Garage Sales, Etc.

Garage sales hold a most important place in my heart. From a very young age it was something special that my mom and I shared--it was never my older sister's 'thing', so for a couple of hours I was able to steal my mom's attention. Nowadays we have a strict routine--Friday mornings we get up early, grab coffee and we're off with the garage sale section of the newspaper as our guide for the next couple hours. Special weekends include big church rummage sales and flea markets.


There is a certain culture to garage saleing that I love--at what other time do you balk at the price of a paperback book being more than 50cents? ...Negotiating is acceptable, and trying to pay with a 20 if you're only spending a little is a definite no-no. 


My mom and I are always searching for different things. She's usually looking for school supplies or books for her classroom, and I'm always searching for clothes and antiques. Growing up, I was always the only one my age at garage sales--I rarely saw other tweenie and adolescent girls there. This was fine by me and still is: that way, there isn't much competition for the things that interest me most. I think the prospect of people's unwanted stuff either discourages people from going to garage sales, or just plain grosses them out. A lot of people have a definite thing about buying old shoes, and my mom is convinced that every hat has a family of lice living in it (yet she'll buy used dishes). Nothing really grosses me out except underwear and bras...because lets be honest, that's grimy. 


I began collecting vintage dresses at a very young age because the style, at times outlandish, fascinates me. The fabrics feel different...smell different too. And SOMETIMES, you find something truly spectacular.


A couple of years ago, at a big garage sale in Byram, NJ held by BARKS (Byram Animal Rescue and Kindness Squad), I found a cute mustard yellow woven purse that I spent approx 10cents on. When I got it home, I found out it was a "Bottega Veneta" bag...worth hundreds! 
This year I've made out like a bandit. I found a vintage Beatles Mirror that I paid $1 for, and just recently I found an orphan Annie gold locket that I paid 50cents for...just found out it's worth $128!
Now THATs what I call a bargain.


There have been several times that I've needed something and have been able to find it almost instantly at a garage sale. Things like Foreman grills, lamps, coffee makers are a dime a dozen. It's hard to go to a store and buy something full price anymore, which serves as one of the only down side of intense garage saleing. 


It's hard to tell how much money we've saved by our unusual pastime, but it isn't about the money. It's about the excitement of finding unique things, the time spent with my mother, and the mystery that each stop holds.