Based on our experience doing a garage sale last weekend, Julian and I have this advice: DON’T DO IT. We’d have made out better by donating much of the stuff to St. Vincent de Paul or Goodwill and taking the tax deduction.
I did two garage sales with my mother and sister when I was in grad school. Terry always cleaned up with the kids’ clothes and toys. Mom and I held our own. Julian suggested the garage sale concept years ago when he saw the stuff accumulating in the garage and storage room. We also had sets of pots and pans that we can’t use on the induction range. I thought, how hard can it be?
Several households in our condo complex had garage sales last weekend along with us. The big winner was a couple across the street. They sold an Ikea bag full of computer games. Another couple sold a few wedding presents – from 40 years ago. The neighborhood expert in garage sales was selling three households’ worth of merchandise, from furniture to doilies. (Yes, doilies.) She also had some cookbooks. I bought three on half price Sunday. I also bartered two pans for a large bread bowl with a neighbor.
Saturday was relatively cool, but Sunday was warm and sultry. We only did three hours on Sunday, mercifully. We were exhausted. I counted out the proceeds. The time and effort we put forward netted us less than the national minimum wage. Lesson learned.
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