There are a myriad of reasons why people hold yard or garage sales. Where some folks would never spend the time gathering, sorting, cleaning up and displaying the items they no longer want, others can’t wait to do so.
Rusty Richmond of Murphy has been enjoying yard sales for more than 50 years.
“I like meeting people and seeing someone else love something I once loved,” he said. “I also like cleaning out the house while making room for more treasures.”
Some folks who will shop at other yard sales, only to turn around and resell the item on their own. Oftentimes, people simply have no idea what they’re selling at rock-bottom prices, and veteran yard sale vendors know it.
Paintings and other valuables have been purchased at yard sales for pennies on the dollar that were resold for a much larger profit. Often sellers will purchase items from storage unit and estate sales for the purpose of reselling.
There are fair weather as well as diehard yard sellers. Some folks will set up their sale tables even in cold and wet weather, while others wouldn’t go to the trouble unless it’s dry and sunny.
Nothing is off limits when it comes to selling. Whether a seller cleans the items or not before displaying them makes no difference to those wanting to browse. For the purchaser, it’s about the excitement of the hunt to find a perfect treasure.
Everything from ammunition, baby items, cardboard people and furniture to road signs, ugly wreaths, varmint traps and valuable coins have been displayed at yard sales.
According to avery.com, March, April and May are the best times to have a yard sale. However, folks have had success with sales during every month of the year.
Bill Copeland of Hayesville is a regular yard seller. As to why he’s been doing it since age 16, he said, “It’s something to do, and it’s a social thing for me. It also provides entertainment.”
He lets folks know that if they purchase a battery or electric item such as a power tool, that he will take it back within a certain period of time if it doesn’t work properly.
Copeland once sold a man a chainsaw, saying, “He brought it back to me after four months and after he got all his firewood cut up.” He originally sold the chainsaw to the man for $50 but took it back for $40.
When the man wanted to purchase another chainsaw, Copeland raised the price $50 more because he didn’t want to sell him another one. About the whole day-to-day selling experience, he “said, I wouldn’t say I love it, but I enjoy it.”
Having yard sales is one way to clean up a home’s clutter, and provides an opportunity to engage with others along the way. The alternative to sitting outside selling your unwanted things for hours at a time is to toss, donate or re-gift the items.