My yard sale was taken over with junk!!!

[kijip]

Since I live in a neighborhood that has a lot of babies and loves yard sales I decided to have a big sale to get rid of a bunch of baby stuff and some furniture from my father's condo that he does not want. I invited several families, who live in yard sale unfriendly places, to join in so we could draw more people. My nice co-worker shows up with her nice daughter (who is four) and they bring some toddler gear, a trike, and nicer clothes. I am wondering where two others are when, 2 hours late, they drive up. They then proceed to dump a bunch of junk on my lawn. I am talking filthy strollers, broken Happy meal toys and like 57 unmatched baby shoes etc. Immediately, sales drop since people drive by and see hoards (like over a van full) of unsorted junk. The 2 hours that they were there, I sold maybe $40 worth of stuff. Once they leave (leaving some of their trashy stuff behind for me to dispose of), sales picked right up and most things that I expected to sell went fast.

When I invited people to come I made it clear that we only could do baby/kid gear and clean baby/kid clothes. They agreed, saying "we only have nice things" . Well nice means different things to different people! I learned my lesson. Also they were shocked, and teased me when I bought a doll stroller and a toy infant car seat for my son off of another seller for $1 since I planned on GASP letting my son play with GIRL toys. Give me a break.

Shame on me for not saying something sooner and making them take their junk with them when they left.

[AngelaS]

That's how my first yard sale went too--I could not BELIEVE the crap people thought would sell!

Now when I do a sale, I invite like ONE other person to go in with me and I'm VERY picky about who that person is....

[starrynight]

That is why now I only do 'solo' yard sales or I at least check out what the other person wants to sell. I had one last summer and it was going great until my neighbor asked if she could put a few things out with mine and it was all yuck stuff. As soon as she got rid of it more people started stopping again.

And I would have bought a doll stroller for a dollar too! I don't mind my ds playing with his sisters stuff, just like I don't mind the girls playing with his trucks. I don't understand that whole boy/girl toy thing.