"STUFF" SALE

This has been a very busy week for me. The middle of May is the busiest time of the year for me so naturally, I decided to participate in my friend's garage sale. There are lots theories on how to unload unwanted things from your house, but I think that a garage sale is a most interesting way to get rid of "stuff". Yes, it is a bit of a chore to get everything collected, marked and organized, but when you are finished, there is a great sense of accomplishment. I think that it feels like you had a good haircut! I have plenty of clutter in my house, but even I begin to feel chest pain if it gets out of control. I was beginning to get that tightness in my chest recently. The remodeling project has not helped at all! There was "stuff" everywhere in the house... and other "stuff" in storage... and yet other "stuff" in our garage just waiting to go... somewhere. Well, thankfully we made a dent in all of that "stuff" and have created some space... for more "stuff". All of that is to say, the sale was a success!

It is fun to talk to people as they wander through the garage and find their treasures. You get ALL kinds of people at a garage sale. Some people take this very seriously and know how to "work the system". I am very poor at bargaining. Most of the time, if someone asks for a lower price, I will agree in an instant. Remember- avoid conflict at all cost! However, today someone asked if I would take less for an item. ( I thought that it was already a steal!) Anyway, I just said "No" and she said, "OK". It was so easy! I was kind of proud of myself and yet I felt a twinge of guilt for being so inflexible. I don't know why I have to make everything so complicated.

As I was sitting there today, I thought again of all the "stuff" we have. I have never met anyone that said they didn't have enough "stuff". I understand that garage sales are a great place to find bargains, but I had to wonder (as people left with armfuls of things) where is it all going? I'll bet that in most cases it went to houses like mine that are already full of clothes, household items and furniture. It seems that at some point there just won't be any more room for all of our "stuff". In the meantime, you'll be glad to know that I did my part by buying two lamp bases, several boy's shirts (a first!), a salad shooter and a bike! The cycle continues...