Having a Yard or Garage Sale

HAVING A GARAGE  SALE

Be aware  of market prices. An item that is in excellent shape may go for half the price of the original price but the price will slide down the scale as the items condition deteriorates. Just the fact that it may be old or vintage, does not mean that it should be sold for more money. Check the market to find out at what price an item is being sold at, if customers are not buying then you know to lower the price for your item even if it is only a couple of dollars.

First you need to decide where and when your are going to have the yard sale, whether it is in the yard or in the garage or maybe both. Check on when you should place your ads for the yard sale. You don’t want to pay for an ad that comes out after the sale is over. Use, on line ads, face book, e-line (such as e-souris, e-elgin, e-brandon and other such sites as well as newspapers, posters, word of mouth and where ever else you can place your advertising. Use road signs with arrows pointing out where the sale is and balloons at the drive way as well.

When you have your yard sale is also crucial. On a weekend, a long weekend, during the week and what day (s) of the month will you have it. Saturday is usually the best, but don't eliminate Sunday. Having it in conjunction with other yard sales or events will help enhance the amount that you will sell. Most of the items sold will be in the morning and slowing down to a dribble after lunch. Usually by around three in the afternoon, no customers are coming.

What are you selling? In your ad mention that you have books, vintage items, new items, or mention something that will help to attract attention. Plus sized clothing is another item that draws a customer. The more items you have the more you will sell, not everyone is looking for the same thing. If it is possible make sure the items are clean, if there is  flaw in the item, make a sign and put it on the item to let the customer know that it needs a part and be prepared to sell it for less.

If the tables are set up horizontal to the street instead of vertical, they can see there may be interesting items they might like to visit the sale to check it out. That said make sure there is room for them to walk between the tables.

Children should be welcome at the yard sale, have a box with free items for them to take with them. Children brings their parents and the parent might see items they want or need.

There are some people who don’t like to haggle, so keep the prices fair. If there are those that want to haggle, then use the bargaining to sell the item. Use the sandwich idea for final price. Top Price – selling price – lowest price.

            BEWARE of those with light fingers. I have not had a yard sale where something has disappeared when packing up. Those are the people that want you to sell your items for pennies if they could. Keep the more expensive items close to where you have your table with your cash book and cash box, this way you can keep an eye on the items.      Make sure you have enough change, bags to carry things and newspaper to wrap.

 Most of all, prepare to have a busy and rewarding day. Use a guest book to keep track of where customers come from. It is surprising from where they come.

                    

My Ghost Story from 1958

REAL GHOST STORY from 1958

 

            It was a foggy fall evening. I don’t remember the date or even what the month was that it happened in. The fog rolled and swayed and danced except for a small area where the yard light glowed emitting a clear small area surrounding it.

            I was sitting on my bed looking out the window at times as I read my book. It was evening as I mentioned, chores had been completed, supper was over, dishes washed and everything put away. Milking was finished, separator cleaned and readied for the next morning.

Homework still needed to be done, but a few minutes were taken to relax. I loved to read, still do in fact, and my mother noticing that and had given me permission to order books from the Provincial Library and I indulged myself to my hearts content with books from there. I glanced up from time to time to look at the view outside my window and became enthralled with what I saw walking in the yard.

From out of the fog, beneath the yard light a man appeared. The fog had melted away from around him as he walked. It was what he was wearing that I became fascinated with and intrigued me. Who was he? His line of traveling was directly towards the corner of the house. Everything was perfectly clear about him, except his face, I could not make out who he was. Was he coming to visit?

As he passed from my site I set my book down and went to the kitchen where my mother and the rest of my siblings were. I would have thought he would have been knocking on our door by now. I scuttled across the kitchen floor to the west window where I peered out to see if I could see who was walking around in the fog at this time of the day. I couldn’t see anyone outside the window.

Mother asked me what I was doing so I told her what I saw and asked her why she hadn’t answered the door. My mother asked me what the matter was as I was looking at the door and I guess I had a funny look on my face. I told her about the man that I had seen. Her reaction surprised me as she ordered we children to stay in doors don’t answer the door and stay away from the windows. It wasn’t until years later that I had a glimpse of why she reacted the way she did as I had often wondered why she did react that way. She never had before.

Swiftly she put on her coat and left the house taking something with her, (I don’t remember now what it was she took with her). A few minutes later she came back into the house and asked if I was sure I saw someone. “Yes” I replied, he was coming towards the house, it looked almost as if he was going to towards the corner of the house. Mother told me there was no one out there, but she locked down the house anyway until Dad came home. Eerie.

I went back to the bedroom and picked up my homework and tried to get involved with it, but my mind kept going back to the figure I had seem. He was an engineer, from his cap to his shoes. His hat and coveralls were stripped like engineers used to wear. He was carrying an old fashioned lantern in one hand and in the other his lunch box. The black metal shone when the yard light reflected on it. He had on black work boots that also shone as he walked. He strode with a stride that told me that he knew where he was going and needed to get there by such a time. Here I must explain that the railroad was a mile south of our farm and he was heading north so he wasn’t going to work, or was he?

He stood at an average height and I wondered if he knew I was watching him, as he glanced my way a few seconds and then continued on his way. He looked like he was either heading for the house or to just simply go past it.

It was when my mother came back into the house to tell us there was no one there when I realized I had seen a ghost from the past. He had just simply disappeared into the fog when he came close to the house.

Mother never did explain why she was so nervous that night.