Yard Sales: Are they worth the cost?

Retirement is about new beginnings and getting rid of old stuff as evidenced in my community a few weeks ago at our annual yard sale.

“Aren’t you going to participate?” my neighbors asked. “It will be fun!”

I only ever hosted one yard sale and vowed never to do it again.

It took umpteen hours to price and haul it outside only to have someone offer me 25 cents on every item marked $5 or more. What cheapskates! At the last hour of the day, I was so frustrated that I hadn’t made any money that I ran inside and began looking around for something to sell.

I yanked a dusty instrument off the shelf in my husband’s office and it sold immediately. These people’s eyes lit up and they practically ran to their car and drove off. Turns out it was his mother’s metronome which she used to help him keep time when he learned to play the piano. We have never forgotten this.

I pedaled my bike around the neighborhood at about 8 a.m. when the festivities began and struggled to get down the road because of the constant influx of vehicles all stopping to gawk at lamp shades and Longaberger baskets.

One lady was selling her LP collection. “Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass” I hesitated. My father and mother played this record all the time, and it brought back happy memories. I looked longingly at the cover I used to hold. Then I remembered the three boxes of albums sitting in my garage and sighed heavily.

My husband and I have had countless conversations about our record collection.

Wife: So are you ready to get rid of all those albums?

Husband: I don’t know.

Wife: Well, do we still have a turn table?

Husband: No.

I even passed on Roger Miller’s finest. “King of the Road.” I pedaled away recalling the catchy lyrics. “Trailer for sale or rent. Rooms to rent fifty cents. No phone. No pool. No pets. I ain’t got no cigarettes.” God, I love that song.

So here’s what I bought. Two hangers for 50 cents. They were the soft padded kind that don’t leave twin peaks of fabric jutting up like little triangles in the air. It is important to look my best.

My other purchase was a brand new apron with roosters all over it. It was never worn and only cost $3. I don’t wear aprons. I plan to give it to my best friend Nancy who has roosters in various places all over her kitchen. My purchases fit nicely into my bike basket.

I am smarter in my retirement years. The night before the sale I posted a picture on our community Facebook page of a dresser and a vanity I no longer had room for, and I sold both pieces to nice neighbors.

Not only did I not haul anything out to the curb, but I have money to buy something new.

My husband loved those pieces but he will come to appreciate my new furniture. (I cannot print our actual dialogue here.) Truthfully I bought them in 1995 at a consignment shop for about $300 and I just sold them for $200. Not bad. We enjoyed them for many years when they actually fit our old bedroom. The thing about stuff is that no matter how much it costs, it can be more costly to keep it. It hurts to let go, doesn’t it?

Please share your thoughts with me.