As I went out today at the break of dawn (well for me anyway...7am!) I went out treasure hunting like a pirate! I thought about how much fun it would be to find a this or that, I am always hunting for toys, I just love TOYS!
However I found that in the neighborhood wide gargesales, a phenomenon...ADULTS...RUNNING from house to house GIVING their money to each house as they go, finding games, clothes, trinkets of all sizes and sorts, and acting like children. Like Trick or Treating...EVERY Saturday! Some are smiling, planning lunch, counting their money, some are pretending like they can't speak English to get a better deal, and that is just the buyers!
Everyone has a story, and everyone wants to tell it, as they should. However this is not the forum for every single type of story to be told. I am QUITE aware that the only way to make new connections in your life as a mom is to open your mouth and talk to someone who isn't going to have a load of sassy back talk and can ride most all rides in an amusement park according to the height scale held by a smiling green rabbit before entering the park.
So I feel it is totally understandable why a mom or other person who is otherwise NOT able to have conversation outside her smartphone or facebook status updates should talk to as many people, I can understand, I mean I am not trying to say she shouldn't be friendly but here are some pointers for garagesale sellers...
Garage Sale Seller Rules:
1) Don't guard the stuff you no longer want as if you still wanted it, I and many other people will drive on by.
2) If you don't have the time or energy or care to get stuff out of boxes, don't price it like you hung and tagged it all night....no more than 50cents per item for REAL if it is in a box.
3) Don't leave your stuff outside overnight, that is lazy and if you do, refer back to rule #1
4) Don't put your name brand stuff in a gargesale and then price it like you have it in a consignment shop
5) Don't say no unless it is rediculous to any offers.
EXAMPLE: a bedroom set of sheets and comforter you have $30 on the tag, you are offered $1, yeah that is a good time to say how about $25 or 20. BUT when you say 25 or 20, other people might be listening so say yes to the next person who says $10 or higher. BUT do not say no. EVER! Aren't you doing this to make money? Saying no is like saying NO to money!
6) Just because you LIVE in a nice neighborhood should not be a good reason to overprice your stuff. Your stuff is just as unwanted as the lady who lives three miles away and just because you don't NEED the money, gives you LESS of a reason to overprice! Be smart, be the one who has a cleaned out garage, sold everything in your garage sale and be done and having lunch outside your garage by 11am.
7) (this is the most important rule....) DO NOT TELL ME THE STORY OF YOUR CRAP....YOU HAVE IT IN YOUR GARAGE SALE...YOU DO NOT WANT IT ANY MORE...if ANYTHING in your garage sale has ANY sentimental value...even if I fall for your line of baloney on how much you loved it, where you got, it or how many storms it lived through....the sentimental value is now DEAD the moment you take money for it and I walk away from you with it...so SHUT UP ALREADY! If you have it in your sale it is FOR SALE and should be priced accordingly. What would YOU WANT to pay for it....not what WOULD you pay for it. Because clearly you already paid full price once, we know you are a sucker.
So basically get over yourself, and last but not least, if you are a seller and you look down on the people that are coming to your sale as if they are roaches, on October 31 when you are trick or treating with your kids remember how much fun you had when you were a kid and all you got was candy...heck...people are lining up outside to GIVE you their MONEY! No candy required!
J.R.
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