The rummage sale went well. We made $2,000 to support our projects and everyone feels good about it. It's just that it's a lot of work and many of us don't work like we used to. Well, that's what I thought anyway.Friday morning we set out the stuff we had gathered in the big multi-purpose room of a local church. Many of us were already complaining of exhaustion as we headed home in the early afternoon, satisfied that all was in readiness for the sale early Saturday morning. I've already written about my wonderful "Friday finds."
Saturday found me on my way to the sale before 7:30 a.m. By the time I arrived, extra rummage had already been laid out and a line was gathering at the door. Daisy the Clown (one of our members) was in make-up and costume, ready to greet customers.
Despite the rain – and now and then it rained hard – we had a good crowd for the sale. We sold on a "per item" basis until 1:00. Then paper grocery sacks were handed to customers and selling continued at "all you can fit in the bag" for $3.00 for the last hour or so. As you can imagine, morning customers returned in the afternoon in hopes of finding items they want still available for the bag sale.
As the sale ended, we were left with an abundance of stuff that didn't sell – mostly clothing and low-end household items like mugs and plastics. It's our responsibility to clear the stuff away and everyone wants it done quickly so that we can go home. As the working members began to fill large garbage sacks with stuff, our chairman called out:
"Opportunities Unlimited is on the way to pick up the stuff. They will stay just 20 minutes." For a long moment the room was silent as workers digested the implications of the
information.
I don't know what possessed me, but I called out, "We can do it!" And you never saw "gray power" work so fast! (These ladies are mostly old enough to be my mother, and some battle physical difficulties.) But bless their hearts! They packed those garbage sacks in double time. We were moving! The guys from Opportunities Unlimited loaded what they could and then returned for another load. "It's a lotta stuff," one said to me. "A lotta stuff.
Before the bag sale began, I picked up a few more items – more pillowcases, more books, a naked Barbie doll, a purple Beanie Baby, pretty garden boots, one of those Yankee Candles with Christmas shade (I've always wanted one of those), and a Sunbeam waffle maker (a big one). I am unapologetic for the fact that I continued to be a good customer through the sale, though the best finds were the "Friday finds."
It's always interesting to me to see what sells and what doesn't. The Christmas ornaments sold, but not the wrapping paper, bags or bows. The Beanie Babies didn't sell at 50 cents; four sold immediately when the price dropped to 25 cents; the rest – at least a dozen – didn't sell. Toys and stuffed animals didn't sell. The books didn't sell. Action figures from 30 years ago didn't sell. The VHS tapes sold last year but not this. Beautiful decorator items didn't sell. You know – pretty much nothing sold, but we made $2,000. Go figure.
[The pictures are just more from our day around town last week.] KW
Hmmm, pretty much nothing sold but you made $2000?? That's a great profit (you girls--strike that--*ladies* worked for free after all), so there must have been a great many items originally. What does that say about us? (The generic us as consumers).
ReplyDeleteDan and I ponder this occasionally as we recall starting out in an 8x35' trailer and then look at our present home which we have managed to fill... And you know I go through stuff all the time and toss. After writing this, I'm feeling the need to go through some cupboards. Think I'll head down to my sewing room and begin in the big closet!!
Yes, we had a lot of rummage, and of course, we did sell stuff. Every year there's so much left over!
ReplyDeleteI don't toss stuff well, but this year I cleaned out my Christmas wrappings (I now have fabrics stashed in that box), and I also donated a couple of Corning 1 1/2 qt. casseroles. The "Cornflower" one disappeared on Friday, so one of the members must have wanted it. The other sold on Saturday. Oh -- and there was a tied quilt made entirely of polyester fabrics, and some young girl was thrilled to stuff it into a bag. We also sold a Mexican rug for $35.00. They said the lady was very willing to pay that.
Yes, we consumers are into stuff. That's why they call us "consumers." Oh, and I'm glad you no longer live in that 8x35 trailer. You wouldn't have a place for the 830.
That DOES sound like an exhausting day. So the Beanie Baby craze is definitely over? People aren't selling those things on eBay for insane prices?
ReplyDeleteI guess the Beanie Baby craze is over. Friday night I did some online research. I read that unless it's a special limited edition, they go for $2-3 on eBay. The writer suggested just disposing of them at yard sales for what you can get. I was surprised that someone didn't pick up our remaining ones at the bag sale, though.
ReplyDeleteI maintain that electronics have ruined the toy market. Kids just don't seem to play like they used to. I'm no expert -- just an observation from my experience.