Mi Junk Es Su Treasure

That's it, I'm done.  Last garage sale EVER.  Yes, I've said that before.  But this time I mean it.  Well sure, I meant it every other time I said it too, but this time is for real.  For really real.  How do I know?  Because after an entire week spent setting it all up, pricing everything, and then repacking all the crap that didn't sell, I had a major epiphany.  Okay it wasn't really an epiphany because I knew it all along, but this week it totally hit home -- "stuff" just plain takes up too much time.  Time that could be better spent doing things I actually enjoy.  I would rather have been paddleboarding or reading or cutting glass.  Or writing that book that always seems to end up on the back burner.  It was a stunningly gorgeous day and I spent all of it in the garage.  Sure, I could have just donated the lot and been done with it.  But hey, I made over $800 to add to the green jar.  So there is that.

I held the sale for two hours on Friday evening and four hours Saturday morning.  It was like a feeding frenzy in the garage, especially on Friday.  I put out about five boxes of free stuff, and there wasn't a lot left.  Some old Christmas lights, a binder or two.  Tack the word FREE onto things and people snap it up whether they need it or not.  Just about everyone that came through my sale sheepishly admitted their garages were stuffed to the rafters and they didn't need any more stuff, but they all left with something.  My question is this -- if you don't need anything and you don't have room for any more stuff,  why are you even out doing the garage sale rounds?  And garage salers are a dedicated bunch.  I always advertise my sales for 9:00 a.m because I know they'll start showing up at 8:00.  Saturday it was 7:45.  Friday night I advertised 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.  and I had people show up at 2:00 asking when I was going to be ready.  Four hours early.  Really?

Maybe it's the thrill of the hunt, finding that elusive treasure.  Maybe they've watched too many of those Antique Road Show type shows and think they're going to snag some priceless artifact from the junk piles.  I'm pretty sure a couple of the people that bought up a ton of stuff at mine are going home to resell it online.  I just don't think the profit would be worth the time and effort. But whatever floats your boat.  I think the real reason garage sales are so popular is pure and simple -- addiction.  Addiction to buying and addiction to stuff.

I consider myself in rehab -- not quite ready to part with all of my stuff but I've sure put a huge dent in it.  And it's getting easier every time I do a purge.  I don't think I'll quite get to the level of minimalism I want until I actually downsize the physical house and property.  That day is getting closer.  In the meantime, I'll just keep picking away at it.  Donate what I can, dump what I can't.

But no more garage sales.

Ever.

Really.

Book Review:  I'm a big fan of John Hart, read everything he's written which up until this latest addition was four books.  It was a five year wait for Redemption Road but totally worth it.  There's a lot going on in this book and a lot of characters to care about or despise.  Just wish I could have dedicated a bigger chunk of time to reading it in longer stretches.  Packs more of a punch that way.  But you know, I was dealing with my stuff.