problem with donating your stuff to thrift stores is the temptation to buy it back. After all, we have great taste in stuff, right?

Diane Burton said...

LOL, Glenys. The amount of work that goes into having a garage sale outweighs whatever monetary gain. I had my last--very last--garage sale three years ago. Never again.

Barbara Edwards said...

Thank goodness we're not competing for the same yard sales. Although I have the goal of stocking my trailer right now, those odd pieces do promise to look nice in my home.

Leah St. James said...

Like Jannine, the last yard sale I had was to get rid of baby clothes. I had washed every single item, and some were only worn once or twice before they were outgrown. I was amazed (and annoyed) at how many new mothers turned their noses up at those clothes that were in perfect condition...until a nurse came along who was shopping for clothes for low-income babies in a local pediatric unit. I ended up giving the whole bag to her for either nothing or maybe a dollar. I think God was saving them for someone who really needed them. :-)

glenys said...

Diane - I admit I've given up having yard sales myself - not just because I hate letting stuff go,:-) but because it's so much work for so little return. Instead I pile stuff into the van and drop it off at a local thrift store - a warm fuzzy feeling of doing good without dealing with someone haggling over 25 cents for some item....

glenys said...

Barbara - lol, yes! Your trailer looks great, though I envy you the upcoming road trips! I'm sure you'll have lots of fun and find lots of new material for books...

glenys said...

Leah - isn't it amazing the attitudes a people have? Some would rather spend hard-earned cash on poor quality stuff from the stores than pay far less for obviously good second hand stuff. I remember buying a beautiful crib with lace canopy, etc., second-hand for my first child . Everyone envied it and I never did tell that I hadn't paid hundreds of pounds for it at the fancy downtown baby store.. :-)

glenys said...

PS, Leah - it was nice of you to pass the baby clothes on to the families who really needed them. The angels will put many more jelly beans on your pile in heaven for that good deed :-)