As in JoAnna Morris. You see, JoAnna Morris was the first person to introduce me to the fine art of "GS" or "Garage Sale-ing". I thought she was insane. She wanted me to get up at 6:30AM and go to her neighborhood garage sale. This was two and half years ago while I was living in Minnesota. I thought I would humor her and got up to follow the handmade route she had drawn up for us to follow. She had both of her kids in the van (and everyone say a silent prayer of gratitude right now that your husband is not a Surgery Resident... or any type of resident as were most of the husbands of my friends in Rochester, Minnesota home of the Mayo Clinic). Anyway.... I followed this crazed woman around for an hour and a half. She'd leave her kids in the van with a movie running, browse each sale quickly, slow down and drive by sales, peering out her window. The whole thing was quite hilarious. And then I found it..... a garage sale some lady was having who had twin girls a year older then Gwen and she was selling all of the clothes they had outgrown. It was awesome. Anyway, thank you JoAnna because now I am a professional garage sale-er and I love it (I love going to them, I do not love hosting them, I will never do it again).
Blaine was not a huge fan of the habit, he thought it was kind of hypocritical for me to accuse him of being a pack rat and demand he get rid of some of his junk while every Saturday I would go out and buy other people's junk with which to clutter our house, but he has since wizened up. I don't buy junk. I buy clothing. And sometimes toys. And I love it!
Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. I've been on kind of a losing streak lately. Coming home with one or two treasures (usually a dress for Gwen, which sale for about $1 at garage sales and are nice enough for church, but cost so little that she can wear them any day and I don't care!). But yesterday, my friends, I hit the garage sale jackpot.
Have you ever priced maternity clothes? For something that you are going to wear for five or six months maximum, they sure are expensive. Nice cute shirts from motherhood maternity cost over $20 and as a general rule I don't pay $20 for anything, except the mortgage. So let me tell you of my spoils of yesterday, the best garage sale-ing day in history.
Garage Sale #1
Maternity shirts at $1-2/shirt. I bought 6 shirts
Girls pajama sets (from the Disney store, two of every type of princess, long sleeve and short) $0.25 a pair! 7 pairs.
Boppy pillow with cute cover $10
Giant ziplock full of 10 playtex baby bottles $2 (Don't Worry, I'll clean them good!)
Brand new with tags infant girl outfit, very cute $1
Gwen size long sleeve shirts $.50/shirt 3 shirts
Total $27.50
Upon making my payment the woman brought up a brand new, never used Diaper Champ (one of the finer baby products on the market) and gave it to me for free because I bought so much stuff. AWESOME! Used those sell on craigslist for $10, new they are $25. I already have one but this one is newer, nicer and now we can have one downstairs.
And can you believe that I bought 7 pairs of princess pajamas for $1.75. I rock. This garage sale rocked.
Okay, now garage sale #2
Maternity shirts and dresses all from Motherhood Maternity or Old Navy $0.50 a piece. These are modest, wear to church, would have cost $40 each I am sure, dresses. I bought 5 dresses and many more shirts (maybe 6?) and a Halloween costume for Bentley ($2), total here? $9.50 ish MATERNITY DRESSES. I am sure I can resale this lot on craigslist--just the dresses for at least $20. Sweet.
Garage sale #3
Some insane couple was selling all of their infant girl clothing, which was all in excellent condition for TEN CENTS a piece. Dresses, pajamas, onesies, bibs, rompers, everything. These people are insane. I pilled up my stack so high and I thought it was a quarter a piece, when I found out it was ten cents I went back for more. I got 25 pieces for $2.50 and then I also bought a pretty new looking game of Cranium for $2. Total $4.50.
Garage sale $ 4
Two pairs of pants for Gwen (Old Navy), a sweater for Gwen and a long sleeved shirt for Gwen. Each $0.50. A Dora puzzle $0.25, and a Discovery toys set of shapes, hard to explain little thing for $.75
Total $3
Okay, in total I got an entire maternity wardrobe including sunday dresses; an entire infant girl wardrobe, nice supplements to Gwen's wardrobe, a brand new diaper champ, a few fun games and a puzzle and a Halloween costume for less than $50. That's how much two maternity shirts would have cost. I was so happy. Really, I was. A lot happier even than I was when I spent $50 on my new hair cut and color. All day long I just reveled in fifty cent maternity clothes and twenty five cent pajamas.
I know you don't care, but I want history to know what a saavy shopper I am and I am dreading the day when Gwen is old enough to think she is too cool for garage sale stuff. Oh and this is another huge benefit of living out of Utah, because here people have one or two kids and then sell all their stuff. It's awesome!
11 comments:
Ah yeah! THAT's what I'm talking about! You make me so proud!
I SO wanted to go garage saleing in our neighborhood yesterday, but we were stuck cleaning the church building. I don't mind cleaning the building at all, but why did it have to be yesterday?!? I feel like I really missed out.
Sweet! Too bad I live in Utah and people seem to think their stuff is worth much much much more than it is. I am glad you got so much fun stuff. Do you draw yourself a map too? Or do you just drive around trying to find garage sales?
Okay so the thing here is that every neighborhood has two garage sales a year! It is weird in Utah because it is not so "neighborhood" defined...but you know like Daybreak? Every neighborhood here has a name and a swimming pool and an association that puts on the sales. So I just go on craigslist to find which neighborhoods are having sales. During the summer there aren't many (remember that where I live summer is winter), so if I see one that supposedly has really good stuff I will drive out to it and create a map and just go to ones within about three miles from my house, but these neighborhood ones? JACKPOT. Yesterday three huge neighborhoods were having them, some really nice neighborhoods to, but I just stayed in our actual neighborhood and found all the loot. And wow, I am sure you were looking for a yes or no. Sorry!
I really have absolutely nothing to say about garage sale-ing - because truly I've never been to one or done one.
But I honestly didn't know that you moved from Rochester. Here's the do-you-know question. My cousins' husband is a resident at the Mayo Clinic - did you know Anna Jensen?!
Wowsers! That is some amazing shopping. I bet Blaine was super proud! If I would have hit a jackpot with that, Matthew would have been so excited. I guess I need to learn this art. I just haven't had kids when I have been to a garage sale. So, this would be a lot more fun now! Thanks for the ideas!
That is one of the few reasons I don't like living in Provo. Garage sales are not the jackpot usually. It's usually they're trying to sell clothes that have been through 6 kids and at $1.00 per onesie. Now the east side near Salt Lake- that's amazing! I'm excited to live out of state one day just for garage sales. :)
So jealous! That sounds great. And so convenient that you just have to find the neighborhood sale. Lucky girl!
I am really inspired by this entry. No more accusing me of never leaving comments on your blog. Don't know when I'll do it again. Happy blogging!
Kristi, I used to be an avid garage saler when my kids were littler. We would go every Saturday. They would just give toys to my girls because they were so cute.
When Ashley was tested for Kindergarten they asked her questions like, "When you need food where do you go?" "To the grocery store." "When you are sick, where to you go?" "To the doctor". "When you buy clothes, where do you go?" To which Ashley promptly answered, "The Garage Sale". Ah me!
Fun blog!
I am speechless. I have prided myself on similar bargain-hunting experiences, but this, THIS--I take my hat off to you, my friend. Congratulations. I wish I could shake your hand.
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