Thursday, September 30, 2010

The beauty of Yard Sales

I remember that 10 years ago I used to come to USA to visit friends and they used to take me to yard sales and antique stores (Pennsylvania and New Hampshire area) and I used to hate it. Just couldn’t understand why I would want to buy something old and used.

Ten years forward and I am shopping in the Yard Sales circuit. Moving to Massachusetts has put me in a premium area for yard sales. People that have lived in these cities all their lives have passed on their possessions for generations and are always trying to clean up their houses. And we, people that just moved into their apartments and don’t have a full furnished place are taking full advantage of it.

Now, I LOVE yard sales! So last weekend my hubby and I spent some hours working the circuit and we made out great. My favorite finds: a nice desk that is almost 80 years old for my beading room ($5), a nice desk with wheels that can be used everywhere in the house ($15) - it is currently working as a kitchen table - and two purses that I bought at an Estate Sale. Here are the pictures of the two tables.



Just by a fluke, we came across with the last one, and it was awesome! I mean, I do not know the circumstances that lead to that particular sale and my respects to the family if someone passed away there…but wow, it was like being at a movie set, the house was a mansion and all the items they had available where of great taste. Obviously a little bit (just a tiny bit) way out of our price range but I couldn’t resist the purses. Great bargains. One is $150 in a regular store and I paid $25, the other one is a designer piece with retail value of $600 and I paid $35.

I am so excited that I want to start mapping out my weekends around these events! Haha! No seriously, what a great opportunity for us, a couple that is starting a new life in this city.

So, if you are planning a yard sale, go ahead and do it! Just remember to clean up the items that you put out there and be reasonable with the prices, you never know who you will be helping out with your house cleaning project. 

2 comments:

  1. Ale ... that larger desk ... WOW. It's gorgeous!!! What a find, especially, at five dollars. That's amazing!! Congratulations! It's exciting that you've discovered the thrill of the garage sale hunt. You're right, you really are in an incredible area for it. It's funny how time and place helps you see something, like garage sales, in a totally different light. Your purse finds sound exciting, too. But wait ... no photos?

    That being said, I have a general observation. Your writing seems different to me. I really enjoyed reading your first two posts on this blog! I know your first language is Spanish, and I'm sure it's a bit of a challenge to write in English, but your thoughts are well written and well expressed here. Have you changed something about how you're blogging and writing here in your new blog? Your voice just sounds different, and I like it!

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  2. Thank you Sam! My writing changed when I changed my set of mind, I think that is the big difference!

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