I’m sure
I get it from my mom, this love of Yard Sales – she used to beg my dad to pull
over EVERY time she saw one. And I’m
not alone in this passion. I have DOZENS of friends that go to Garage Sales on a very regular
basis – and a few of them that I run into frequently out-and-about at some
random stranger’s house.
When you
think about it, Garage Sales are a bit odd.
First of all, the name is completely wrong: no one is selling their
Garage, nor their Yard. Secondly, the whole premise: Let’s go to a Stranger’s
house, dig through the stuff that even THEY don’t want anymore, and then let’s
pay them even less than the bargain price they listed for these random items
that they will likely just donate to charity in a few hours anyway.
Odd that
is, unless you’re one of them: The Garage Sale Junkies. Then the whole
viewpoint is different. Each Saturday morning is like an Expedition – you are
on the hunt for buried treasure. Not sure what you are looking for, nor where
you will find it – but you are certain that treasure is out there. Like an
Explorer, you drive up and down the streets looking for “signs” (in this case
typically neon pink or green) – and at the first sign of hope, you speed up to
be the first to the site. Bursting from your vehicle (ideally an oversize SUV),
you begin to dig . . . through boxes, piles, bags – searching, searching for
“something”. Oh, and when you find a potential “something” – then that is when
challenge begins. Because you don’t just want a treasure: you want a treasure
at a bargain basement price. Haggling, definitely not my favorite thing – and
definitely not a strength mine.
Today I
was on the Flipside – hosting the Estate Sale. Yes, it was truly an Estate
Sale. No “Garage Sale” crap allowed. Nice furniture and belongings only. And
despite the “8am to Noon – no early birds” specifically listed in the online ad
– folks started showing up at 7:30am.
Admittedly,
hosting a Sale – garage, yard, or estate – is a LOT of work. There’s
advertising, putting up signs, setting up tables, collecting all the items,
pricing everything, etc. – 23 easy steps, according to WikiHow. So to keep each
other motivated, a friend and I did this one together – mostly because we both
need to eliminate some items from our life, but also because we knew we’d both
procrastinate unless we held each other accountable. Not only is neither of us is looking
for additional work in our lives, but it also means giving up a rare and highly-valued morning to sleep in.
But there
is a payoff. To begin with, Pay. Between the two of us we made over $800 – not
bad for a 4-hour Saturday morning sacrifice. And beyond that, Freedom. There is a lightening, a
freeing, that happens when you unburden yourself of “stuff” that no longer
serves you. At the end of the day, the pile of empty boxes and bins is
liberating. And knowing that these items are now finding value in the lives of
others – including many friends that showed up today, is satisfying.
Oh, yes,
I will do it again – probably in a few weeks. I still have a rather large home
containing far far too many things. But more than that – this freedom that I feel this
evening is something I want more of. Letting go of a few things, makes it not
only easier to let go of more – but is also very motivating. I want more of
that freedom in my life.
Just
like this entire 83-day Journey: taking one step leads me to another, taking me farther and farther down the
path. I’m just finding that it’s a different path than I had originally
expected. And I’m OK with that, because this is MY path and MY journey – and
I’m enjoying every step along the way. Especially since my knapsack is a bit
lighter this evening.
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