This has been one hot summer. There were at least two Saturdays that I just could not face the heat and did not go yard saling. It seems a little less humid lately but it is nearing the end of the summer and the yard sales are less plentiful.
On Fridays, I prepare my yard sale list by copying and pasting from the on-line classifieds. Then I use MapQuest to plan out the most efficient route. The last few weeks, the ads were not too exciting and neither were the sales. Maybe everyone else is sick of this heat, too!
I may have mentioned before that I live on the Eastern Shore in Maryland but I have found that the best yard and estate sales are in Annapolis and beyond, which is about 40 miles away and across the Chesapeake Bay. I always look to see what is happening over here, but very rarely do I stay on my side of the bay for yard sales.
Last Saturday morning, I headed out with my uninspiring list (even Annapolis is losing steam). I decided to make a big circle, heading straight to Bowie which is another 20 miles or so past Annapolis then up to Millersville, Glen Burnie, Pasadena, to Arnold, ending in Annapolis and then home. I rarely have good luck in Bowie so it was a risky tactic, but boy did it pay off!
Here is how the Bowie ad read, "HUGE SALE- Antiques, clothing, vintage jewelry, HH items, something for everybody! All goes!". I know, I have seen that a few thousand times, but something about it spoke to me that day.
What a great sale! It was out on a small driveway, just a few tables and some stuff hanging in the garage opening. But on those few tables was a load (and I mean a load) of vintage jewelry! Hanging in the garage were vintage dresses, and there were also boots, shoes, just neat stuff! What a great way to start the day! I bought a 1970's beaded mini dress, a leopard print vinyl skirt, an oriental dress, a neat house dress, a bunch of jewelry, some swizzle sticks, I can't even remember what I bought.
The sale was run by a couple of 20 something year old girls and a woman who looked like their mother. I asked about the items and probably indelicately asked if someone had died. One of the girls said that this was her stuff, she said she was addicted to auctions. Lucky me!
I stopped at about 5 or 6 more sales on the loop heading for an estate sale in Arnold that didn't start until 10AM. I hate the late starting sales, they make it tricky to plan an efficient route. But, with that said, I prefer going later to estate sales because the people running them are a little more likely to negotiate as they tire out from the early crowds.
Estate sales can be pricey, but I have a strategy for that! I quickly scope out the dining rooms and living rooms and all the fancy china and artwork that I would love to buy but usually find a little out of my price range. If there is a basement, all right! A craft room, yes! You get the picture, I look for things that others might walk right by.
The basement at this sale in Arnold was just a regular basement that was used as a pottery studio. Boxes of supplies, but better yet (for me) were old pottery and ceramic magazines! I looove to sell magazines. When all was said and done, I bought between 500 -600 really nice art type magazines for $100. So easy to write up, photograph and ship! I got about 18 lots up at auction this week, a bid on one (that is $10 back on my $100 investment) and watchers on about 10 other lots. Plus I have a ton of magazines left to list! I am going to do very well with these magazines!
So, even though tomorrow's yard sale list is iffy, I have 11 stops on it, I might hit the jackpot again, you never know!
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