Out With The Old
Over the past few months, in preparation for our move from California to Oregon this summer, I’ve been methodically (and ruthlessly) cleaning out each and every room in the house and getting rid of “junk stuff”. After living in the same house for 19 years, I have to admit that we’ve certainly accumalated a whole lot of junk, too. Stuff that we never should have bought or kept in the first place because we never used it! Yes, we’d become pack rats!
So, wanting to start out fresh and clutter free in Oregon, I decided that it was time to clean house in a big way. And I did. Out went furniture we no longer used/needed, clothes we no longer wore, games we no longer played, home decor that was outdated, crystal I never used, the girls in-line skates and razor scooters, TV, VCR, bread maker, Legos, blankets, books, comforters, curtains, 
artwork, craft stuff, cassette player, electronic gadgets, an old PlayStation that the girls no longer use, night stands, curio cabinet, candlestick holders, teapots (I have a collection and I weeded it out considerably), floral arrangements, Don’s golf stuff he no longer used . . . and a whole lot more. In fact, I had boxed up so much stuff while cleaning out the house that I had to rent a storage unit for it all until we had a garage sale!
Well, the yard sale was this past weekend, and what an experience it was! I advertised that the yard sale would begin at 7 AM, and by 6:30 AM cars were parked on the curb waiting while I put everything out on the driveway. As soon as I was done, they literally swarmed and overwhelmed me as they rummaged through my junk. These people were clearly die hard garage sale-ers and me, my daughter, and a neighbor who was helping out, could barely keep up with the steady flow of cars and people who came by. By noon, we were exhausted . . . and we did this again on Sunday, too. All in all, I sold $1,000 of “junk” – and that just goes to show you just how much stuff I had out there to sell! As the saying goes, “your junk is someone else’s treasure”, and that certainly held true this past weekend.
So, for the past few months it’s been “out with the old”, but not necessarily “in with the new”. Now that I’m loving the clean, uncluttered look inside my house, my new motto when buying something new is “quality not quantity”. This motto has helped me to not buy new junk just because it’s pretty or cute. From now on, anything new that is brought into our house has to serve a distinct purpose, or I’m not buying it.
OREGON UPDATE: For those of you who’ve been following my move to Oregon, we’ve yet to sell our house in California. The real estate market here is so bad, and getting worse each month that passes. We recently made the decision to rent our house here, and rent something up in Oregon until the market changes in a more positive way. I figure that will give us time to figure out where we really want to live in Oregon and find just the right house for us. The girls and I plan to join Don in July. That’ll give us time to get settled in and get my youngest daughter prepared for her new high school, and my oldest into college. All in all, we’re still very excited about the entire move.
Back to garage sales. Have you ever had a garage/yard sale? And if so, what was your experience – good or bad? And do you enjoy going to garage/yard sales to find great deals, or are they just not your thing?
I’m lazy and don’t have a garage so I just donate it to one of the local boutiques which benefit the shelters here.
Off to DC, have a good day and see you tomorrow Stacy!!!
Comment by ev — May 8, 2008 @ 6:42 am
LOL I love that first comic.
I don’t like to do a garage sale, but I like to go to them and see if there’s anything worth buying.
Comment by bunny — May 8, 2008 @ 6:59 am
I’ve never had a garage sale and I’ve only been to one or two. That’s too early for a Saturday morning, and if you go later, all the good stuff is gone. WTG on the $1k Janelle.
All righty Plotmonkeys, I’m off to D.C. tomorrow morning returning Sunday afternoon. I’ll be meeting fellow Plotmonkey Ev and catching up with Michelle Buonfiglio, as well as a few other online friends. I’m so excited. I’ll miss you guys, but plan on having fun. Take care everyone
Comment by Stacy ~ — May 8, 2008 @ 7:48 am
My roommates and I had a garage sale when we were renting a house about 10 years ago. Just with my stuff, I made about $1000. The rule was nothing could be brought back into the house, so we loaded up all the clothes and other stuff after the sale and drove down the street to Goodwill. Now I just donate books to the library several times a year and take any clothes, toys, or furniture to Goodwill a couple of times a year.
Comment by Liza — May 8, 2008 @ 8:46 am
Before we moved (about 3 years ago), our move was a little sudden, so I didn’t have time to go through the stuff as much as I would have liked. I don’t really do the ‘garage sale’ thing (too busy), I just donate to the Goodwill. Hey, I save money on taxes!
Comment by katie — May 8, 2008 @ 9:37 am
I’ve never had a yard/garage sale. I always think why go through all that trouble. I would not know how to price things and wonder if it would even be worth it. Sounds like you made out great. Now if I knew I would have a profit like that, I would probably do it.
Comment by Michelle J. in NJ — May 8, 2008 @ 9:45 am
I think garage sales are fun
My step dad used to own a store in Arizona where he sold hand made jewelery,the business closed many years ago but he still makes the jewelery and likes to have a few garage sales during the year to sell them. So the whole family get’s together and sets up tables to sell our “junk”. I usually crochet some baby items or holiday decorations and they are always a big hit! Last time the kids set up a snack table where they sold cookies and juice…we start them young. 
Comment by Tina Martinesi — May 8, 2008 @ 10:28 am
Stacy and Ev — Have FUN!!!
Comment by Janelle — May 8, 2008 @ 10:54 am
Oh, and meant to say that I donate what’s left to Goodwill.
Comment by Janelle — May 8, 2008 @ 10:56 am
Oh, yeah. This winter, when we moved and cut the square footage of our house in half. My overwhelming feeling was how much stuff we bought for no reason other than the fact we had the space to fill.
We sold tons through Craig’s list, and the smaller stuff in a garage sale. It’s amazing how much you collect, and I couldn’t help but wish I had that money back and had never bought it in the first place. I might be retired right now.
BTW — what city will your girls go to school in? I graduated from Hillsboro High. Our major rival was Sunset. Although, I hear they’ve added about a half dozen high schools in the (cough) years since I moved.
Comment by Lori Borrill — May 8, 2008 @ 11:22 am
Never have had a garage sale, daughters have had a few from my location, but
I do like to go to them to look for goodies!
Pat Cochran
Comment by Pat Cochran — May 8, 2008 @ 11:31 am
I agree Lori — a lot of the stuff I got rid of was like brand new. I never should have bought it in the first place. The whole process has made me very aware of what I buy now — it has to serve a purpose. No more knick-knacks and clutter just for the sake of filling space!
I’d really like my daughter to go to Westview HS. We’re looking to move to the Beaverton area, or even Tigard. Both are really nice areas — Tigard seems to be more affordable in terms of housing, though.
Comment by Janelle — May 8, 2008 @ 11:36 am
I’ve been helping my mom purge her house of 30+ years of…well…let’s be honest…junk.
We’re more of a donate family than a garage sale family. Since I was a child, “hand-me-downs” were a given…you re-used whatever/whenever you could (except for prom dresses…those were new!).
For a decade anytime I go clothes shopping for me, I have donated an equal amount of clothes to a very low-income school that has an internal “Goodwill.” The kids don’t have to pay a dime to shop in the store! The teacher who runs it told me that for some of these kids, the school store is the only place they get new clothes all year. If you’re looking to donate clothes, check out your local school districts, many have similar programs…plus, just like a donation to Goodwill, it’s a tax deduction.
PS–There’s already a wait a half-a-dozen long for your upcoming book at the library, Janelle!
Comment by Cas — May 8, 2008 @ 12:02 pm
I tried a garage sale once and I will never do it again. Wheeling and dealing is not my thing and that what our garage sale turned out to be.
From now on it’s off to Goodwill.
Comment by Ardie — May 8, 2008 @ 12:11 pm
Cas - I love the idea of a school having an internal “Goodwill” for those less fortunate. I wish we had a program like that around us.
And very cool about the wait list for WILD FOR HIM!
Ardie — there was definitely a lot of wheeling and dealing going on at our yard/garage sale. Truly, everyone wanted something for nothing and that was very frustrating.
Comment by Janelle — May 8, 2008 @ 12:21 pm
My parents are huge packrats, but we never had garage sales. I don’t think I’ve been to a garage sale since I was a kid.. but I know my dad sometimes stops by one and sneaks things into the house.
Some day they might have one…
Good luck with the move and all the housing decisions, Janelle!
Comment by limecello — May 8, 2008 @ 12:27 pm
I had a garage sale before I moved to Colorado back in 1987. It was a lot of work and I probably won’t do it again. I just don’t like the idea of strangers romping and stomping around the neighborhood. I’d rather donate or sell it on Craig’s List or E-Bay.
Have a good day all,
Cher
Comment by Cher — May 8, 2008 @ 1:40 pm
I’m a yard sale professional!
When my first child was a baby I was a single mom making $5.00/hr with no child support from my deadbeat ex husband (he left when my son was 3 months) - I didn’t have a choice but to yard sale. My mom and I would get up every Sat. morning and I’d go to the foothills area - the really big houses with the really nice stuff that was always practically brand new and that I could buy for next to nothing.
Thankfully, I’m no longer in that position so now I have yard sales. There’s about 6 of us that have one every 6 months. Sometimes I have more to get rid of than other times - like when we moved from a 2600 sq. ft. house to a 1000 sq. ft house - boy did I ever clear out then! We have a great time and since there’s so many of us, and we’ve done it so many times, we can really help each other out and we don’t get that overwhelmed feeling that happens when you realize it’s O-dark-thirty and there’s a line of people waiting to bombard you!
Glad it was so profitable for you and that you’re enjoying being clutter-free!
Comment by Jodie — May 8, 2008 @ 1:52 pm
I live in the Phoenix area and i quit having yard sales because the new thing here is for a carload of Mexicans to drive up, 3 and 4 people get out, and look around and then they steal stuff, rush back to the car, and drive off quickly. All the while the driver has been idling his car. Most of these are illegals. Here, it’s a bad thing and getting worse, Also, the town I live in has a limit-you can only have a couple a year, else it is considered a business.
I donate alot of my stuff and that way, I can wtite it off my taxes as a contribution . I donate to Senior centers and different charities,
Comment by JOYE — May 8, 2008 @ 2:38 pm
Sounds like a great success on your yard sale! Yea! I tend to hang on to things, bad habit! It is a family trait! I have stuff in boxes from my last move that I have no idea what is in them!!
Crazy! I tend to donate most of my stuff I am clearning out. I have had a couple of garage sales with other people that live here in the complex but not for a long time. People do want something for nothing which is why they go to garage sales!! 
Good luck with your move & renting. Sounds like a good plan until the real estate market improves.
A rule of thumb I have hear organizational pros give is that when you buy something you have to get rid of something. Especially clothes!
Good subject to ponder!
Comment by Donna M — May 8, 2008 @ 3:06 pm
Sounds like a great success on your yard sale! Yea! I tend to hang on to things, bad habit! It is a family trait! I have stuff in boxes from my last move that I have no idea what is in them!!
Crazy! I tend to donate most of my stuff I am clearning out. I have had a couple of garage sales with other people that live here in the complex but not for a long time. People do want something for nothing which is why they go to garage sales!! 
Good luck with your move & renting. Sounds like a good plan until the real estate market improves.
A rule of thumb I have heard organizational pros give is that when you buy something you have to get rid of something. Especially clothes!
Good subject to ponder!
Comment by Donna M — May 8, 2008 @ 3:07 pm
Have had two garage sales and have had very good luck with both.
I enjoy going to garage sales, sometimes I buy, sometimes I don’t.
Comment by Estella — May 8, 2008 @ 4:03 pm
When we lived in WA my neighbors and I planned a yard sale it was a lot of work and people were like I’ll give you a .10 if it was marked .25. When we moved from WA to FL we too cleaned things out but this time I donated everything to who ever would take it.
Being in FL the land of yard sales the weather is so nice most the year that people are able to have yard sales year round. my father in law is a yard sale freak he goes every weekend he has so much “crap” he buys toys for my kids so every Sunday he brings them stuff I hate to hurt his feelings so I let him then throw it out. he has even bough all his trucks at yard sales.
Comment by Michele — May 8, 2008 @ 4:07 pm
There is an art to doing a garage sale. Our community has one every year and everyone seems to do pretty good. My friend convinced me to do a Baby Bazaar with her this year. The only reason I agreed was her promise to do all the haggling.
I’ve tried one of our local consignment shops but, it doesn’t seem to work out very well. Hopefully, I can get a little cash and make someone happy with old toys.
Comment by ThatBrunette — May 8, 2008 @ 4:11 pm
Not sure why that posted twice! Oh Well!! Sorry everyone.
Comment by Donna M — May 8, 2008 @ 4:31 pm
Jodie- I used to have to do the same thing when my daughter was a baby. I finally found a local family that had 3 girls just a little older than her and every year when they had their sale she would let me know first and I would go and get all the good stuff. It was really great, especially when mine started to grow really fast. She ended up wearing the older girls stuff and by passing the other 2.
Now I donate to a place that sends the women and kids from the local shelters over with vouchers to get what they need. Many of them leave a bad situation with nothing and I have been there and done that. Much more rewarding, to me, than having to haggle. I don’ t have the patience.
I also donate my old books, games and jigsaw puzzles to the local VA and Fisher House. Especially romances. There are so many more women and the spouses of wounded soilders that they really need stuff to read and do while they are in rehab.
Comment by ev — May 8, 2008 @ 5:02 pm
Oh Janelle, I feel for ya!
You have never seen garage salers until you’ve seen Florida “retiree” garage salers. Good grief, they are grabbing stuff out of your hands as you’re dragging it out of the garage a good hour before the advertised starting time!
Scary.
But YAY you on the de-cluttering. And having been exactly where you are, I can only say I feel your pain and I think you’re probably making a great choice in deciding to rent/rent. This market is just AWFUL but it has got to turn around sometime!
Comment by Leslie — May 8, 2008 @ 5:18 pm
Comment by Yolanda — May 8, 2008 @ 9:06 pm
Westview is near my parent’s house. (They live in Stoller Farms right off 185th). That’s one of the new high schools that has gone up since I moved away, but I hear it’s very good. (And it’s not Scumsweat…er, Sunset LOL)
Comment by Lori Borrill — May 8, 2008 @ 9:44 pm
Lori — I heard to stay away from Sunset and Aloha High Schools.
Comment by Janelle — May 8, 2008 @ 9:50 pm
Used to do garage sales. Now we just donate everything.
Comment by Amy Addison — May 9, 2008 @ 12:33 am
OMG!
I LOVE garage sales! Which is why I STAY AWAY form them! I would buy way too much stuff! I think I had one myself years ago, but I’d rather go to them. When it comes to my stuff, I usually just GIVE it away! I have TONS of best friends, so I always have someplace to pass my stuff on!! 
ANd there;s always someone who may need it too…..
Comment by Joi — May 9, 2008 @ 6:18 pm
The last time we had a garage sale had to be almost 20 years ago. Nobody in my family particularly likes running garage sales, so we tend to avoid them. Instead, we just donate the stuff that’s good enough for donation and throw the rest of it out.
I’m also not a fan of buying things at garage sales and tend to avoid them as a purchaser just as much as being the person selling the stuff.
Comment by Karin — May 10, 2008 @ 2:13 am
Comment by Regina — May 13, 2008 @ 4:26 pm