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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (May 26, 2016)
MAY 26, 2016 // 11 NGEST GARAGE SALE the Richard Simmons VHS tapes, too.) Safety fi rst: It can get a little wild out there — what with fl atbed trucks and U-Haul vans all running amok. Prepare for vehicles to make sudden stops and erratic turns, and try to be patient (and creative) with parking. Most of all, slow down! A bad case of the FOMS (fear of missing something) can be dangerous. If you fi nd yourself thinking about the next sale before you’ve fl ipped even halfway through that box of old National Geographics, you’ll run yourself ragged. Try to relax and have fun; remember, there are enough chipped Pyrex pie plates for all of us. IF YOU’RE SELLING… Signs, signs, everywhere a sign: In a forest full of trees, how does one little pine stand out? Defi nitely NOT by announcing itself with pencil, written on a paper plate, and scotch-taped to the corner stop sign — no way! For your sale to get the attention it deserves it must be bold, it must be colorful, and frankly, it must be spelled correctly. (And for heaven’s sake, if you live three blocks and two turns away from your main sign, make more!) Go big: Very small sales tend to look picked over, even when they’re offering great stuff. Consider teaming up with neigh- bors or extended family — the “Huge Block Sale” and “Multi-generation extravaganza” gets more traffi c. Be fl exible: It’s yours, and you love it — it’s an attachment that’s understandable — but let’s be honest: Unless it was stamped by Louis Comfort Tiffany himself, that godawful glass lamp isn’t worth any more than the one across the street. Pay attention to whether you’re making a fair deal or just being overly sentimental. Neatness counts: Organized sales make more money every time. Clean, fold and hang clothes (no piles, please), and group like things with like things. Bag loose items, wind and tape electrical cords, separate sil- verware, etc. Conventional “his” and “hers” tables are popular, but no one objects to a little gender bending as long as it’s kept tidy. Prepare for rain: We call it the World’s Longest “Garage” Sale because the World’s Longest “Yard” Sale has the potential to get rained out, which just isn’t an option. If you can’t set up in the garage, consider tents or tarps, but whatever you do, don’t let the weather get you down — it certainly won’t stop your shoppers! PHOTO BY LYNETTE RAE MCADAMS PHOTO BY LYNETTE RAE MCADAMS Vivian Wattum (aka: Grandma Viv), at her annual sale in Surfside, Washington. Wattum holds her sale every year on Mother’s Day weekend, which frees her to peruse other sales over the Memorial Day holiday, proving the fi rst postulate of the World’s Longest Garage Sale: “Nothing ever leaves the Peninsula, it just gets passed around.” Garage sales serve as major fundraisers for many local nonprofi t organizations, including the South Pacifi c County Humane Society, whose annual sale is held at the animal shelter, located at 330 Second Ave., Long Beach, Washington. This year’s sale takes place Friday and Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
