garage sale honor system
I cleaned out our garage (at least the side that doesn’t contain tools) and put a table out with items on it for sale. Posted an ad to Craigslist, and played ball with Sam out front to see if anyone stopped. Since only one guy did during my two hour slot (IÂ posted the ad 12 min before opening up “shop”), I decided I wasn’t sticking around, nor was I lugging it to a thrift shop, nor was I going to put it back in the garage. It was outta there. So I put a jar out with “Mahalo” on top and put suggested donation stickers on the items. I drove away and decided to just see what happened.
I took some clothes to a thrift shop and bought Sam and I some new shorts for $3 total. Then to Lanikai Juice for lunch, for $8.72. I returned home and found all but 1 item gone, and the jar full of money! I had made $10 without even being there and paid for our lunch! I like this type of garage sale – might have made $20 if I’d been there, but maybe no one would have stopped anyway. Maybe people stopped, intrigued that no one was there? No one to have to haggle with while you’re looking and feeling conspicuous? There’s something about having to look the person in the eye who’s selling you their junk. I’d rather just look anonymously and offer what I think it’s worth. I think it’s a new model.
So…while you’re working inside, just peek out to see who’s donating! Or taking! Even if they donate nothing you didn’t have to do a thing to get it out of your house and down to Sal’s or Goodwill!
Dave does not know about this venture yet. He thinks I donated or sold in the traditional way. Which is sort-of what I did…just within my own community. I figure the people driving by mid-day on a Thurs are neighbors or have business on Kihapai. All the better that they benefit from my stuff.
Soooo, that’s a great model, and you had me in hysterics since my house is an absolute disaster right now. Richard was here today for a couple of hours and in that little time, he exploded my “storage bedroom” and forced me to stay on task directing where to put the “stuff”. Sals? Don’t know? And the 3rd area is “Keep.” My house looks as if Bekins made a delivery and no one was home to do anything about it.
Sals is coming tomorrow. I’m not nearly ready, but you bet your sweet bippie I’ll be up very early putting “stuff” in bags and boxes for them. I’ll take pictures and put prices on the items in the photos for a deduction, but that’s it.
Already I’ve put half a garage load out at the road for the “pickers” and peeked out the windows as they rummaged through things. Some were so anxious to paw through that they did it while Richard and I were carrying things out to the road!
Actually, it feels great to unload and to know people are taking things they want. This is an exciting process, although it occasionally crosses my mind that I’ve mysteriously died and my alter-ego is getting the house cleaned out. No matter. At least my kids’ job will be easier when I do croak. Meantime, I have far less to keep clean, sort, file, remember I have, or polish.
I’ve seen this type of sale before in a few places. I think that the biggest risk is that someone steals the cash jar. One house in a small village in the UK sold fresh vegetables this way, but eliminated the cash jar. Instead people were asked to push money through the letter slot in the door. That way whatever money was paid was sure to be retained.