Comments on: Come Sale Away

By: sue

sue — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 17:11:47 +0000

We had a benefit yard sale back in September. We got donations from billions of people and held the yard sale at the park. At the beginning of the day, we were incredibly busy and made a ton of money. We refused to haggle because it was for charity.

However, as we got close to the end of the sale, we took a look at the massive amount of stuff that was left and just started panicking, envisioning all of the trips to the DI that were going to be required, even with all of the trailers we had there… We started slashing prices until at the end of the sale we were literally walking around yelling “Everything is free – take whatever you want – just get it out of here!” We still had a lot of stuff left over though. We did end up make about $8,000 for flood relief so the many trips to the DI were totally worth it.

By: annegb

annegb — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 16:49:21 +0000

I did a yard sale once and I thought it was from hell. We just take stuff to DI and take the tax break. Although if it’s something nice, I prefer to take it to the womens’ shelter because they don’t have to buy it.

By: Elisabeth

Elisabeth — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 15:01:45 +0000

Yeah, integrating something new into such a small apartment is a bit like the fat guy in Monty Python’s “The Meaning of Life” when, after gorging himself with food at dinner, he balloons up and explodes when the waiter coaxes him into eating a “wafer-thin” mint. (“Oh, sir, it’s only a tiny, little, thin one.”)

By: Kristen J

Kristen J — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 14:40:21 +0000

Hey, that’s a good idea. Not just for the junk issue but also for the spending issue too. I like it.

By: Elisabeth

Elisabeth — Mon, 31 Oct 2005 14:33:44 +0000

Hi, Kristen – this is great! I loved the part about you wanting to yell at people for not buying your stuff. I’ve found that the secret to a junk free life is to live in an 800 square foot apartment. Every time I go shopping, I have to negotiate with myself as to what I’m going to have to throw away if I buy anything, so I don’t upset the precarious equilibrium of our space to stuff ratio. Although this doesn’t apply to shoes, of course.

By: Kristen J

Kristen J — Sun, 30 Oct 2005 21:57:19 +0000

Thanks for the link. It’s true, after getting everything ready and sitting out there for the morning it was like a buck an hour.

From now on it’s me and the DI.

By: fMhLisa

fMhLisa — Sun, 30 Oct 2005 21:30:21 +0000

I have also only ever participated in one garage sale, also a neighborhood thing. I too was uncomfortable about the whole thing, I pretty much sold anything to anyone for any price they asked and ended up thinking "Six Dollars, that's like a dollar an hour" at the end of the day. I'm a big donating to DI fan. Operation Give is also a great place to give. It was started by an LDS solider, they send toys and kid items to Iraq.

By: Jamie J

Jamie J — Sun, 30 Oct 2005 21:06:12 +0000

Oh man! I love garage sales! Usually about once a year my mom would say, “Clean out your room, we’re having a garage sale.” I can remember many times when I was young hanging out on the driveway selling stuff. Good times…good times.

By: Kristen J

Kristen J — Sun, 30 Oct 2005 15:25:10 +0000

Isn’t it though?

By: Eric Russell

Eric Russell — Sun, 30 Oct 2005 13:40:46 +0000

Cartman’s version of Come Sail Away is awesome.