Yard Sale Mantra: Shop Till You Drop

One Saturday was a day of adventure. In a spirit of optimism, I drove six ladies to citywide yard sales. We actually attended 50 sales. I know because Marie counted them.

I learned a lot from my yard sale friends.

First, the early bird gets the good stuff.

Once a group of friends asked me to pick them up at 3;30 a.m. to attend a yard sale 60 miles away. I convinced them to wait till 5:00 instead. Arriving early really does have benefits, however.

Second, don't be afraid to dicker prices.

I have almost crawled away in humiliation alongside my friends as they made ridiculously low offers on quality merchandise. Often they got the goods for nearly nothing, just because they asked. A person has to swallow her pride sometimes, but it works.

Third, never underestimate the ability of women to stuff into a 15-passenger van enough treasures to fill a warehouse.

Sometimes we are loaded to the roof. In fact, once when we took a minivan, my passenger bought a double bunk bed. She ended up having three children lie down on top of the mattresses she stuffed in my minivan, in just ten inches of space below the roof.

"If you can buy it, you can haul it" is the slogan of serious yard sale women.

Here is a song I've composed to inspire you, in case you may venture out this weekend.

Sung to the verse of Jingle Bells (not the chorus)

Let's yard sale Saturday.

The itch has come alive.

My pocket's crammed with cash,

Don't take your car; I'll drive.

I'll be right there at five

With rolls and coffee pot.

We'll hit the city-wide yard sales

And shop until we drop.

Chorus sung to familiar Jingle Bells chorus:

Oh, picture frames, dolls with names,

Baby clothes for friends.

Treadmills, furniture and bikes,

This stuff just never ends.

Toaster, irons, bed frames, books,

Where will we put some more?

It's so much fun to buy this junk,

But I can't close my door!

What about you? Any special advice about yard sales? Don't forget to comment below.