Garage Sale Report - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

myboynoah · 07-01-2008, 04:01 AM

We did it Saturday. It was the usual junk a family accumulates over time, thinking it will be useful someday, but finally realizing that if it hasn't seen the light of day for 9-10 years, best just to get rid of it. Major items included:

The first microwave we bought as a couple, circa 1987. I remember saving up and spending nearly $300 for it.
Several of those soccer/camping chairs, all in odd colors (the red and blue country plaid ones were hideous).
A three-tiered computer desk from the monitor era; it looked like Mr. Spock's funky Star Trek chessboard.
A ceiling fan we removed from the kitchen when we moved in.
Three big shiny brass chandelier-type light fixtures that we had replaced when we moved in.
A box full of video tapes (a bunch of old Disney titles like Dumbo and Cinderella, etc.).
A still unfinished roll top desk that my wife gave me for my birthday over ten years ago. I still remember the day when she proudly led me to it, hidden in the garage. I thought, "Great, she got me a project for my birthday. Probably getting back at me for the KitchenAid I got her for Christmas."

The rest was the other normal human detritus we gather over time. Ours was compounded by the fact that most of it sat in storage for ten years.

I was in charge of publicity/advertisement and outdid myself. We live one block off a fairly main road and I peppered the route with all types of signs, out placing many of the other garage sales the same day. We got a lot of traffic, and most commented on my signs.

The highlights:

We sold everything but four boxes, which I took over to GoodWill afterward.
Clothing didn't sell at all.
The soccer/camping chairs went fast, as did the computer desk.
Hispanic immigrants are the best customers. White middle-aged women are the worst.
Sadly we had few children show up to buy up the stupid beenie babies.
Most action happens in the first 45 minutes.
The microwave oven sold for $15 to a Hispanic man. He said he had bought one the previous week that didn't work. We hooked it up to show it works. I hope it gives him many more years of service.
A young guy came in, went right for the ceiling fan and bought it, and then left, saying very little. I figure he was one of the Three Nephites.
With two hours left, I slashed everything to $1, except for the unfinished desk, which I kept at $100. The desk never sold, which is okay, because I think I will finally finish it this winter.
My son sold all his previous issue GameBoys, making $25. He was even able to sell his GameBoy color.
The same son tried to sell his Pokemon and Yugio cards, and kept complaining that we weren't giving him enough counter space.

Overall it was very fatiguing, but it was a good time and we got the kids involved. It is strange how offended you get when someone walks through and deems your junk unworthy of his/her purchase.

YOhio · 07-01-2008, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by myboynoah

It is strange how offended you get when someone walks through and deems your junk unworthy of his/her purchase.

Ohio seems to love yard sales. I used to occassionally browse for fun, but I started to feel bad so I don't go anymore.

ute4ever · 07-01-2008, 02:50 PM

Did you advertise your garage sale on the busy road ahead of time? I know a lady who recently had a successful moving sale, and said there are people who stake out the various garage sales early on the morning of, and look through the garage windows with flashlights, deciding where they want to go first to get what they want. Hence your comment about the first 45 minutes being the busiest; people want to be the first to discover any hidden gems.

FMCoug · 07-01-2008, 02:52 PM

Our moving sale is this weekend. My wife is a garage sale guru ... she does one about once every couple of years and rakes in the $.

myboynoah · 07-01-2008, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ute4ever

Did you advertise your garage sale on the busy road ahead of time? I know a lady who recently had a successful moving sale, and said there are people who stake out the various garage sales early on the morning of, and look through the garage windows with flashlights, deciding where they want to go first to get what they want. Hence your comment about the first 45 minutes being the busiest; people want to be the first to discover any hidden gems.

I put up signs the day before and we had some people come by that evening as we were setting up and about 30 minutes before we started. The joke was on them; we had no hidden gems, just junk.

myboynoah · 07-01-2008, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YOhio

Ohio seems to love yard sales. I used to occassionally browse for fun, but I started to feel bad so I don't go anymore.

I know a young man that will sell you some Pokemon cards to help you assuage your guilt.

Another set of items that went fast were the baby gates we had quickly purchased in January to keep Molly confined in the kitchen area so she wouldn't ruin the house. It made we wonder if someday I would be selling the TV and Wii as well.

07-01-2008, 04:01 AM	#1
myboynoah Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Memphis freakin' Tennessee!!!!! Posts: 4,530	Garage Sale Report We did it Saturday. It was the usual junk a family accumulates over time, thinking it will be useful someday, but finally realizing that if it hasn't seen the light of day for 9-10 years, best just to get rid of it. Major items included: The first microwave we bought as a couple, circa 1987. I remember saving up and spending nearly $300 for it. Several of those soccer/camping chairs, all in odd colors (the red and blue country plaid ones were hideous). A three-tiered computer desk from the monitor era; it looked like Mr. Spock's funky Star Trek chessboard. A ceiling fan we removed from the kitchen when we moved in. Three big shiny brass chandelier-type light fixtures that we had replaced when we moved in. A box full of video tapes (a bunch of old Disney titles like Dumbo and Cinderella, etc.). A still unfinished roll top desk that my wife gave me for my birthday over ten years ago. I still remember the day when she proudly led me to it, hidden in the garage. I thought, "Great, she got me a project for my birthday. Probably getting back at me for the KitchenAid I got her for Christmas." The rest was the other normal human detritus we gather over time. Ours was compounded by the fact that most of it sat in storage for ten years. I was in charge of publicity/advertisement and outdid myself. We live one block off a fairly main road and I peppered the route with all types of signs, out placing many of the other garage sales the same day. We got a lot of traffic, and most commented on my signs. The highlights: We sold everything but four boxes, which I took over to GoodWill afterward. Clothing didn't sell at all. The soccer/camping chairs went fast, as did the computer desk. Hispanic immigrants are the best customers. White middle-aged women are the worst. Sadly we had few children show up to buy up the stupid beenie babies. Most action happens in the first 45 minutes. The microwave oven sold for $15 to a Hispanic man. He said he had bought one the previous week that didn't work. We hooked it up to show it works. I hope it gives him many more years of service. A young guy came in, went right for the ceiling fan and bought it, and then left, saying very little. I figure he was one of the Three Nephites. With two hours left, I slashed everything to $1, except for the unfinished desk, which I kept at $100. The desk never sold, which is okay, because I think I will finally finish it this winter. My son sold all his previous issue GameBoys, making $25. He was even able to sell his GameBoy color. The same son tried to sell his Pokemon and Yugio cards, and kept complaining that we weren't giving him enough counter space. Overall it was very fatiguing, but it was a good time and we got the kids involved. It is strange how offended you get when someone walks through and deems your junk unworthy of his/her purchase. __________________ Give 'em Hell, Cougars!!! Religion rises inevitably from our apprehension of our own death. To give meaning to meaninglessness is the endless quest of all religion. When death becomes the center of our consciousness, then religion authentically begins. Of all religions that I know, the one that most vehemently and persuasively defies and denies the reality of death is the original Mormonism of the Prophet, Seer and Revelator, Joseph Smith.

07-01-2008, 02:52 PM	#4
FMCoug Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kaysville, UT Posts: 3,151	Our moving sale is this weekend. My wife is a garage sale guru ... she does one about once every couple of years and rakes in the $. __________________ Still fat ...

07-01-2008, 02:50 PM	#3
ute4ever I must not tell lies Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 5,103	Did you advertise your garage sale on the busy road ahead of time? I know a lady who recently had a successful moving sale, and said there are people who stake out the various garage sales early on the morning of, and look through the garage windows with flashlights, deciding where they want to go first to get what they want. Hence your comment about the first 45 minutes being the busiest; people want to be the first to discover any hidden gems.