So... it's pretty much a story that shouldn't be laughed at, but I defy anyone not to crack a smile at this one. At a tag sale in New York state, a woman sold a ceramic turtle at the bargain price of 50 cents — problem is, it contained the ashes of her husband's previous wife inside. Imagine the conversation about that one. ("It was your fault for putting her in that hideous turtle in the first place!") It got us thinking as we're in throes of the tag sale season — no matter how much you want to clean house, everyone must have inadvertently sold something they didn't quite mean to. If not a loved one's er...ashes, then perhaps a teddy bear, a blanket, a box of papers with the deed to your house. When does cleaning house become overkill? (Heh heh. Overkill.) And, for a fun celebrity booking, we've got Niecy Nash from Clean House on to talk to you. I watch that show religiously (instead of actually cleaning house), and I'll tell you, Niecy could definitely make me sell anything. Just the sight of that flower would make me want to start throwing stuff out.
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Wow. Tag sale. You must be from the East Coast. I haven't heard that since I left Connecticut. Out here in the Pacific Northwest, we have garage sales or yard sales. I love local differences.
While I go to these sorts of sales, I don't hold them. Too much work. Way easier to give the stuff to Goodwill. And, no, I haven't regretted giving anything away. If I have to think when it was I last used something, it goes. No second thoughts.
1) I gave away my Canadien Indian hand-knit sweater (to Goodwill) that I purchased in Banff, 30+ years ago. It was a time in my life of young adulthood...'went backpacking in the Candadien Rockies w/ my boyfriend at the time. The sweater was not only beautiful (and warm) but also represented my mid 20's and that (very free)time in my life. I also remember how beautiful Banff was. The boyfriend...'not important relative to that sweater. I regret giving it away!
2) 'An upright piano that my deceased father gave to me. A Schmidt & Schmidt upright made in Chicago in the late 1800s/early 1900s. There was carving on the front board; there were carved lions at the base. Finally, my dad gave it to me. I sold it to some parents that were going to give it to their college-graduating daughter, ~ 6yrs. ago. I learned how to play the piano on that upright from a very formal Polish lady. 'Very stupid of me!
It wasn't the item I regretted selling, it was the buyer with whom I had a contentious relationship who purchased the printer I was selling at a yard sale. She expected tech support for setting it up and then when it wouldn't print several months later she called again!
In 1992 we had a garage sale and my husband sold my John Lennon "Shaved Fish" LP to a young man for a mere $5 while I was away getting change from the bank. When I got back I was livid! I knew it was a collectors item back then. Had he not sold it back that I'm sure I could post it on Ebay today for a much greater amount!
I just hope that Niecy Nash sees this because I want her to know my husband and I watch Clean House religiously and we are Niecy's number one fans! She is so energetic and funny and tells people how it is so they can start getting over their mahem and fooishness. I think about her philosophies every time I clean my own house and I highly admire her confidence and wonderful style. Niecy Nash you are the best!
My husband have moved several times to different states in the last 10 years and every time we donated or sold nearly everything. If it doesn't fit in the car, it's not going. I have never regretted anything, nor remembered what I used to have. Get rid of all your crap- your life will be much easier!
I didn't regret buying this item at a yard sale, but seller did - I was a broke law student in Atlanta, GA and scoured yard sales often. I quickly scooped up six Guiness pint glasses realizing that all the items in the yard sale were "his" and I assumed all the items in the recently purchased urban bungalow were "hers" - the look in his eyes as I walked away with my glasses and he held his $3.00 was the saddest I'd seen in a long time!
Just after getting married my husband and I happily told his mother about our successful yard sale. When we told her of selling the six beat up rattan dining chairs for $8 a piece, she groaned. She had given them to him as cast offs from a design studio - authentic Marcel Breuer Cesca arm chairs, worth about $350 each even in their beat up condition.
Regarding the "Stradivarius" violin mentioned by one of the callers: The name "Stradivarius" has been (and still is) used as a model name by a number of violin makers, and they're anywhere from mass-market instruments that sell for a few hundred dollars or even less, to fine instruments that sell for a few thousand. But they're not made by Antonio Stradivari (or even one of his students, for that matter).
Back in 1972, I purchased a 1957 Fender Stratocaster for $50.00 from a down-and-out merchant marine. I was always selling and swapping guitars through the local classified ads. I had a clunker guitar advertised for $50 so that it would pay for my Strat.
A buyer came by the house when I was not home,and when he saw the Strat, he asked my mom,"How muchfor that one?" Mom told him that she'd sell the 2 together for $100.00!!! Bye-bye '57 Strat, which today can easily fetch $10K+!!! Easy come, easy go...
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