Garage Sale woes....

[weHEARTmickey]

I know I say "NEVER again!" every time we have a garage sale, but I REALLY mean it this time! Never. Again. I spent 18 hours just setting it up this week. Yes, we did make about $500, but I'm definitely doing consignment from now on. (Wish I'd gotten into it much sooner.) DD has grown so quickly, that she has many NICE, name brand clothes that were either never worn, or only worn a few times. Here is an example of what I dealt with over the past 2 days....

I have a pair of DD's $50 Kenneth Cole flats. These shoes were worn only a couple of times, & don't show ANY wear on the top, & you can barely tell they've been worn from the sole. People snubbed their noses at $3!!!!! But what's craaaaaazy is: they all JUMPED on DH's old ratty used underwear for a quarter a piece. I mean REALLY??? $50, like new shoes for $3? Heck no. Disgusting old $5 underwear for $.25? Yes, please! What are some of the ridiculous things you've dealt with at your sales?

 

[JoiseyMom]

I know I say "NEVER again!" every time we have a garage sale, but I REALLY mean it this time! Never. Again. I spent 18 hours just setting it up this week. Yes, we did make about $500, but I'm definitely doing consignment from now on. (Wish I'd gotten into it much sooner.) DD has grown so quickly, that she has many NICE, name brand clothes that were either never worn, or only worn a few times. Here is an example of what I dealt with over the past 2 days....

I have a pair of DD's $50 Kenneth Cole flats. These shoes were worn only a couple of times, & don't show ANY wear on the top, & you can barely tell they've been worn from the sole. People snubbed their noses at $3!!!!! But what's craaaaaazy is: they all JUMPED on DH's old ratty used underwear for a quarter a piece. I mean REALLY??? $50, like new shoes for $3? Heck no. Disgusting old $5 underwear for $.25? Yes, please! What are some of the ridiculous things you've dealt with at your sales?

You sell used underwear?

 

[tarheel618]

Gotta tell you that I would never buy used underwear or even think about selling them. I haven't had a yard sale in 15 years, I've been debating but your post reminded me why I don't want to have one.

 

[sookie]

You sell used underwear?

we throw used underwear away. why would you sell used underwear? that is un-hygenic (sp?).

 

[tarheel618]

You sell used underwear?

I'm more shocked that people buy used underwear LOL

 

[Nomad70]

Yeah, we go through this every couple of years since we move so much and each place we live is different. We either have to downsize or upsize. I stopped selling clothing years ago because, like you my kids wear nice, fairly expensive clothing. I couldn't sell my dd's handmade custom dresses for a quarter!!! So, I gave what I could to my niece whose parents can only afford garage sale clothing for her and gave the rest the thrift stores on each military base we have lived on or near. I figure I would rather give it away then some skin flint come along and try to haggle over $5! Our most recent one, I sold a very nice year old sofa we paid around $600 for $75! But, when my husband delivered it I felt ok because the place they lived was BAD and I felt they deserved it. It is sickening when you have $5000 worth of stuff to sell and you make $500 back.

As for underwear, we do toss underwear. I am hoping you meant undershirts or something? THough I know people do sell them and my brother and his ex have actually bought them. So, even now when my niece comes to visit I have two packs of brand new undies and a weeks worth of new clothing for her. I do throw away the panties, but I have to throw most of what she brings away or she will try to wear it.

 

[weHEARTmickey]

Yep, we sell underwear! Yes it's WASHED Y'all, it's the first thing people buy! We sell DH, DS9, & DD11 underwear. And bras. And socks. (I don't sell mine, b/c I'm the person having to accept the $$. I would DIE if some man walked up with my used underwear!) And I'm telling you, underwear is GONE within the first hour of my sale. Now when I said "old ratty." I didn't mean nasty, torn, disgusting. I just mean there is NO WAY in the world I would buy somebody's used underwear! But they do. I'm baffled too. But, yes I sell it if it's still in good condition.

 

[ascwilson]

I love to garage sale shop, but hate having my own. I'll take the donation tax write off any day over the time & effort it takes to put on a garage sale. That said, I too wouldn't buy used underwear (assuming it was under pants).

 

[Alexander]

OMG I HATE garage sales! I had one when I had tons of baby stuff to get rid of. It was so much work, I mean days and days sorting, pricing, setting up. Granted I made $1200, but never again! The people that come are.....well, people who buy used underwear!

I cannot even bring myself to go to a garage sale. I don't know what it is, I just HATE them so much! My MIL has one every spring and anything we need to get rid of goes to her house. She is an angel to do all that work!

Any expensive clothing or shoes we give to someone we know to use for their kids. I would rather give it to someone who I know will use it and appreciate it than sell it for next to nothing.

 

[SGMCO]

Love Garage Sales, I get all my DS (16 years) name brand school clothes.
I pay pennies on the doller, for jeans, shorts, t-shirts that cost 30.00 and more for .50 a piece. Great Deals, love them. I realize that when I have my own garage sale that I have to be realistic in pricing, and I'm happy to do so.

 

[rentayenta]

I hate garage sales too. Did one with my neighbor a few years back. I'd rather give it all away, which is what I do now.

 

[bdoyledimou]

we had a garage sale first weekend in June -- and apparently just didn't have anything anyone wanted..

All we sold was a table and 4 chairs -- for $80 for the lot..


the biggest issue i think is that we a re right on the edge of civilization..

one block east south and north of us is farm ---

 

[ceecee]

You sell used underwear?

NOOOOO!!!! That is really too much! I remember putting out NEW with tags bras at my garage sale and DH had a fit.

 

[Keira1387]

You sell used underwear?

 

[Gumbo4x4]

$3 for used shoes does indeed sound like too much at a yard sale & I really don't care what they cost initially. The type of person who wants $50 shoes for their kids isn't going to buy a used pair of shoes. Name brand or not, to a yard saler it's just a used pair of shoes. Snow boots or other necessary items might be an exception. But, used dress shoes? $.50-1 regardless of brand.

 

[scbelleatheart]

About the underwear. Were they boxers or briefs?

 

[ceecee]

Actually my mom had some shoes out at my garage sale which were like new and they sold for $3 and $5 some were still in the box.

 

[Bob NC]

I know I say "NEVER again!" every time we have a garage sale, but I REALLY mean it this time! Never. Again. I spent 18 hours just setting it up this week. Yes, we did make about $500, but I'm definitely doing consignment from now on.

I don't understand. You set up for a yard sale and made $500. I don't see the downside.

Unless you are emotionally invested in every single item and take it personally which sells first, why in the world would you care that underwear sold before DD's cast offs??????

 

[julieanddanny]

consigment is def the way to go! I consign the kids stuff and donate what's not saleable. Yard Sales are sooo much work and not usually worth the time.

 

[quigs3]

I don't understand. You set up for a yard sale and made $500. I don't see the downside.

Unless you are emotionally invested in every single item and take it personally which sells first, why in the world would you care that underwear sold before DD's cast offs??????

It's more the way the people coming to the garage sale behave. When I've had them in the past, most of the shoppers treat my items terribly - they toss the around and knock them on the ground. I have at least two or three items get broken each time I have a sale, and the people who broke are never never apologetic or offer to pay. If I have a $50 jacket marked for $2, they want to give me $.50 for it. They are rude and disrespectful, and every year I swear I'm never having another one. I'm thinking about moving in the very near future, and I desperately need to get rid if a lot of my stuff before we go, but I cringe every time I think about having a garage sale. I'll probably end up having one and just telling myself it's one morning out of my life. I can deal with the stress and inconsiderate shoppers for one morning!