Everything Must Go!

Well, everything we don't want, that is. The clutter clearing process has begun in earnest, and what better way to celebrate than to have a good old fashioned yard sale? In French such a sale is called a vide grenier - meaning, literally, to empty the attic. Of course in our case we have neither yard nor attic, so we just arranged our various items on several tables and invited people over for tea and "unwanted object perusal." It was an intimate group (this kind of sale obviously can't get foot traffic - not on a 5th floor walk-up, anyway), yet there were some similarities to other yard sales I've had and been to in the States.

First, there was all the obligatory small stuff: playing cards with various "themes" (movie stars/George Bush in drag), Italian language tapes, obsolete electronics, tarnished jewelry, and of course tons of books and DVDs that seemed so important to own at the time of purchase and now only take up space (and will be resold for a fraction of their original price - when will I ever learn?). Then, there were the "big ticket" items - electric fans (just in time for winter!), a table, chairs, and - yes, the inevitable tennis rackets, which appear at every yard sale I've ever been to. (Have you ever noticed this? It's weird. If so many people are selling rackets, then who actually plays tennis? I think the ones we have were from another sale, in fact. We used them twice in 5 years).

And finally, there was the yard sale "bargain hunter" (there's one at every sale!) - who, even though I was practically giving everything away, still wanted to negotiate for lower prices. What's up with these people? Do they see this as their big chance to play wheeler and dealer - with a bunch of old housewares? I remember at one yard sale a woman wanted to buy a BRAND NEW pressure cooker from me. I had it listed for a dollar; she said "fifty cents." Fifty cents! Well, I really let her have it! (That is, I let her have the pressure cooker...but for a dollar. Even if I don't have any guns, I can still stick to them sometimes!)