Updated: April 8, 2021
Originally Published: May 23, 2020
For the past few weekends this spring, I’ve woken up with a sense of absence. I realize that anyone navigating today’s world could easily list numerous things that have been temporarily stripped away. Some of these include sending my kids to school, embracing my parents, and celebrating milestones of all kinds.
While I long for those cherished moments, I can understand the need to be apart for the greater good. I know that my children will return to school, I will hug my parents again, and I will eventually resume the juggling act of attending various birthday parties every weekend.
However, one thing weighs heavily on my heart, and while it may seem trivial, it’s truly significant to me – I miss yard sales!
For my family, spring has always meant a cherished tradition of yard sale hunting. Most Saturdays, we would hit the road by 7:30 am, grab our favorite coffee, and scour the internet for local garage sales, flea markets, and church rummage sales.
We would drive from one home to another, admiring the items cast aside by others, all while hoping to unearth something special among their discarded treasures. Whether it was a child’s first bike or a great aunt’s vintage vase, we’d joyfully pay anywhere from 50 cents to a couple of dollars and carefully stow our finds in the back of our car.
There’s an unmatched thrill in scoring a fantastic deal at a yard sale. It’s a blend of happiness, accomplishment, and satisfaction rolled into one. Finding the perfect rocking chair for $10.00 is an experience that simply cannot be replicated online. Trust me, I’ve tried every platform, from Amazon to Facebook Marketplace, and none compare.
Plus, my kids enjoy it just as much! Each week, we give them a set amount of money to spend wisely, teaching them the value of a dollar. We even encourage them to donate old toys when they bring home new treasures, which adds an element of joy as they realize they’re giving other children a chance to play.
Yard sales aren’t just about toys, either. I’ve snagged furniture, jewelry, dinnerware, light fixtures, clothes, and more. There was a time I even refurbished old chairs and made a profit from it!
When my children were toddlers, yard sales were my go-to for essentials at a fraction of retail prices. I once scored a bouncy seat, a play mat, and even a double stroller for next to nothing.
One of my favorite moments occurred at a community yard sale, often a goldmine for bargains. A woman offered me her ten-year-old daughter’s entire collection of shoes for just $5.00. She simply wanted them gone, and I was thrilled to take them off her hands.
But nothing compares to the memory of last spring, when my daughter spotted a Razor Scooter. A young girl selling it wanted $15.00, far beyond my daughter’s $5.00 budget. When the girl’s father noticed my daughter’s disappointment, he stepped in and said, “We’ll take $2.00.” The girl was shocked, and his response was priceless: “The memories are in your head, not with the scooter. It will be $2.00.”
That’s the beauty of yard sales – you’re giving life to items that others no longer need. It embodies the spirit of re-use and recycling, all while spending very little. Most of my yard sale hauls cost less than our pre-sale coffee and muffins.
Yet, it’s not just about the deals; it’s about the experience. It’s the excitement on Saturday mornings, my kids animatedly discussing how they plan to spend their money. It’s our beloved coffee shop, where the barista remembers our orders and the pastry chef greets my kids by name. It’s the connections we make with other families, hunting for treasures together.
Every yard sale item holds a memory for me, representing moments in our lives that I can never reclaim. So, what I truly miss is the memories. I miss our Saturday morning ritual, the time spent outdoors with my children and the community. And if I’m being honest, I miss those incredible finds too.
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In summary, the pandemic has deprived us of many experiences, but for me, the joy of yard sales and the cherished memories made during those outings with my family are what I truly miss.