Second Hand
I had grand plans for disposing of our used baby gear. I would hold a grand garage sale with tables full of gently used merchandise. Prices would be fair and clearly marked. People would file through, picking up needed items. In the end, I’d have a tidy sum to invest in the kids’ college fund, and would give any remaining merchandise to charity.
Then we took part in a small neighborhood garage sale, and my plans died painfully. In the weeks I had to prepare, I only managed to mark prices on a few dozen items, leaving hundreds of clothes unmarked and still in our basement. We don’t have any folding tables to hold clothes, and I discovered that one new folding table costs about what I hoped to pocket from my grand garage sale. Few people came to our sale, proving that I must be the only person who goes to garage sales in our neighborhood. My sales made enough money to cover the cost of the price tags. I donated the big items that I never wanted to see again to charity and hauled the little leftovers back to our basement. My new plan is to hold a more successful garage sale after we move, a sale hopefully aided by magic gnomes living around our new home.
That sale from a couple months ago was still fresh in my mind when we offered to sell some gear to an expecting neighbor couple. I could probably make more money at a garage sale, but it would be nice to help a neighbor while avoiding the hassles of pricing items, sitting through an unattended garage sale, and vultures asking if I’ll take $2 those boxes of 2T girl’s clothing. Plus the more things we discard now, the less we’ll have to move; I think I can talk Ellie into letting me tote well-packed boxes of clothes to the new place, but I don’t know about a rocking chair.
Of course our neighbors didn’t buy all of our used gear, but they did buy several things I’d been kicking in the basement for the past couple months. They bought our swing. This was the fancy kind that swings in two directions with a light-up musical mobile attached. We got it for Abbie, who hated it. We brought it back out for the boys, and they seemed reasonably entertained by it, though she was now enthralled by the mobile. She would stand in the swing’s path to grab the mobile when we used it. Finally we put it back in storage too soon, so the neighbors got a great deal.
They bought our bouncy seat. This was the fancy kind that plays music and gives a back massage. We got it for Abbie, who tolerated it. It coaxed her to sleep a few nights when daddy couldn’t stand the crying anymore. The boys were content to sit in it and watch me do dishes.
They bought Ellie’s breast pump and its accompanying paraphernalia. This was the super-deluxe, best-one-available-without-a-prescription, probably-could-have-extracted-milk-from-me kind. It cost a fortune new, but they’re almost worthless used because of a risk of disease transmission. Our neighbors trusted the source, and we’re glad to find one cheap. I was glad someone else could get use out of it. Plus I didn’t want it taking up space our basement.
They bought our bottles. I felt it was time to let these go since the boys haven’t used them for several days now. Actually they still drink a bedtime bottle, so we’ll give them two more bottles in about a month, but otherwise they’re drinking from sippy cups. It was a big step to let the bottles go since they symbolize their infanthood. Unlike the other gear that I hauled to the basement as early as possible to make room for more gear, the bottles stayed in our cupboards for their entire first year. I used them several times every day, which is something I can’t say about the swing.
The only biggest things they didn’t buy from us are clothes. This couple is going the “we don’t want to know what we’re getting until he/she arrives” route. More power to them. I wanted to know early so I could plan by accumulating things like clothes, room decorations, and two of everything.
After their baby arrives, they’ll go through our old clothes, so we could see a little more money. For now I’ve made back enough to pay for that folding table I bought for the garage sale. Plus I’ve earned the right to not have to move so much stuff.
Then we took part in a small neighborhood garage sale, and my plans died painfully. In the weeks I had to prepare, I only managed to mark prices on a few dozen items, leaving hundreds of clothes unmarked and still in our basement. We don’t have any folding tables to hold clothes, and I discovered that one new folding table costs about what I hoped to pocket from my grand garage sale. Few people came to our sale, proving that I must be the only person who goes to garage sales in our neighborhood. My sales made enough money to cover the cost of the price tags. I donated the big items that I never wanted to see again to charity and hauled the little leftovers back to our basement. My new plan is to hold a more successful garage sale after we move, a sale hopefully aided by magic gnomes living around our new home.
That sale from a couple months ago was still fresh in my mind when we offered to sell some gear to an expecting neighbor couple. I could probably make more money at a garage sale, but it would be nice to help a neighbor while avoiding the hassles of pricing items, sitting through an unattended garage sale, and vultures asking if I’ll take $2 those boxes of 2T girl’s clothing. Plus the more things we discard now, the less we’ll have to move; I think I can talk Ellie into letting me tote well-packed boxes of clothes to the new place, but I don’t know about a rocking chair.
Of course our neighbors didn’t buy all of our used gear, but they did buy several things I’d been kicking in the basement for the past couple months. They bought our swing. This was the fancy kind that swings in two directions with a light-up musical mobile attached. We got it for Abbie, who hated it. We brought it back out for the boys, and they seemed reasonably entertained by it, though she was now enthralled by the mobile. She would stand in the swing’s path to grab the mobile when we used it. Finally we put it back in storage too soon, so the neighbors got a great deal.
They bought our bouncy seat. This was the fancy kind that plays music and gives a back massage. We got it for Abbie, who tolerated it. It coaxed her to sleep a few nights when daddy couldn’t stand the crying anymore. The boys were content to sit in it and watch me do dishes.
They bought Ellie’s breast pump and its accompanying paraphernalia. This was the super-deluxe, best-one-available-without-a-prescription, probably-could-have-extracted-milk-from-me kind. It cost a fortune new, but they’re almost worthless used because of a risk of disease transmission. Our neighbors trusted the source, and we’re glad to find one cheap. I was glad someone else could get use out of it. Plus I didn’t want it taking up space our basement.
They bought our bottles. I felt it was time to let these go since the boys haven’t used them for several days now. Actually they still drink a bedtime bottle, so we’ll give them two more bottles in about a month, but otherwise they’re drinking from sippy cups. It was a big step to let the bottles go since they symbolize their infanthood. Unlike the other gear that I hauled to the basement as early as possible to make room for more gear, the bottles stayed in our cupboards for their entire first year. I used them several times every day, which is something I can’t say about the swing.
The only biggest things they didn’t buy from us are clothes. This couple is going the “we don’t want to know what we’re getting until he/she arrives” route. More power to them. I wanted to know early so I could plan by accumulating things like clothes, room decorations, and two of everything.
After their baby arrives, they’ll go through our old clothes, so we could see a little more money. For now I’ve made back enough to pay for that folding table I bought for the garage sale. Plus I’ve earned the right to not have to move so much stuff.
posted by Matt at
10:42 PM
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