The Yard Sale (Part 2)

Last Saturday morning, I hosted my first ever yard sale and this is what I know for sure:  Yard sales rock and yard sales suck.

This is why it rocked:

1. I actually got Dylan and Riley to part with some old toys and to understand the concept of giving.  Previously, toy purging required stealth action while the kids were at school or asleep.

2. We made some much-needed room in the house for the triple threat that is otherwise known as Dylan’s birthday/Hanukkah/Christmas.

3. I got to do some shopping.

Yard sale supplies!

Shopaholic Mama on the loose!

4. The boys loved it.

‘Twas the night before yard sale dancing!

5. I got to drink a hot cup of coffee on a cool morning while watching the sun rise.

6. We unloaded a lot of stuff that we desperately needed to get rid off.  One woman’s trash is another woman’s treasure!

7. We raised $86 for the Red Cross…

…which leads me to the singular reason yard sales suck…

This is why my yard sale sucked:

1. No one gave a crap that our yard sale was a fundraiser for victims of Hurricane Sandy.  The “early birds” who pulled up to our 8:00am yard sale at 6:30am were vultures.  Cockroaches.  Con artists!  Miserable people!  Their haggling and ungratitude were nauseating.  They (and the creepy people looking for gold) made me hate the yard sale.

But we persevered.

Was I naïve? I guess, but I’d choose naïve over jaded any day.  There were actually a few nice people who appreciated the complimentary muffins and croissants I provided (besides Dylan and Riley), and the boys quite enjoyed putting colorful price tags on everything (I mean everything).  There were even a few nice customers who insisted on paying the sticker price for items, including my pregnant neighbor to whom I was able to give (not sell) my breast pump.  (May all breast pumps find loving homes.)

Still, I’m pretty sure my first yard sale was also my last.  It was worth the effort, and I’m glad I did it, but it just wasn’t much fun.  Kind of like potty training, which, thank God, I’ll never have to do again.  Or like taking Dylan to the dentist, which, unfortunately, I have to do twice per year (if I’m lucky) for the next decade…at least.

p.s. I heard on the radio this morning that there are still 28,000 homes without power in New York.  Families are still suffering, so be as generous as you can this holiday season.  Visit www.redcross.org to make a donation online or text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 through your cell service provider.