YARD SALE!

So, yeah, I'm planning a yard sale this spring. Every time we do a major cleaning in the apartment, it seems I fill another bin with yard sale items. It's good stuff, we just don't use it anymore, or it doesn't fit in anymore, or whatever, it's going in the bin.
Christmas is an especially good time to fill the bin. When we take the decorations out, we have to put away the knick-knacks for the span of the festive season. Most years, all of them don't make it back out. After the clutter of Christmas, it just seems right to pare down the stuff that returns to the flat surfaces.
Planning a date for a sale is nerve wracking to say the least, will the day be nice, will there be people around, is anybody going to buy this after I've gone to all the work to clean it, price it, haul it to the curb, and display it nicely.
Pricing the items used to be difficult, you really love something, and want to sell it for what you think it's worth, but someone off the street isn't going to account for sentimental value, so I've learned to keep the prices low, to keep the merchandise moving.
Then there's the people, oh the people..........
Most of the local people are going to buy something, because they feel they have to. They've come to my sale, and it would be impolite not to purchase some little thing.
Then there's the "looky-Loo's" They're the people who never buy anything, they pick everything up, put it down in a different spot, and constantly ask "How much is this?" when the price is clearly marked on it in bold red numbers.
There are always a few indecisive ones, they'll carefully scrutinize something, then put it down, walk away, glance back at it, turn around and pick it up again. You can tell that they're trying, in their head, to find a spot for it in their home. The price isn't the issue, they like it, but they need to justify buying it. "Oh, that would look great on the foyer table." or something like that. It's always better when these types of people bring a friend with them. They're easily talked into the purchase by someone who has absolutely no interest in the item, but enjoys watching others spend their money on unnecessary things.
Then there are the hoarders. These people show up before you have everything out, they'd be there at 6 a.m. if they thought you might have started by then. They take every item in, in one over sized glance. They're looking for cheap stuff that they can flip for a profit. These are the ones that will go to every yard sale at the beginning, and then show up near the end. They'll offer to take some of the things that haven't sold, but they want it for free, or at a minimal price.
Oh, I almost forgot, there's also your friends and family. They like to show up while you're pricing stuff, the day before the sale. You'll hear things like "oh that's nice, why are you selling that?" or "I need one of these." Obviously, one of the worst things you can hear them say is "hey, we gave you this!" So, some of your good yard sale stuff is gone before sale day, but, so what, it's gone, and that's the main thing.
So, I'll soon be hauling out the bins, to sort and price, clean and polish. I'll be praying for sunny weather, and a good turn out. And if it doesn't quite work out as well as I'd hoped, I'll pray for extra hoarders, 'cause I ain't hauling it all back home.
That's what I think, anyway.