The People of Yard Sales

I had a yard sale last weekend and spent several days deciding whether or not it was worth it. In the end I think it was. I made over $100 after expenses, which included a babysitter and an ad in the paper. Next time I don't think I will do either of those things.

You see the tricky thing is, you take a bunch of your old stuff, which may have sentimental value and meaning to you and you price it for next to nothing, then a bunch of people you don't know come by and want to take it for even less. I was okay with that, for the most part, but it wasn't always easy. I had two women show up in a nice car. They had just gotten back from a cruise. One took me from $1 to 50 cents for a full bottle of Bath and Body works lotion. Then she came across the braball which retails for $20, but I was selling it for a buck. When I explained how it worked she said "I'm a double D, do you think my bras will fit in there?" and lifted up her shirt to show me. Slightly stunned I told her I wasn't sure and silently thought it was doubtful. She asked me if I'd take 50 cents which I did. Then I had a Hispanic women with a truck full of watermelons trying to barter for some of SJ's dresses which I had to turn down, because I don't need any watermelons I need to make at least enough money to pay for the stupid yard sale ad. I had another woman who bought two items, one was fifty cents, the other was a quarter, and she gave me two quarters. It doesn't really matter, but before she walked off I said "Ma'am I'm sorry, but you actually owe me 75 cents." I'm not asking for much people, just please give me the dignity of 75 cents! That's not two but three stinkin' quarters!

On top of some of the hagglers, I met some really nice people too. Like one women that worked for the cities women's resource center, which Z is helping raise money for by collecting coins in a bottle. And I met some of my neighbors for the first time. That was cool. I also had a girl get really excited about this Express skirt I was selling.

Then the next day when I went to the video store with kids I saw her working there and she was wearing my skirt the skirt she bought from me. I wanted to say something about it, but I didn't want to embarrass her. I love wearing used clothes and don't care who knows it, but not everyone feels that way. In fact, when I started this blog nearly 3 years ago I did a series called Thrift Store Fashion show where I did side by side comparisons of new clothes vs used clothes and that skirt was one of the items featured.

I will never know who owned the skirt before me, but I know I had fun wearing it, and I was happy to see it found a nice new home. The girl at the video store looked really cute in it. That's what I love about yard sales. Buy something at the mall and you may have a story about the great deal you scored, buy something at a yard sale you still get a great deal and the item comes with a story of it's own.