One adage about decluttering is to not shop where you donate. The point is to avoid the temptation to come home with something you didn’t really need. I try my best to heed this advice but sometimes I can’t resist a great estate sale.
About 15 minutes away, we have a very lovely, very expansive, retirement community where several of my friends’ parents have downsizes. They have everything from choir to pickleball and multiple restaurants and probably thousands of one and two-bedroom apartments, some with cute patios and mountain views. Honestly, at moments it seems like a great option for now - I’m tired of cooking dinner!
The best comparison I can make is to think of it as Denver’s version of The Villages in Florida - but I haven't seen flamingos in front of people’s residences - yet. On Tuesdays at 10 am, they host estate sales for residents who recently, err, “moved out.” They raise funds to support needs in the community, so you feel good about spending money there, if a little awkward about rifling through someone’s recently-used medicine cabinet.
Always on the hunt for a good bargain, my friend has turned me onto these sales. Occasionally on a Tuesday when juicy deals are listed in the flyer, we go. For Sale Listings include items like:
Dishware
Adjustable height bed
Walker
Recliner
Curtains
Kitchen Aid Mixer
Lamps
Framed Art
Sewing Machine
As a sewist without a working machine, I am on the hunt for an awesome sewing machine deal. One of the European brands like Necchi or Bernina that cost many $100s of dollars new but that will last forever.
The last time we went there was a line down the hall of about 40 people queued up a half hour before the apartment door even opened. You can feel the excitement build as the opening bell draws nigh.
It can be a little stressful to find the best loot as fast as you can before the other early shoppers. But I have learned that some of the door rushers are really there to chat and be nosey, not seriously shop, so no need to panic. The wives speed shop going through clothes, hutches, and medicine cabinets, while the husbands take up valuable shopping space talking about bird watching or pickle ball and write the checks. It’s a very orderly and efficient system they have going. Everything is well marked and the check out process is a breeze.
This time I got an amazing full-sized, electronic label maker for $4 and a forehead thermometer for $2! I mean those are deals - who doesn’t need an electronic label maker? Or two? And I needed a new thermometer since my other went made it’s way to college.
If you need healthcare durables, these are a great place to pick some up.
However, when I came face to face with a 1988 Viking sewing machine for $75, I couldn’t pull the trigger. I know a tune up costs about $200 and what if the tension was too far gone to be repaired? Maybe next time. I’ll pack my scraps of fabric to test it out on the spot.
I did note the numerous 1980’s and ‘90’s digital cameras on offer for $50 each. My mom loves to tell me how much they could get for their collection of digital cameras on Facebook Marketplace. They are in great demand by college-aged teenagers for their social media feeds. But seriously, who is going to do the selling of these digital cameras on FBMarketplace is the big question.
My mom has no fewer than 4 sewing machines at home. Some work, some don’t, some might. I should just get one of those on the plane home on my next visit. Or when I drive out there to grab more china and those crystal glasses I have my eye on!
So I gave up on the sewing machine, but I totally scored the killer jewelry box featured above! I have been wanting something to go in my closet to hold the jewelry I never wear because it’s in a box in a bag in my sock drawer. It might look super fab painted in a high-gloss bright blue?
When I got home and unloaded the car, I had a minor panic attack. I’m trying to convince my mom to downsize her stuff and here I am adding to mine! Ack! Why am I doing this? My daughter told me maybe my condition was genetic. I’m pretty sure this is a “nature vs. nurture” debate where nurture comes out on top. I’ll have to work harder to attain the minimal, clutter-free existence I try to espouse.
But that might mean avoiding estate sales, and I am not sure I’m ready for that - yet.
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