I’ve been gathering stuff for my yearly yard sale with my mom and sister. You know, the sale we promise ourselves every year that we will NEVER. HAVE. AGAIN. ?
At first I dreaded all the work. But, over the past few months I had been boxing up stuff I no longer used or needed so as I stared pricing things, it felt good to cleanse our home. And after all the deep thoughts I’ve had about my precious stuff, I was even more eager to get rid of excess. I find my self wanting more and more of LESS stuff.
Then, I decided I needed a goal. Whenever I have a sale, I like to have a goal of what I want to do with the money I make. We’ve been diligently inching our debt payoff, most of what I make with Nesting Place goes towards bills and debt, and the occasional fall gourd from Michaels. So I asked my husband what he thought about us using the money to help make our bedroom more us. As soon as I started thinking about it I got so excited. I’ve disliked our room for a year.
that pile of stuff goes about 5 feet back to the wall.
I’m not planning on making enough to do a whole makeover but, it sure did help fuel the “let’s sell this, too” fire when I thought about each item I’m getting rid of going towards making our room nicer. I don’t want to fill it up with stuff but I want to be more intentional about what’s actually in there.
We are having our yard sale Saturday October 2nd at my parent’s house in Lake Park, NC {I’ll post their address as we get closer.} There is a HUGE neighborhood yard sale that weekend in their hood, the one where I got my dresser and table last spring. It’s a wonderful place to yard sale.
I’m parting with some vintage Nesting Place items like the Red Checked Mistreatments {6 panels}, all the buffalo check silk, some round decorator’s tables with the toppers, pillows, lamps, my bedroom duvet, mistreatments, bed skirt, a TON of home decor items and wall stuff, Christmas garland galore and of course clothes, and much more. So far I’ve used 600 price tags. And that’s just my stuff. My mom and sister have lots to sell too.
selling the drapes.
It feels so good to pack up stuff I no longer use or need. I hope my stuff finds a happy home. And I hope our bedroom will look better by Christmas.
My sister, mom and I have a yard sale yearly and we promise ourselves we will never do it again… every year! But we do! Good luck…
Lindsay @ A Design Story
When we had our yard sale earlier this year, we used the money we made to build our bedroom. It was very motivating to get rid of crap to gain something i truly wanted/needed/love.
I love your idea and can’t wait to see what you do with your bedroom.
‘Wish I could be at the garage sale. It’s so nice to clean things out and simplify, isn’t it?
Can’t wait! I’ve envied that buffalo check silk for a while now…. See you bright and early the 2nd!
UGH! Makes me want to hop a plane to NC just to shop in your driveway haha! Many blessings on your sales and new bedroom. Can’t wait to see what you do with it!
Oh how I wish I lived near you to attend this garage sale. It sounds epic.
Good luck; hope it goes well! A bedroom that’s “you” seems like a really great motivation.
I totally get you. I wish I could be there to see all your cool stuff but I have a craft/antique show to do in Cameron, NC. You should visit it sometime – I think you’d enjoy it. It is the first Saturday of May and October. Good luck on your sale and that is what I plan on doing this winter..putting non-used items in boxes with prices to get them ready for a spring yard sale.
I want to do what Erin did – we want a smaller home on land but have to wait three years to get middle child finished with high school- he desperatly wants to graduate with his friends and I understand and respect that. Until then- I’ll pay off debt and purge so we can fit in a smaller house.
tammy
wish i were around to help you get the hard work done! :) xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox.
ME TOO!
You go, Nester Chick. You pave that path towards less stuff in your nest and you GET IT. And enjoy the satisfaction of letting your stuff go to folks that you’ve trained on how to get good deals knowing that it will be cherished elsewhere. I hope you make a great amount, and look forward to reading the bloggy blog and seeing the pics.
Also, can I just say I miss having our Conservatory Girl here in the fair state of NC? :( We would totally road trip to your yard sale if she were still here. We cyber-heart you that much. We’d even bring coffee.
Sigh.
OMG! You telling everyone where we live!
Oh, wait, YOU’RE the one afraid of the anonymous killers. Oh, and we might sell more stuff? — OK, cool.
Hey, I’ll put my famous red arrows out,too — no words, just red arrows. Follow the arrows for the Nester’s Mean It This Time Last Yard Sale Ever.
For the record, I was shocked that my parents said I could publish their address. But he’s right, I’m the only one afraid of internet killers. And yes, my dad has the most wonderful, easy to follow yard sale signs in America. Big Red Arrows that point. No words, just follow the arrows. Wait, he already said that.
Y’all are too funny. I would love to trek up to NC for the sale. I can follow big red arrows pretty easily. I’ll have to see if I can get my mom, sister and daughter to make it a girls day.
I spy a framed piece in those piles that I’ve loved ever since you showed it to us. That should be incentive enough.
I like your parents. My mom thinks just me having a blog means an ax murderer is going to knock on my door any second now and is forever in fear of the lives of her grandchildren. She’s not worried about me, just them. Figures.
I am 62 years young and every year I say “I cannot do this again” but when the work of getting it together is done and the first shopper comes and oohs, ahhhs, and BUYS, I forget how much work it was. I just enjoy the fun of watching people be happy to take it away to a new home. I don’t like the last part (clean up) but when I drop it all off to the Outreach Ministry it is a good feeling again.
Now if I can just quit going to yard sales and buying more it would be a blessing. Do you think I am too old to learn a new trick?? I love the going and the discovery of new stuff cheap. I have booths in 4 antique shops so I tell myself it is for my inventory but too much ends up in my home. I have been working on simplifying my home for probably 20 years and I don’t have it conquered YET.
Keep writing the encouraging words about paring down and I’ll keep working on it. You inspire this ole gal:)
Yay! I’m glad I live close by. I’ll mark our calendar!
I wish I lived in NC! I would be at that garage sale in a heart beat. Those are going to be some very lucky people who buy your stuff.
what are you charging for those drapes? would you send them to Utah?
If they don’t sell, yes, I’ll ship them but, I HATE mailing things. Unless you want to pay big time for them {I wouldn’t advice, they are cute but not that great}
I’m in the process of doing the same thing and figured what I wouldn’t sell would go to the thrift store. There is something liberating and very healthy to get rid of so much STUFF, mostly is completely uneccessary and just continues to stress me out the more I have to look at it and move it around. We have another little one on the way, so with a smaller home, I have decided to purge, purge and then purge some more ;) Good luck on your sale!
I’m so impressed that you’re willing to have another yard sale. My hubby and I had one last year and said never again. But I still have been putting some stuff back that I just couldn’t stand to drop off at Goodwill. (Still a little afraid that God might get me for that!) I’m going to google where this is in NC and see if it’s close to me. It sounds like a great place to be. Good luck.
If the box you are showing in the picture of the buffalo check draperies are also draperies in gold, ivory and champgne check, I would be interested in buying them from you. I have a set I purchased from Linen’s n’ Things and have been trying to find more. Please email me if these sound like they are the same thing.
In the meantime, my husband and I too are living in an apartment on a temporary basis. I found so much inspiration in your blog. And I marvel how you find the time to care for your family, do all of your DIY projects and blog too.
they are mistreatments so basically, there are like 5 or 8 or 6 pieces of 2.5-3 yards of silk unlined, just cut fabric.
but I am TOOO lazy to mail it. Unless you want to pay me a million dollars. Then I guess I could mail it
Thanks for the reply. It doesn’t sound like a good fit but I sure appreciate your time it took to answer me. Good luck on the garage sale. Hope you make tons of $ so as not to buy more stuff :)
I wish I could go to your yard sale!
Ok Im seriously considering hopping on a plane for this event. Id take ANY lamp you’ve owned, not to mention some other lovelies I can see in those photos. Sigh…………………..
On the other hand, I cant wai to see what youre going to do with your room!:) We’re hoping to re-do ours this winter.
And this is just a side note but are you selling your armoire? Im curious about the first picture. Dont make me panic here;)
nope, but I did get that and the chair at a yard sale!
I’m selling my square white coffee table though..
If only I lived closer…
:)
Oh, I can’t believe the buffalo check is going!! That is my absolute favorite! I’ve looked high and low on the web for that fabric and nothing!! Too bad I’m all the way across the country. You are going to have a very successful yard sale and you’ll get your bedroom just the way you want it!! Good luck to you and your family.
Can’t wait! Gonna find some friends for the sweet bunny plaque I got last year. And this time I’ll try not to be so shy + starstruck. :)
Wow, I wish I lived closer. I also can’t wait to see what you do with your bedroom! You have a lot of stuff! We’ve always done ok for the tiny little yard sales we have. I really NEED to de-clutter but I still won’t have that much.
oh man, i’m so excited for you… and also so sad that i don’t live closer… i’ve been eye-ing (sp?) a few of your little tables, etc, and wish i wasn’t about 32 states away.
also, i had to downsize last year, and sold a lot of our stuff… it wasn’t *quite* as voluntary as your downsize, but the money lining my pocket sure did help :) good luck!
I will not buy all your stuff, I will not buy all your stuff, I will not buy all your stuff.
Don’t let me buy all your stuff, kay?
hey, wanna just trade all my stuff for all your stuff? Isn’t that what we normally do anyway?
Is it crazy that I am seriously contemplating driving down from Maryland?
yes.
crazy. but we do have IKEA here.
OMG – those drapes coordinate with my sofa!! pleeeease let me buy them!! I live in TN & can’t come to your sale, but boy, would I love to!
Hey girl. I think I want to drive up for it. Will you email me directions?
YIPPIE!!!!!!
If you click on that link to “lake park” there is an interactive map!
so mad i don’t live close enough!! it feels so good to purge all that stuff doesn’t it!!
That’s how I bought my awesome Viking sewing machine–it was so well worth it! And it makes me cherish the sewing that much more. Wish I lived closer! I’d come just to visit with your girls!
xo,
edie
no problem, I’ll just draw you in like at the slipcover party!
I think I am a total crazy person but I am coming! I am, aren’t I? But, I have a friend in Rock Hill and I haven’t seen her in forever and she reads your blog, too. And so we are coming together.
can’t wait to see you again!
and I actually think it could be worth it, not only b/c I have a lot of junk, I mean great finds, but SO many sales in the hood that day, its my favorite yard sale weekend of the year {actually, they do it twice a year!}
me, too! i know you’ll be busy but hopefully i can get a hug and a hi in!
No fair, Ellen gets to come!
tracey, i agree! no fair that YOU don’t get to come!
How do you price? I’m the worst at deciding that. I’m participating in a group yard sale and I just have been back and forth on prices.
That is me exactly – I HATE having a yardsale. We have had one each time we moved (twice) and it was great and we made good $$$. But the last one was 12 years ago and so far, we have stuck to “never again”. I honestly don’t think I have that much stuff to get rid of. I mentioned yesterday that our church has a yearly sale, and that money is used for mission projects, etc. So, I tend to keep together what items we want to get rid of and donate to that sale. It’s next month.
It’s great you have something special you want to do with the money – that’s a good incentive. I’m excited to see/hear what you want to do with the room!
tina
Hey – we have that same piggy bank! It’s full of pennies, and we use him as a door stop/toenail removal device. If you ever try to burglarize my house coming through the back door, you’ll get what you deserve – a broken toe and a bunch of pennies.
Good for you …..600 tags? Wow, I thought my last one was a doozie, you’ve got me beat by double! Best of luck, I’m glad I don’t live near you (only for garage sale purposes, natch).
(sigh). I am so very sad that I live no where near NC. I like many others just love those mistreatments of yours. I seriously love them enough to consider traveling from Maine and camping out just so I can buy them.
Gosh I wish I could come to your yard sale and snatch those drapes from you…and all your other stuff too!
oh my goodness…why does it make me so sad to see the red checks going? I was with you at the beginning at the mistreatment 101 and it’s kind of like your signature green scarf. Shouldn’t they be going to some kind of museum?? :)
wait? what green scarf? I have a green scarf? I want to wear it now…
Sorry…have you seen Confessions of a Shopaholic? Go see it and you’ll know what i mean :)
You should put your red checked mistreatments on ebay. I bet that could fund your entire bedroom makeover!
(and yeah, because I’m in California and really want to buy them, lol.)
oh, those drapes are ICONIC!!! they are 100% Nester! Someone is going to get very lucky. If I didn’t live 3000 miles away, I would come by and pick them up. Maybe you should ebay them so we all have a fighting chance?!!!
love,
erika
theurthmama.com
I’ve gotten so many emails in the past hour about them: seriously considering ebay–but I HATE shipping!
Don’t hate shipping. Go to usps.com and you can print your label on line, pay postage on line and request for your carrier to come to your house and pick up your package. Now, put those babies on ebay! :)
The friendly neighborhood postmaster,
Becky
I don’t have a place for them, but I think ebaying them is a great idea! You could probably get a lot more for them and get a little more $$$ for your bedroom makeover! I saw a few other things in that pile that would sell really well on ebay!
ebay them, Mikie!!! Go for it! Wish I could be there to see you and Em and Mom and Dad!
I seriously just checked our calendar to see if I could drive up from Atlanta! We have a commitment the day of your sale, but I’m wondering if you would consider selling your bedskirt, duvet, window mistreatments, table cover, etc. beforehand. Your beautiful things would make a fantastic update for us here! Please? :)
Oh my stinkin heck. Your pictures are inspiring me!!! Get rid of more! more! more! I need more labels!!!!
And can I buy the nest/rock/stick picture thing? m’kay. Thanks.
Hey, you don’t have to sell much to do a total bedroom makeover. A couple of weeks ago, I dropped by my local Goodwill and found some really, really good stuff–we’re talking new bedding from Target and Pottery Barn. It was crazy, and oh-so-very random. But I loved it! It was beautiful! So I spray painted a lamp and moved my dining room curtains to my bedroom and shopped my house (thank you, thank you, oh Great Nester, for teaching me!) and in one lucky afternoon I had a bedroom that was definitely more us, for a whopping $76.89.
You can see my pics here….http://atriptoholland.blogspot.com/2010/08/details-on-goodwill-makeover.html
Good luck!
Oh I sure wish I was going to be there. I would love to have your red check and buffalo check window treatments. I so love them. Since I am in Az., that is just way too far away. Maybe you could mail? Hugs, Marty
Okay so I’ve been reading along all the comments. I was sad at first when I saw the buffalo checks on the pile too. And I don’t even usually comment over here. But I am a faithful lurker and the world needs those too! I think you should just put them in the sale and get the video camera ready. There is sure to be a brawl for them. Or you could line everyone up and do it “bouquet toss” style. It would make for a fabulous blog post. Then the person that gets them would HAVE to post pics after they are hung. Okay, must go do real work now. I think I will purge soon also, this blog has some pretty good ideas ;)
I have been reading your blog for years and I can’t believe I’m saying this but the thought of you selling those drapes actually bums me out! Good for you for being able to let go. I, on the other hand, will probably be on the hoarding show in 50 years because I get sentimentally attached to household items. lol
So why do you just name a price, ship me all your stuff, and call it done, kay?
I see a lot of stuff I could use. Bummer! Wish I lived close by. Good luck at your sale. You’ve got lots of good stuff. I’m sure you’ll do well!
man – today even more than i usually do i wish i lived in NC/SC rather than tx…
we were down your way a couple of weeks ago on our way to kure beach. i noticed lots of yard sales and what stood out was they were HUGE! i so wished i could have shopped but i am sure my dh would have looked at me like i was crazy for trying to cram more stuff in our van. maybe next year i’ll pull a trailer so i can yard sale on my was to the beach :)
I wish I lived closer. I’ve drooled over those curtains for so long. *Sigh*