Love hate relationship with the garage sale

Rummage sale, tag sale, yard sale, lawn sale, whatever it's called in your part of the world, I love and hate them simultaneously.

Not going to them and finding bargains-that's fun!! It brings out the serious hunter gatherer along with that giddy feeling when you score something extra special.

It's the hosting of one that brings out my ambiguity. At first you are optimistic: yeah, this will sell, more room, get rid of junk, I'll donate the few things left over, my friends will help, I'll make a little money, woo hoo! etc, etc,. Then reality sets in...

It's a lot of work physically-going through everything, dragging out tables, pricing, staging, putting an ad in the paper, signs up etc. It can be hard on the psyche too-as you set out and price items, you are reminded of "seemed like a good idea at the time" purchases, "I can wear this when I lose 5lbs" clothing or lame gifts from relatives. Your friends have stuff for the sale but all they do is dump off a box for YOU to hang/price/stage and no they can't come and help you sell, but will swing by to get their money later. There is also the let down period after the sale is over when it dawns on you that you've spent all this time putting the sale together, there is still too much crap left and you only made 5 cents on the dollar....really??

After every sale I say, "Never again!" because to quote Rain Man, "...About a hundred dollars" is all I ever make and I decide it's not worth the effort. I'm usually pretty true to that-only about a year later do I start thinking about it again because there is too much stuff clogging up my world: clothes that no longer fit, toys , kids stuff, broke down furniture or other items that have been replaced-stuff "too good" to donate just yet, but not good enough to sell on eBay or Craig's List. So, it all gets hauled out to the garage and/or driveway again....

hmmm, it seems this poster needs to reread this post, rinse, lather, repeat! OR maybe just stop putting so much thought into the anatomy of a garage sale-Over thinkers Anonymous here I come!