Goodwill Hunting

I was in Goodwill last week, and I found this:

It's not very old, but I still thought it was kind of cool.  I like the Asian design and look of it, and think it will sell pretty fast, so I picked it up.  Inside, there are five or six little compartments, like for condiments and such.  It spins around on its base, so I'm calling it an "Asian Lazy Susan."

I wandered around the store for a bit, and picked up a few other things:  some manga, a vintage local cookbook, and so on.  When I go to checkout, there is a woman at the register with a HUGE purse--I mean the kind that is big enough to smuggle children in--and she is emptying it all over the counter in a vain attempt to find her debit card.

She pulls out little bags of stuff and goes through them.  She pulls out big bags of stuff and goes through them.  The counter is getting covered in her detritus!  She seems to have an awful lot of papers in that thing. And bags.  Finally, she finds her card, lying loose on the bottom of the bag.  Yes, loose.  Not in her wallet, which she had already emptied out.  Loose.

She pays for her stuff and then moves to the side to put all of her stuff back in the mega-purse.  "I gotta get this organized and together!" You think?  The whole time she was doing it, her card was laying on the counter beside her purse.  I kept waiting for her to walk off and leave it, but she didn't.  It was kind of entertaining to watch, and she did take my empty cart and put it up while she was leaving, so that was nice.

So, now it's my turn to checkout.  One of my favorite cashiers was working, so we chatted for a second.  I really do try to keep good thrift store staff relationships.  You never can tell when it will come in handy.  So, she gets to this:

And doesn't know what it is.  So, I show her how it spins and tell her that it's like a Lazy Susan.  She looks at me blankly for a minute and then says: "Oh.  You put stuff like salsa in here.  I never heard that term before.  Lazy Susan. Huh."

And all of a sudden, I felt either very old or very country.  You all know what a Lazy Susan is don't you?

Junkin' Memories: The Auction Guy!

I moved to Louisville in 1987, the year I graduated from college to attend seminary.  Boy, have things changed since those days!  That was back in day when the seminary had a social work school, women could preach in the chapel, and you could actually take a scripture class that didn't rely solely on biblical literalism as the basis for interpreting scripture.  It's also where Keith and I met.  Make of that what you will.

Back in those days, there was a street a couple of blocks away that was, well, a little bit decayed.  Oh, it was wonderful in its decayedness.  Nowadays, it's all "revitalized" with galleries and restaurants and such.  But in those days, there were a couple of small music shops where you could find just about anything, an awesome used bookstore with a quarter box full of Silver Age comics, a couple of antique stores, and the auction guy.  More on him in a minute.

Now, this is not one of those "things were better in the golden days" kind of posts.  There were a lot of empty storefronts and buildings going to waste, for sure.  It's just that the shops that were there were all small businesses of the sort that are hard to find these days. Thankfully, in the course of revitalization, local businesses seem to have prevailed, and most of the shops on the street are still locally owned and run.  There are still quite a few interesting, quirky business operating as well.

But that's neither here nor there.  I want to talk about the auction guy.

One of the empty storefronts was full of nothing but boxes and piles of junk, to the point that you really couldn't tell what all was actually in there.  Twice a week, the little old guy who owned the space and his wife would open the door and start dragging stuff out onto the sidewalk.  They would work through the afternoon doing this.  At about 6, a small crowd would gather, and he would hold an auction.  There were never more than ten people there, and sometimes less than that.  However, he would carry on with the auction nonetheless.

He'd hold something up in the air and try to start the bidding at five or ten dollars, then keep dropping the starting bid until he ended up selling it for a quarter or fifty cents.  It was kind of amazing to watch and definitely great for shopping.  Everything was great, old, dusty, vintagey junky stuff.  You know, the kind of stuff I bust my ass to find these days.  And this guy was practically giving it away!  I wish I knew then what I know now.

You didn't have to be present to win, either.  If you saw something while he was setting up that you wanted to bid on but could not make the actual auction, you could tell him and he would write it down.  Usually the early bidder would win. I did that one time for an old Beany and Cecil comic when I had to work on auction night.  I got it for a quarter.

One of my friends and I went to just about every auction night and usually bought something.  I can't remember it all now, but I remember getting a rustic looking mirror with a wood frame for 2 bucks (had to fight for that one) and a lot of books for a quarter.  My friend got several cast iron skillets for fifty cents each.

Finally, we went up there one auction night, and he was nowhere to be found.  There was no stuff on the sidewalk, and the building was locked up tight.  We stopped back a couple of other nights, only to find the same thing.  The auction man was gone, taking the awesome bargains with him.

I did see him one more time.  He was set up with a bunch of books at the big flea market at the fairgrounds.  I never saw him again after that, not even at other flea markets.  That was twenty-five years ago, and he was already pretty old at that time.  I would imagine that he has long since passed on.  I wonder whatever happened to all that stuff?  They never even scratched the surface of what was in the building with all of their auctions combined.

Nowadays, that building houses a fitness club.

Monday Rambles

It's a little later than normal, but it's still Monday, so that counts in my book.  I've been kind of lazy today and have taken advantage of not having to be anywhere by not doing anything of substance.  I priced a few things and turned in a report for work, but other than that---nada.  Well, unless you count the nap...

Today is, of course, Left Handed Day, so I hope you celebrated in honor of your favorite left-handed blogger (that would be me) and did at least one thing with your left hand.

We had a good time at the Kris Kristofferson concert last week.  He was in good form and good voice.  He may not be the best guitarist or have the best singing voice, but, damn, that man can write!  He did a huge sampling from various stages of his career, including all the usual favorites to satisfy the folks in the crowd who only really know the "hits."  But what about the folks, like Keith, who are true-blue, died in the wool, have all the albums fans?  Oh yeah.  They were satisfied too.  It was a great night.

Things have finally really cooled off here for a bit.  It was lovely all weekend and is supposed to be nice all week, except for a spot of rain here and there (much-needed).

Yard sales were surprisingly good this weekend.  I wasn't expecting much, since the listings were kind of paltry.  I only picked five or six stops, but it seems like I chose well.  I ended up walking away from just about every sale with a BOX full of stuff!  I also picked up a couple of much-needed pieces of furniture.  Sometimes my picker is right on and this seems like it was one of those times.

Friday, it was so nice we went out for coffee after Keith got off work.  We popped into a small bookstore by the coffee shop and spent some time wandering around.  I went to the graphic novel section and realized how totally, totally out of touch I am with comic books these days.  Sigh.

Saturday, after yard saling, we came home and spent the afternoon repairing the toilet.  You kind of have to bear in mind a couple of facts to realize what a monumental occasion this was.  First, neither of us are the most mechanically-inclined of individuals.  Second, our bathroom is not really large enough for two men who are not small to both be in there at the same time.  Third, my typical post-saling activity is a long nap, so I was tired and kind of cranky.  In fact, I wanted to give up at several points.  Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed and our toilet is now working again the way it's supposed to.  (For the record, I'm the one who broke it, while trying to fix a small problem.)

Hopefully, I'll be able to get some posting done this week and some things finished around here.  As always, we'll see what happens.

July Sales Report

Need to get back in the habit of doing these, but I seem to forget every month.  So, here goes.

April may be the cruelest month, but July is the hottest.  And this July was particularly hot.  So hot, in fact, that we kind of crossed the line from "hot enough to drive people inside to shop in cool stores" to "hot enough that people don't want to leave their damn houses for anything."  And, it showed.

Still, despite the heat, I had a record month at the Peddlers Mall.  Most of this was due to one sale--a large, and for me, quite expensive item.  In other words, this was an aberration.  Opportunities like that do not come along all the time, unfortunately.  Taking that piece out of the equation yields a normal month--not spectacular, but pretty good, all things considered.

Unfortunately, the same doesn't hold true for my other spot.  Consistent sales at a consistent level continues to elude me.  And, at this point, I'm not sure what to do about it.  I held a sale over the 4th that didn't really help.  I've cleared some stuff out.  I've rearranged.  I've stamped my feet and held my breath until my face turned blue.  Nothing seems to help.  I do have very good days there, don't get me wrong.  Just not nearly enough of them.  And the ones that aren't good are very not good.  I'm stuck.

I'm hoping when we enter the busier time of the fall that things will pick up there for me.  If not, I may need to make some tough decisions.

Regardless, this month is going to be a challenge everywhere.  August brings both back to school and the State Fair, which is held here in Louisville.  In other words, a double whammy of income drain that leads to lower sales for re-sellers.  Such is the life.

Still the nice thing about having to lower your expectations for a month is that it's easy to be pleasantly surprised.  We'll see what happens. 

Goofy Is as Goofy Does. Yes, Indeed.

The scene:  The front of our house.  It is Monday of this week.  Our heroes pull up in their car.

Keith:  I thought I put the garbage can out when I left this morning.

Eddie:  You did and I took it in when I got home.  You know, like I always do after they come through.

Keith:  Garbage pick-up is tomorrow, dear.

Eddie sighs and hold out his hand.  Keith acts as if he places something in it.

You've just witnessed the latest passing of the Goofy Award.

In our household, we pass the Goofy Award back and forth between each other to mark those occasions when one or the other of us is, well, goofy.  I mean really goofy, not just the day-to-day kind of silly that results from living in the modern world.  You know, doing inexplicable things for oddball reasons.  That kind of thing.  Stuff that falls somewhere in between losing your keys and "This is going to go in my notebook of evidence for the mental competency hearing."  That kind of goofy.

We've all been there.  We've all done it.  Maybe it's stress.  Maybe it's age.  Maybe it's a natural state of being.  Or, as in our case, a little bit of all three, I think.  It's kind of our way of making fun of ourselves a little bit and thumbing our nose at the things that make us goofy.  In a way, it's kind of like celebrating being goofy.  Is there a better way to deal with aging's effects on memory than mocking it when it pops up in your life?  Honestly, it;'s going to happen.  Might as well have fun with it.  (Just remember to draw the line when someone ventures outside without any pants on.)

It's also, in an odd way, a sign of our commitment to each other.  We all need a little boost now and then.  A partner's goofiness can actually be something that frustrates you, if you let it.  This is our way of keeping those frustrations from turning into arguments.  The Goofy Award says "I love you despite your goofy behavior.  Or maybe because of it."  It's not insulting, but endearing.  It's a reminder that after twenty-plus years, I am so not going to let a little thing like forgetting to put the milk back in the fridge get to us.  Long haul, baby.  Sickness and health.  Poverty and wealth.  Normal and goofy.  I think that works.  

There is no actual, physical Goofy Award as such.  It's just an imaginary trophy we pass back and forth.  I think it would take away from the fun if we actually had something tangible to pass back and forth.  Besides, as goofy as we are, one of us would probably lose it. This way, not only can one person win multiple Goofies for successive events, but it can be awarded anywhere.  The only criteria is that serious acts of goofiness be involved.

So, who else has a Goofy Award?  What goofy things happen in your household?

Monday Rambles

Oh boy......

One more rush-rush week and then I'll have a bit of a break, which is good.  I've got a lot of projects that have been on hold for a bit that I would like to get moving again.  Plus, I'd like to get a little rest and do some reading and some plan-ahead blogging.

We're getting close to Fall and that means the holidays are fast on its heels.  I was making a few notes about some displays I want to do at the booth and realized that it's just about time to start getting the Halloween stuff out and organized, followed shortly after by the Christmas stuff.

Speaking of Christmas stuff, I realized the other day that I had not had much luck finding it this yard sale season.  I'm speaking about vintage and cool stuff here.  I've got enough new stuff to put out from my clearance shopping last year.  Other than my AnnaLee find earlier in the year, I've simply not seen any vintage Christmas.  It's kind of odd.  I'm wondering if anyone else is having any luck in this area?

I did do a "Christmas in July" thing at one of the booths, trying to move out some old holiday stuff that I had marked down.  I think I sold maybe two things.  I probably won't try that again.  I've taken that out and started a "Back to School" table.

I'm not sure if you noticed or not, but I crossed the threshold!  I equaled 2008's 122 posts and passed it!  Yay me!  From here on out, every post sets a new record for me.  My new goal is to get to 200 for the year.  I'm about 75 away now, so we'll see.  I seem to be managing about 20 posts a month, and there are about four months left in the year, so I should be able to make it.

I had to take Windy to the shop the other day.  Somehow, I had broken a couple of spokes on my back wheel, so it wasn't turning straight.  It was rubbing against one of the back brakes and not smoothly rolling.  It only took about twenty minutes for the guy to fix it, and it didn't cost that much, so it was a relief.  It was kind of cool to watch the guy work on it, though.  So many interesting-looking tools!

Well, that's about all from here, folks.  See you in a bit.

Eddie-ted to add:  I forgot to mention this earlier, but we have tix to see Kris Kristofferson on Thursday!  Should be a great show too.  It's in an amphitheater in one of the local parks.  How cool is that?

I'm told this is the most awesome line in cartoon history

At least, that's what the title of the YouTube vid says.



Personally, I believe it!

And then there was the time Emmylou Harris wore a sparkly cowgirl hat

From the album of the same name.  By the way, it is, hands down, my favorite Emmylou album of all time.  One musical gem after another.  Standouts include a stirring "Beneath Still Waters" and a heartbreaking "Rough and Rocky."  If I were told I'd have to give up all of my Emmylou CD's but one, this is the one I would pick.  (Although I would kick and scream and hold my breath in hopes of getting to keep Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town as well.  It'd be worth a shot.)

But then what would I do about Roses in the Snow?  Oh dear.  I guess I'd better not ever let myself get put in that position, huh?

But, seriously, if you're new to Emmylou, I think Blue Kentucky Girl would be a great place to start exploring the work of this most wonderfully sublime performer.

The thing about liking a lot of different kinds of music is that you're easily entertained!

Does the line about Liberace make anyone else giggle now?  Is that wrong?

Alternative title:  Vintage Music!  (Why not?  I buy and sell vintage stuff?)

Things I Ponder

Why do people still smoke?  Isn't there more than enough info out there at this point about the health damage?  It was lung cancer that killed my mother.

Whatever happened to all those irregularly published independent and alternative comics I used to love?

Should I just rip all my CD's and ditch 'em in a booth?  Would the Emmylou boxsets be exempt from this?

What would it take for me to jump on the e-reader bandwagon?  I like the sensation of actually holding a book and turning pages.

Is anyone making good magical girl anime or manga these days?

Speaking of anime, whatever happened to fansubbing?

Have you ever noticed how much of a typical chain bookstore is given over to gift items, games, and novelty books?

What do my cats think about when we're gone all day?

Why do I always find the good big stuff at the thrifts when I don't have the time to deal with it?

Will I ever understand the ins and outs of buying and selling furniture?

Why is it I always lament the lack of time to read, but when I have free time, I never seem to read?

I'm worried that I'm forgetting more grammatical rules than I am remembering these days.

Ditto for some basic mat stuff.

And Spanish.

Do I just encourage consumerism and overspending with my booths and reselling?

Is it a bad thing if I do?

How can I do my reselling in the most environmentally-friendly way possible?

Do I really know what I'm doing?

Will there ever be enough time in the day to get everything done?

If I had more space, would I really be neater and more organized, or would I just have more places to stack shit?

Should I take out the fourth booth in my little square at the Peddlers Mall?  What would I do with the walls?

For that matter, how can I go about getting rid of the walls that are already in my space?  I'm tired of them and I want to open everything up,but I paid too much for them to just dismantle them and pitch them.  And no one ever buys walls from other vendors.

Why did I stop drinking lots of water every day?

Why can't I seem to start that habit again?

Should I get that checked out?

Are the cats really happy living with us?

I ride my bike just about everywhere.  I'm a vegetarian.  Why the hell am I still do damn fat?

I'm in bed by 10 every night.  When did I get to be old?

Why is it that blogging seems to be the only aspect of social media that has really clicked with me?

You may or may not see a couple of those in the future as posts in their own right. 

Upping the Date (or would it be Dating the Up?)

Just a quick one to kind of touch base.  I'd been doing pretty good with the regular posts, then...BLAM!  Out go the lights.

Normally, I would tend to just let this whole thing slide until I could post again for real, but I've picked up a couple of followers, so I feel I ought to be polite.

Truth is, I am just slammed right now and probably will be for a while longer.  There's just too much going on, and something had to give.  As usual, that thing was blogging.  I've been just too exhausted on the weekends to even think about planning ahead.

So, here's a summary:

It was hotter than the hinges of Hades for a while here, but it seems to be better now.  By better, I don't mean in the 70's, but it's at least into the normal range for the Ohio Valley in the summer.  I'll take it.

Craziness at the booths.  More on that in a future sales update post.

Still finding neat stuff at the yard sales and thrifts, just not as much.  I bought a bunch of excess stuff from my uncle recently, so I'm sitting pretty with really good merch, so I don't have to hunt as hard and I can be a little choosier.  I always like it when I get to this point.

One of my fave neighborhood sales is coming this weekend.  Should be some good findings, even for the newly choosy.  I may photodocument this one.  We'll see.

I'm having to do way more lesson planning than I ever counted on for the current work gig.  That's what is eating into my time most of all.  That all ends next week, so things will free up a bit. 

I got offered a part time more permanent deal starting in mid-September.  It's only a few hours a week, but it's not a time limited project, like the things I'm doing now.  And, it has the possibility of growing into something more.

And that's the way it is in these parts!

I'm going to try to finish some posts and get 'em scheduled over the weekend, then let those carry me until Thursday, when this job ends and I have a breather.

Thanks for bearing with me.  I've got some fun stuff in the finishing stages.  I've been really happy with the way some of the last few posts have turned out, so I'm looking forward to continuing in that vein.

Cat Philosophy

Always let the groundhog have the right of way.

Kids Say the Darndest Things!

A couple of weeks ago, Keith and I were out yard saling in a small suburban city at their city-wide sale, when we stopped at this one house that had stuff spread out all over their circular driveway.  There was a man and a cute little boy of maybe five or six out with the stuff, which was mostly toys.

I found a little gumball machine that I liked, which was marked two bucks.  Just a hair too high for me on that kind of item.  So, I asked the man if he'd take a dollar instead.  The art of the deal, you know!  Well, he totally surprised me by turning to the little boy and asking him if I could pay a dollar instead of two for it.

Then, it dawned on me:  this was the kid's yard sale!  It was his stuff and he'd probably picked it out and helped price it and everything.  I thought that it was pretty cool that Dad was helping him but not making decisions for him.

However, the request totally confounded the little boy.  He pointed at the price tag, looked me square in the eye and said:

"It says 2 dollars."

When we were walking back to the car, Keith said the expression on his face was all "Silly grown up person! Can't you read?"

Dad kind of explained to him  that sometimes people might offer less for something. He could say no or he could say yes or he could ask for a different amount like $1.50.  Well, the kid jumped on the $1.50!  I was so tickled by the whole thing that I paid right up and told the kid he drove a hard bargain.

So, I'm making an addendum to my tips for negotiating posts:

Don't bargain with little kids.  They just don't get it.  And they'll win in the end.  And the younger they are, the cuter they are, which gives them an advantage right from the start.  Never underestimate the devastating power of the cute kid.

Now, I've seen plenty of eight and nine year olds hold their own selling their stuff at yard sales and dealing with bargains and offers and such, but five-six is probably a bit too young for that.  I'll take a better lay of the land next time.

Yard sales!  You never quite know what's going on until you wander into the driveway!

Yard Saling in a Down Economy

As this recession/slowdown/downturn/whatever it is drags on, the road to recovery seems slow and full of struggles.  Lots of folks are making decisions and choices they weren't a few years ago.  And it's creating all kinds of odd paradoxes.

For one thing, they're holding onto things longer.  Over all, it seems like yard sales have been smaller in recent years.  People are using things longer, so they're not replacing them and then selling the older items.

At the same time, more people are out shopping looking for bargains on used items that they might have bought new not so long ago.  For many families, this has become a necessity for household items and kids things, especially clothes.  Folks who deal in necessities at flea markets have been seeing strong business, even when other vendors in the same mall have problems.

This, in turn, has created a down market for non-necessary items.  Folks are trying to unload their collectibles for cash into a market where everyone else is doing the same thing.  At the same time, buyers are focusing their cash on things they need, rather than want.  That set they thought was going to be worth hundreds may struggle to bring in 20 or 30 bucks.

Which in turn makes it harder for vendors who sell collectibles.  There are more choices out there and prices are better than they've been, but there are also fewer people for them to sell these bargains too. I know folks who are passing up things they would have jumped on at twice the price just a couple of years ago.

Yet, despite this, there are all kinds of people jumping on the re-selling bandwagon, thinking that it will be an easy way to get some quick money.  These folks aren't prepared for the amount of work it takes or for the reality of this economy, so they're making poor choices and aren't lasting very long.

Perhaps the saddest indicator of the way things are now is the "rent yard sale."  If you pay attention, you'll notice that there are a lot more sales popping up around the end of the month, often unorganized and unadvertised.  Some families are grabbing whatever they can find and trying to sell it on the front yard to keep the roof over their head another month.  It's not uncommon to see someone drag a box of stuff into a secondhand store to try and get enough for a tank of gas or two.  Folks will do what they have to do.

I know that things are a little better than they were at the start of the recession,  I also know we have a long way to go.  I'm able, with my reselling, to make a contribution to my household income, and I'm extremely happy to be able to do so.  But, sometimes, especially in this election year, I can't help but think about all of the other sides and stories there are right now.  That person trying to work out a deal on those pots and pans may really need them and really need the better price they're asking for.  It's something to ponder.

I've yard saled and thrifted forever and been a reseller since 2009.  Sometimes, I have to sit and ponder the bigger picture and where and how I fit into it.  And how what I do impacts that bigger picture and the lives of others.  It's odd to think that something that I do for fun and profit is something other people depend on right now.  You know?

The De-Graying of Suburbia

Yard sales by their nature are an unpredictable lot.  You never know what you'll find.  You can't really trust the ads and listings, so you just kind of throw yourself out there and hope for the best.  The thrill of the hunt is part of the game, after all.

One of the ways that you try to offset the uncertainty is careful planning, especially if you have a lot of experience saling.  Steering yourself towards sales that have been particularly worthwhile in the past can often pay off.  At least for a while.

One thing I have noticed about going to the same neighborhood or small citywide sales is how quickly the character of those areas can change.  One of the great things about suburban area sales is the potential to find cooler, vintage stuff.  In some of the original 'burbs, the population is getting older, many are retiring, and quite a few are downsizing.  That means getting rid of stuff that they have been holding onto, often times for years.  And they usually just want it gone, which means fab prices.  At a recent city sale, I was picking up vintage Fisher-Price and Playskool stuff for a buck or less.

However, those sales can be precursors to moving on--to a smaller house, to Florida, to a retirement community.  And when older residents leave, newer residents come in.  And, typically, they're young families, either just married or with a couple of small children.  And slowly, the character of the sales starts to change.  Fewer cool old pieces.  More baby clothes.  More dated decor trend leftovers.  More action figures without legs.

Eventually, that neighborhood that was a treasure chest and always worth the stop becomes, well, not worth the effort.  I'm starting to see that switchover in some of the neighborhood sales we go to every year.  Most are still pretty worthwhile.  You never want to discount the thrill of finding an expensive item new in the box for a steal, after all.  But, within a year or two, the things that originally attracted us to those areas will be pretty much gone and it will be time to reassess the value of spending an afternoon circling those particular streets.

Not that this is a bad thing, mind you.  I think it's a good idea to take a look at those things you've "always done" ad seeing if they're still worthwhile or if you can improve them.  I'm not a big fan of change just for the sake of change, but change, in and of itself, is nothing to be afraid of.

Still, I'm going to miss some of those older families and their wonderful treasures.  They've given me several really good years of hunting and more than a few really good buys that then turned into really good re-sells.  I hope that wherever those folks ended up, that they're happy and contentedly downsized.

Practical Advice for Folks Planning to Hold a Yard Sale (Part II)

This is the second part of the yard saling post I started last week!  Enjoy!

11. Everyone who comes into your yard is your customer.

Customer service is one of those areas where many yard sales fail.  Sometimes this is due to poor planning.  It's hard for one person to manage a yard full of stuff and people alone.  I saw a seller at an estate sale fussing at a buyer to "make up her mind" because she "was taking too much time" once.  That's a dealer whose sales I avoid now.

Say "Hi!"  Acknowledge their presence.  Offer help if needed, including helping to carry stuff to the car.  Stay friendly. Have bags and paper to wrap ready.  Have change ready.  Treat folks the way you would want to be treated at a yard sale.  Answer questions. Offer to hold stuff or make piles. It's really pretty simple.

If your plan is to stay seated in the shade, talking to your friends, and only look at the customers when they come to pay, then you don't get it.  You'll have some sales that way, but not as many as if you'd actually gotten involved in the selling.

One of the sales we pulled into just last weekend was being held by three guys who were more interested in swapping ghost stories than selling their (unpriced) stuff.  I left without buying anything.  Don't make the customer work to give you money.

12. Have a sense of humor about things.

It's going to be a long, hot day.  The more you laugh, the better you'll feel. Mistakes are going to happen.  You may have periods of an hour or more where no one comes.  Play music to keep yourself entertained.  Make sure you have people to talk to.  Don't sweat the small stuff.  You'll be doing enough sweating as it is.

13. Plan to eat, drink and use the potty.

Arrange with someone to bring breakfast and coffee at the beginning and lunch around midday.  Keep a supply of drinks on hand.  Spell each other for shade and bathroom breaks.  Plan to take care of yourself and you'll have a lot more staying power.

14. Have clearly identified people to take money.

Having lots of workers is a good thing, but it can create confusion when it comes to the money.  It's better to have only two or three people taking care of that.  Get some cheap carpenter's aprons from the hardware store and give the money handlers each one.  This will make them easier to identify.  They can also circulate and take money on the spot, decreasing waits and lines.  Make sure they do cash drops to a secure location in the house from time to time as well.

15. Take care setting up.

Organization is the key to a good sale.  Grouping like items makes things easier to find.  Keep the valuables together and near someone who will be responsible for watching them.  Spread out, so that it looks like you have more stuff and it looks less cluttered.  Use as much of the yard/driveway as you can.

Your goal should be to get as much of your stuff spread out as possible.  Items left in boxes or piles may be missed by buyers.  Not everyone likes to dig.


16. Set up doesn’t stop. It goes on all day long.

When something sells, put something else in its spot.  Keep rearranging your tables throughout the day so that they look full and fresh.  Condense as the day goes on.  A sale that looks like it's still overflowing with goodies attracts more shoppers than one that looks picked over.

If you didn't have room for everything in the morning, then put the extra stuff out as space opens up.  Condensing and tidying is also a great way to show yourself how much you are selling.  Every little bit of self-encouragement helps on a long, hot day.

If you keep working it, you can have sales and shoppers late into the day.  I love pulling up to sales at 3 or 4 in the afternoon!

17. If it didn’t sell in your antique booth at that price, it’s not going to sell in your front yard for that price.

Do I really need to say any more?  With the rise in popularity of vendor malls, it's becoming more and more common to see failed vendors unloading their stuff at yard sales.  This may be you.  That's okay.  If you've closed the business down, there's no need to keep looking at all the leftover stuff.  Just remember one simple rule:

Your yard sale is not the place to recoup your losses.  Seriously.  It's not.

18. After you’ve assembled your stuff, but before you have your sale, take a good look at everything.

If all you can see after you’ve put everything together is baby/kids stuff, holiday decorations, craft and scrapbooking stuff or clothes. Take a step back and rethink. You might be better off waiting a while or trying some other route to get rid of your stuff.

Everybody sells these items. I mean everybody. And while some folks do go out to sales looking for these things, there are a lot more that don’t. My time and money are limited, even on weekends. Why would I want to stop at your sale if it looks like everyone else’s or seems like it doesn’t have anything I want/need?

For a lot of buyers (me included), these are the items that over power everything else and make it look like there’s nothing of interest at a sale. You want to avoid this at all costs. I don’t have kids or babies, so why am I going to stop at the yard that seems like it’s overflowing with baby stuff? Your goal is to attract as many people as possible into your sale.

If you can see that you have a ton of the above items, plus a lot of other, more interesting stuff, you need to plan. You don’t want the rest of your stuff to be overshadowed and miss sales. Go through the piles of kids stuff, clothes, etc and edit. Pull out only the very best items for your sale. Donate the rest somewhere. You should reduce your mound by at least a third, if not by half.

When you set up, take care that the baby stuff, holiday decorations, etc aren’t spread all over the yard and aren’t front and center dominating everything else. Put them in the back or off to the side. Folks who want them will look for them. Those of us who roll our eyes at them and pass by will be more likely to notice the other stuff.

Consider not putting all of your craft stuff, etc. out at once. Put out some of it and replenish it as it sells. This reduces the impact on the rest of your sale. And many times, people who are interested in this kind of stuff will ask if you have more, at which point you can bring more out.

Also, consider pricing in bulk, which will clear items out more quickly.

19. At the end of the day, if you’ve not sold much or anything, the primary person responsible is you.

I've heard sellers bitching about buyers not buying lots of times.   Usually, it's the sellers who are disorganized, unpriced, with very little to sell.  And whose fault is it that people aren't buying things again?

Seriously, I cannot repeat this enough.  This is a lot of work.  All day long.  If all you want to do it sit in the shade and drink beer, go fishing.   You get out of your sale what you put into it.

20. I don’t care what your little book, or anyone else says, your item is “worth” what I’m willing to pay for it.

If you really, really want book value for your little dimmy-doodle, put it in an auction and pray.  Your front yard is not the place to try and get it.  Seriously.


21. Stick it out!

Too many sales these days only go for two or three hours.  Most only advertise until noon or so.  To me, that's hardly worth the effort of hauling out of bed at the butt-crack of dawn and hauling all that stuff outside.  You've put a lot of work into this thing.  Don't give up until you've wrung every last drop out of it.  The longer you stay open, the more you can sell, especially if you keep cleaning up as the day goes on.

We've never ended a sale before 4:00 pm.   There are always at least two good waves of customers in the afternoon.  At least, that's what we've found.  Start having your half-price between 2:30 and 3:00.  Make outrageous bulk deals at 3:30.  You'll get your stuff gone.  And have fun.

22.  BE CAREFUL!!!

Sadly, you can find thieves, grifters, and con artists everywhere these days, including yard sales.  Be careful and keep your guard up.  This is one reason why having help is so vital.  One person simply cannot keep watch on everything.

Don't let people in your house. Keep the front door shut so they can't see in.  Cover items in the garage that are not for sale.  Better yet, close off the garage entirely.

Don't keep all the money on you or outside.  Do a large bill drop to a safe spot in the house every so often.  Don't give out a lot of personal info to buyers.  Check through clothes and books for cash and receipts before putting them out for sale.

Every so often, you read about someone that got ripped off during a sale or shortly after by one of the "shoppers."  Use your common sense and keep your guard up.  Don't let the assholes out there spoil a good day.

That's it for my words of wisdom, folks!  I make no guarantees about success, of course.  But, I do think that putting some thought and planning into what you are doing will make you a lot more likely to succeed than just throwing some crap out in your yard and calling it a sale.  Give it a try and see what you think.  Maybe I'll meet you on your lawn some Saturday morning!

Monday Rambles

Finally!  A much cooler week!  Thank goodness!  We were even spared the worst of the storms that hit other places after the heat wave pulled out.  I'll take it!  For sure!

I had one of those old ABC Sports moments the other day at one of the booths.  I was rearranging some stuff, when a woman expressed interest in an end table that had been there forever.  I agreed to take a couple of bucks off and she agreed to buy it.  I carried it downstairs for her.

THE THRILL OF VICTORY!

As she was checking out, she decided it was too wobbly and was on the verge of saying that she did not want it.

THE AGONY OF DEFEAT!

And the agony of lugging the thing back up stairs.  But, it was pointed out to her that the floor in front of the register is uneven and, when she moved it over, it didn't wobble.  Purchase made!

THE THRILL OF VICTORY! 

Had an interesting experience the other day.  I got to Goodwill before it opened.  That's never happened before.  I wasn't sure whether to go on or wait for the store to open.  I ended up deciding to wait, but then had to ponder what my life has become.  I sit and wait for thrift stores to open.  I can't decide whether that's pathetic or kind of cool.

Then, I got in the store and found three Pyrex mixing bowls for 57 cents each, so I stopped all the silly philosophizing and went with the flow.

Actually, that Pyrex was my find of the week.  To begin with, I hardly ever find Pyrex, other than the clear glass stuff.  Then, when I do, it's never mixing bowls.  And, on the rare occasions when I do find the bowls, it's always the solid color bowls and not the patterns.  And then, I never, ever, ever, ever find any for less than a dollar each!!!  

(I know the pattern is pretty common, but my enthusiasm remains undampened.  And, no, I can't explain 57 cents as a price point.  Who knows what they think in the backrooms of Goodwills?)

This post puts me ahead of 2010's post total!  One more to go and then I'll be into new territory!  And I've noticed that my overall total is edging closer and closer to 800. Hmmm.....

Speaking of posts, I'm clearing out my backlog again.  Those "Practical Yard Sale Advice" posts had been sitting around, 75% complete, for ages.  I'm glad to move them off into cyberspace.  Now I'm going to work on getting some more Junking Memories posts completed.  I have several started already, but some are not past the title stage yet.

Yard sales were a mixed bag this weekend.  One of my favorite church sales did not fail to disappoint.  Got a big box of stuff for very little cash.  One of the volunteers kept waiting for me to gather up a few items, then he would come get them and put them into my box at the register.  It was like having a personal attendant!  And also a stalker.

Most of the individual sales we hit didn't measure up, but the neighborhood sale (another one I look forward to each year) was grooving along just fine.  The trunk was full  The backseat was filling up. And, then, it started raining.  And that was the end of that.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful for very much-needed rain, but, man, I only needed a couple more dry hours!

Oh well, Sunday we went to a synagogue sale and everything was fine again.

I'm starting to gather new in the package items from clearance racks and sales and stash them away for my "gift ideas" table during the holidays.  I haven't really seen many holiday items worth picking up otherwise.  I think I'm going to put up a small "Xmas in July" section this week at the Peddlers Mall and put out some leftover Xmas stuff.  It'll be a nice change of pace.  

I'll probably leave it up until the end of the month, then shift to back to school stuff.  That reminds me.  I've got to start bagging and pricing my excess office supplies for back to school.  For some reason I have tons of extra pens, post its, notepads, notebooks, scissors and the like.  Way more than I need or want.  Way more than I ever remember buying. Certainly way more than I could ever actually use.  (I think I might be sleep-hoarding office supplies?)  I might as well get something out of them and declutter a bit.

I'll be pet and house sitting this weekend.  I'll only be gone a couple of days, so I'm not sure if I'll pre-schedule some posts or just not post.  You'll know what I'm planning probably right around the time I do, I suspect.

 Finally, courtesy of the ever wonderful Yard Sale Queen, enjoy the best in YARD SALE MUSIC VIDEOS!!!

¡Hasta lueguito!

Golden Age of Pop Music

Honestly, the Golden Age of Pop Music was the 80's.  How could it not be?  I'm talking about mainstream charting pop songs, not those wonderful obscure independent nuggets that every era of music releases.  I do love to venture off the beaten path, but the last time the path was filled with such goodness and fun and quality and talent was the 80's.

I mean, you had this:



And this:



Don't forget this:



Or this:



You even had this one, before she discovered lip-synching and auto-tune.



Hell, even these guys were big, goofy fun:



And, of course, you cannot forget:



And it wasn't all frothy, poppy fun either:






It was never better.  And it's never been as good since.  Seriously.

Some Practical Advice for People Planning to Hold Yard Sales

There are a lot of sites online with advice and tips for folks planning to have a yard sale, and my intent is not to duplicate them. At least not entirely. What I have here is my take on some standard advice, as an experienced seller and buyer at yard sales, plus some tips that I’ve not seen anyone else give, but always wished they would. If you’d also like to see some other takes on holding yard sales, I’d recommend starting with the ever-amazing Yard Sale Queen, and following links from there.

This is going to be a two-parter.  Look for part two sometime next week.  I got a little wordy on this one I think, in part, because I spend a lot of time going to a lot of yard sales an  d I see a lot of mistakes being made.  I would love for everyone who has a yard sale to be successful so that more people will hold yard sales so that there will be more yard sales for me to attend.Take both of these posts with that in mind.

And, of course, I'd love to see your comments on the issue, as well!

1. Having a yard sale is a lot of work!

Be prepared for that going in. It’s not just a matter of grabbing some stuff and throwing it on the front yard. Doing a yard sale right takes planning and advance work. If you’re not willing to put the effort in, don’t bother. It’s a real annoyance to show up at someone’s sale and have to dig through unsorted boxes of stuff that’s not priced and then try to deal with people who obviously don’t know what they’re doing.

2. Price your stuff!

I’m much more inclined to spend money when I can keep tell how much I’m spending. Also, when I see stuff that’s not priced, I tend to think that the person is going to be asking too much for it. That makes me think twice about everything I see that I am interested in.  I don't think I'm alone in feeling this way.  (Even though there are others who see it differently.)

This doesn’t mean you have to tag every single item, you can make signs for groups of similar things, or even be more creative. I stopped at a sale one time where two of the boys in the family were selling some of their action figures. They had a bunch of small paper sacks, and the deal was everything you could get into a sack for 2 bucks. It was cute and much easier than pricing each toy. Plus, it got the kids involved. (See below.)

Don’t tell yourself you’ll just decide on your prices that day because you don’t know how much people will pay or how much you might really want. A guy lost a sale from Keith a couple of years ago from not having things priced and being too strange and indecisive when Keith tried to bargain with him. No one wants to come into your yard and be confronted with that kind of weirdness. Make up your mind beforehand and put it in writing where everyone can see it.

Besides, once the chaos of the sale gets started, you really don't need five people yelling at you for prices on every jot and tidbit.  Trust me.

3.  If you say "Make me an offer," then be prepared for the offer.

Please don't play the "Make me an Offer" game.  It goes like this:

• You have a sale and don't price your stuff.
• Someone comes to your sale and wants to buy something.
• They ask you how much it is.
• You don't know and you haven't thought about it, so you try to pass the buck to the seller and say "Make me an offer."
• They do. 
• You don't like the offer, so you get offended.  You either snap at them or otherwise get bent out of shape.
• They put the item down and leave.

If you're going to play the MMAO game, then remember why people come to sales--they're looking for bargains.  If you put the impetus back on them, they're going go right for the lowest possible price.  Getting upset with them for doing it is a little tacky at this point.  They are only doing what you asked them to do.

I had a woman at a sale last year make faces at me every time I made the offer she was asking me to make.  She'd screw her lips up, curl her nose, arch her eyebrows and say "Ewwwwwww!" really loudly.

After the third time, I said:  "Look.  I'm doing what you asked me to do.  If you don't like it, then don't accept the offer, but stop being rude to me."  I left without buying anything.

If you do ask for an offer and get one you don't like, then politely counter-offer.  You don't have to accept the offer just because they made it, but use it as a starting point to work towards a price you can live with.  Yard sales are about bargaining and bartering.

Then, after that person leaves, get busy and price the rest of your stuff, like you should have done in the first place!  Keep playing MMAO all day and you're going to sell less stuff, become increasingly frustrated, and generally waste your time.  Not to mention pissing off everyone who comes in your yard.

3. Start on time!

That means “have the yard all set up and everything out ready to sell at the time you advertised.” It doesn’t mean “start hauling boxes out of the house at the time you advertised.” If you’re not willing to do what it takes to be ready when the first customer arrives, then don’t bother.

Yard sales start early. That means you need to start even earlier. How much earlier depends on how much stuff you have to set up. One year, I spent the night at the house where we hold our sales so that it would be easier for more than one person to be there when we needed to start setting up. We had a TON of stuff that year, but we were ready to go at 8 AM.

Yes, getting up before dawn on a Saturday to set crap up is hard. No one said this was easy. See point one.

4. Early birds are a fact of life.

It doesn’t matter how largely and clearly you post your hours. It doesn’t matter how many times you say “No Early Birds!” in your ad. There are going to be people showing up early, especially if you have lots of unique or specialty items for sale (see below). Just expect them and decide in advance how you want to deal with them.

There’s no hard and fast rule that I know of for doing this. Some factors to consider:

• Early birds do have money, which you want
• They’re also annoying and time-consuming, which you don’t want.
• It’s not fair to those who stick to the posted times to sell all the good stuff early.
• Who said yard sales have to be fair?
• Early birds are often dealers looking to beat out the competition.
• It is illegal to shoot them, no matter how much you may want to.
• How early are they? There’s a big difference between someone showing up two hours early and fifteen minutes early.
• How much set up do you still have to do? If you’ve still got tons to do, you really don’t have the time to deal with someone getting in your way to look at things.

If you refuse to sell to them, they may leave, but you also lose a guaranteed sale.  If someone is really getting in the way, you do have the right to refuse to sell to them early and ask them to leave.  You just need to be firm, but polite.

You might consider appointing one person on your set up crew to be on "Early Bird Patrol."  Their job would be to deal with the EB's, herd them away, watch them to make sure they don't swipe anything, etc.

Whatever you decide to do, make sure everyone at the sale knows about it and that everyone acts consistently.

4. Be honest!

Your best friend bringing over two items to sell doesn’t turn your sale into a “multi-family” sale. Ten books is not a “huge amount.” Four boxes on your front lawn is not a “big” sale.

Sure, you want to have lots of people come to your sale. But if you have to resort to blatantly overstating the truth to get them to come, you’re better off donating the stuff somewhere for the tax deduction.

Honestly, when we pull up to a place that’s advertised with all kinds of adjectives implying that the sale is going to be quite large and quite spectacular only to find that it’s nothing but piddly, we don’t even stop.

5. Point out your specialties

Comic books. CD’s. Books. Religious items. Eclectic. Unique. Words like this get my attention and will just about guarantee I’ll stop by your sale. If you have interesting or different things, play them up in your advertising. If you have things you know others collect, mention them.

I made $300 one year selling comics one year because I mentioned them in the ad. I tend to sell out of all my comics and graphic novels every year because I mention them. Selling with our friend Sharron was a great experience because she always put out fun stuff from her eBay and flea market business. She sold interesting items, so we had interesting items to advertise.

There's an annual multi-family sale near us that I never miss.  Two of the participants are antique dealers and they always have good stuff from their businesses that they need to clear out, so it's cheap.

But again, be honest. A listing that said “tons of Sailor Moon stuff” caught my eye once and turned a sale into our first stop, only to find a handful of figurines (not even a complete set) and a lunch box.

4. Have plenty of start up change.

People are going to come to your sale right off the bat and need change. You need to have it. It’s just common sense. Stop by the bank and get plenty of quarters and ones and you’ll be good to go. If you’re not ready for your first three people to hand you twenties for five dollars or less in merchandise, then you’re not ready. And I can almost guarantee you that your first customer, fresh from the ATM, will have a twenty.

I stopped at a house in a neighborhood sale once and found a Bybee pitcher and a book I wanted.  Total was $3.50.  I was down to twenties at that point, since my small bill reserve had run out.  The seller looked at the bill and said "I couldn't possibly change that." And this was the middle of the morning! I convinced her to hold the items while I shopped at a neighbor's house to get change.  If I hadn't really wanted the pitcher, I wouldn't have done it and just left the sale.

It's your responsibility to be prepared.

5. You’re not in this to make money.

I’ll repeat: You’re not in this to make money. If you think you are, stop now. You’re more than likely going to be disappointed with your sale and miserable all day long.

The only reason to have a yard sale is to get rid of stuff that you don’t need or use anymore. Your goal is a clean closet or a clutter-free house, not tons and tons of cash.

That said, you can make money having a yard sale, but that should be your secondary goal, not your primary. When making money is your guiding reason, you’re more likely to price things too high, be insulted when people try to bargain, and get hung up on what stuff is “worth” to actually make any! These are the kinds of things that turn yard sale buyers off faster than anything.

We always have decent return on our yard sales, but we do it by acting in the exact opposite way. We love to bargain! We won’t accept every price, but we’ll entertain offers and make reasonable counter-offers. We also give people price breaks on stuff when they buy a lot.

We also concentrate really hard on having interesting stuff that’s priced well, organized well, ready to go on time, nicely set up and staffed by friendly people who are obviously having fun. In other words, we follow the advice outlined here. And we have several regular customers as a result.

6. Allow folks to browse in peace.

I’m not one for small talk, and I’m easily irritated by sellers who wander around and tell me the story of every item I touch. Honestly, if I need to know something, I’ll ask. But it’s early in the morning on a weekend, and I’m standing in your yard looking at your junk, waiting for my coffee to kick in. I need some space. Seriously, it’s not you, it’s me.

Later in the day, I'll be more friendly, but I still like my space.  Acknowledge my presence and then let me do my thing.  I might just spend lots of money with you if you do.

7. I don’t care if it’s never been out of the box, it’s still used!

Your front yard is not a store. You are not “retailing” when you have your yard sale, but “re-selling.” People don’t drag themselves out before the crack of dawn on a Saturday morning to pay the same price for something they would pay at Target. Never used? Never worn? Never out of the box? Your yard sale is not the place to recoup your losses. It’s the place you get rid of stuff you shouldn’t have bought in the first place.

8. People are going to offer you lower prices. Get used to it.

It doesn’t matter if you saw one sell on eBay for three times what you’ve got it marked for. It doesn’t matter if it was an heirloom from your great aunt Tilly. It doesn’t matter if Ghandi used it. Or if it’s hardly been used by anyone. If I think it’s priced too high (meaning more than I want to pay for it), I’m going to make a lower offer. Don’t take it personally.

I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve seen sellers react like someone just insulted their mother, their children, their dog, the flag and the Bible when offered a few dollars less than the price on an item.

And for god’s sake, don’t automatically assume someone is trying to rip you off if they do offer you a lower price. There are a good many reasons why I as a buyer might want to bargain with you. For starters, I know exactly how much money I have budgeted for this little adventure and you don’t. I’m not going to break the bank all at one stop. I know how much I have and how many other stops I’m planning on making. That as much as anything else determines how much I’m willing to pay for stuff.

Everyone has their own limits and standards about what they’ll pay. I’ll rarely pay more than a buck for a CD or a hardcover book, unless it’s something I consider very special. It’s just one of my little quirks.

And sometimes, I’ll try to bargain just for the hell of it. There’s a place for general principle in all of this too. It’s a yard sale. There’s supposed to be some bargaining going on.

But, get this, I’m never rude when I make my offers and I don’t appreciate being snapped at because I had the temerity to try and barter. And there have been plenty of times that my offer has been rejected, but I’ve accepted a reasonable counter offer or gone ahead and paid full price.

And for god’s sake, if you spend all your time bellowing loudly that you’re willing to bargain and are very glad to accept and/or consider offers, don’t snap at me if I decide to take you at your word. A woman did that with me during the Highway 60 sale a couple of years ago, and we were back in the car and on the road before she even got finished with her little tirade about how she “knew” how much that CD I offered her a dollar for was worth.

And, yes, I'm also thinking about what price I might be able to re-sell something for when I make an offer.  So?

9. Don’t do it alone!

I cannot repeat enough that this is a lot of work. For one of our sales, we’d have me, Keith, Sharron, her daughter, her mother, her son, a couple of her friends, and her neighbor involved. Everyone doesn’t show up at once, but it’s good to have fresh blood popping in during the day. It gives everyone a chance to rest a bit. Plus many hands make light work. And it never hurts to have extra eyes watching the merchandise.

10. Involve the whole family.

Let the kids play a part by selling canned drinks or cookies.  If you let them keep the money they make, they'll have good incentive to stay involved.  It's hard to resist a can of Coke from a cute little kid on a burning hot day.  And I've seen some of the kids really get into the selling.

Older kids can get involved by selling their old stuff.  I've seen lots of little wheeler dealers working hard and raking in the cash getting rid of old toys.  It's never too early to start learning good work habits or good money habits.

Unfortunately, it's usually not the best idea for the dog to be one of the family members involved, unless you know absolutely for sure that there's no chance of biting or barking.  Fluffy may be the sweetest, kindest thing on four, but there's always going to be someone who is afraid of her.  Remember, it's also kind of hard for Fluffy to understand why all of these strange people are coming into her yard.

Look for the rest of my tips in the middle of next week!  Thanks for reading!

Some Practical Advice for Folks Planning to Go Yard Saling

Summer is in full swing and that means yard sales are in full swing, too. There are lots of sites with good advice for having yard sales, but only a few with advice for going to them.  Let me rectify that a bit with my own take on the subject.

1. This is supposed to be fun.

It doesn't matter why you're out there.  Whether you're looking for cheap goods or stuff to re-sell, going to yard sales is supposed to be fun!  Even on those relentless hot days when the bargains elude you, you have to take time to enjoy yourself at least a little bit. Talk to the cute babies.  Look at the pretty flowers in the yards.  Play with the friendly dogs.  Buy a soda from the kids.  Laugh. If it's not fun, then why do it?  If it stresses you out, why do it?  If you don't enjoy it, why do it?


2. Take someone with you.

Batman has Robin.  The Lone Ranger has Tonto.  GI Joe has...well...other GI Joes.  So, too, every yard saler should have a partner.  To begin with, just having someone to talk with about the crazy seller you just left with the crappy over-priced stuff can keep you from blowing vital gaskets.  And then when you find the rare whatzit that you've been hunting for years, you have someone to celebrate with.

And then there are the practical aspects:  One to drive and one to navigate.  One to spot and one to drive.  One to assess sale potential and one to get you where you're going.  It's so much easier in pairs.  Plus, you've got each other's backs.  Two pairs of eyes searching for those sought after whatzits is better than one.  Just make sure your partner is as into it as you are.

3. Leave the kids at home.

You'll be glad you did.  I cannot count the times I've seen hot, bored kids dragging along behind a mom or dad out saling,  They're tired.  They're cranky.  They're ready to go home.  And usually everyone around them is ready for them to go home too.  Kids just don't get it.  Leave them behind, and everyone, yourself included, will be glad you did.

4. Be open to the possibilities.

I know time is tight on a Saturday morning and the temptation is to stick with the sure things--listings that match your interests or score-rich parts of town.  But, leave a little room for a few sales that may not have obvious potential right off the bat.  They might surprise you.

Last year, we headed into a subdivision following signs that promised "The World's Greatest Yard Sale!"  When we got to the two piddly tables in a driveway, I said "Yeah, right."  But I walked away with a stack of graphic novels that I paid 25 cents each for.  Maybe not quite the "World's Greatest" but certainly worth the stop, despite the meager first appearances.

5. Make offers, but be respectful.

You might think you’re offering a reasonable amount, but no one has to accept it.  Don't get offended if they don't, and listen to what they're saying.  You might get a counter-offer that is acceptable to you.  Read more about the art of negotiating here and here.


6. Change out your large bills before starting.

All sales should be well-stocked with change, but you would be surprised how many aren't.  You can get around this hurdle by being well-prepared yourself.  I try to spend the day or evening before swapping out my big bills for ones.

7. Start early. Take breaks. Eat. Potty.  Keep your fluid intake up.

Taking care of yourself only enhances your saling experience and gives you energy for the long haul.  Remember, you could be going through a large neighborhood sale for hours on end.  It's inevitable that the weather will be hot and muggy.  It's summer after all.  Be prepared with water, sun screen, and a hat.  Wear good walking shoes, too.  Yard saling is an endurance sport!

8. Your life doesn’t depend on buying someone else’s cheap stuff.

Remember Tip #1.  If you find that you're getting a bit too intense over things, maybe it's time to take a break.  It's only stuff.  There will be plenty more stuff at the next stop.  Seriously.

9. If you’re a dealer, don’t act like a jerk.

Please.  Seriously.  Stop giving all of us a bad name with your grubby, grabby antics.  There's no call for it.  Ever.  I know reselling is a hard row to hoe.  That doesn't give you an excuse to be rude, pushy, grabby, or to lie and try to cheat someone.  If you think it does, well, all I can say is I feel sorry for you.  Oh, and go to Hell.

10. If you’re not a dealer, don’t act like a jerk.

All of that goes for you if you're not a reseller, as well.  Well, maybe except for the "go to hell" part.  Still, you're not making yourself any friends or doing yourself any favors.  So chill!  okay?  Whatever happened to common decency?

11. Of course you have the right to think whatever you want about someone’s prices, selection, etc, but you do not have to be rude about it.

Make your comments to your partner once you get back in the car.  Trying to insult or badger a seller is not going to make them come down on anything.  Why on earth would you think that it would?  Stop raining on everyone else's parade.

12. Sometimes people make mistakes. Be reasonable about it.

Something will get put out that's not supposed to be sold.  Or something will be mismarked.  Or someone will not give you enough change.  Or you'll get goofy and try to buy something that's not for sale. 

One time, I tried to buy a seller's cup of morning coffee.  I couldn't figure out why coffee kept spilling out of the cup when I looked at it.  Finally, she said "Uhm, that's my coffee..."  Another time I tried to buy a lady's gardening tools that she accidentally left outside.  Her son was taking my money when she softly said "I really wasn't wanting to sell those."  Stuff like that happens.  I know it can be frustrating, but there's really nothing you can do about it.  Laugh about it and go on. 

13. Look for themes.

A really fun way to pass the day is to see if there are any recurring themes--items that seem to keep popping up over and over throughout the day.  Or maybe it's a certain kind of dog or house every seller seems to have.  Or maybe everyone that day seems to have the same bad taste in music or books or clothes.  Make a game of it.  Look for the oddball items.  have fun.

14. Celebrate your super finds.

Yard saling is the ultimate treasure hunt.  When you strike gold, be sure to holler!  Debrief with your partner and identify your "finds of the day."  This is best done over Mexican food, I have found.  Make a list of the specific items you are looking for and cross them off when you find them. Share your finds on your blog or in appropriate online forums.  Call your mother and tell her. Little things like this can keep the fun alive on those hot, hot days.

15.  Wrap your goodies.

Some sellers will wrap up stuff, but not all will, and not all will do a good job of it.  Keep a stash of paper and a couple of boxes on the car, so you can protect and preserve the goodies you find.  Remember to wrap more than just the obvious breakable items.

16.  Look for bang for your buck.

Keep track of which parts of town have the best sales.  Know what neighborhoods to look for sales in.  That will make each stop more useful and productive for you.  Also, look for citywide, neighborhood wide, and block sales with lots of homes in one vicinity participating.  This will minimize your travel time.  And check out large sales like church or school sales or other fundraising sales.  Any place where there is a lot of loot under one roof increases your chance of making a find.

Next time, I'm going to leap into the "advice for holding a yard sale" pool!