People can’t get rid of their Junk

I’ve seen several posts this season about nobody attending garage and rummage sales.
I’ve seen antique and vintage shops begging people to stop by.

Now I’m seeing estate sales where it is donation only and people still don’t want to go.
I’ve heard thrift stores are trashing china sets because nobody is buying them. Yes you know the one Mimi paid a fortune for and never used.

What’s the problem? People are sick of consumerism and too much stuff. I think we all know a hoarder.
We’ve seen relatives, neighbors. The Knick knacks of yesteryear are totally not desired by todays crowd (I’m generalizing, of course there are still some people that enjoy that stuff) The other thing is that space is very expensive now, and storage is at a premium.

I’ve followed fashion and home decor for as long as I can remember and it is all cyclical. We are heading into a time that I believe will be similar Mid century modern. People are craving sleek lines, less clutter, and no frills. Housing is already leaning this way. Goodbye farmhouse decor, hello empty and soulless just like we feel inside! Haha

Remember this, it will circle back. If you are into antiques, now is a great time to pick up a few. I’m talking quality real antique. Some are still high, but you can snag a good deal if you look. Art, lamps, wood furniture if it hasn’t already been adulterated by white paint!

Back to those Knick knacks, even in the 70’s & 80’s I thought some collections were weird like Precious moments, Lladro, Hummels, and other creepy figurines. Our moms and grandmas spent a bloody fortune on those hideous things (sorry if you love them). Even on my moms death bed she snuck one into my house!!! So now I have a little figurine of two German boys with little chubby bent knees looking at me every day.

A little about me, Most would assume I’m a girly girl, but deep down I must have been a gay man in a past life. I love unapologetically masculine decor, colors, textures. Mahogany, check, rich velvets, deeply carved wood, some animal prints, tassels, leather, oh yes we can’t forget the leather. Not just any leather. You know that expensive leather that is hard and soft at the same time, the one that you envision sinking into while reading a mystery novel and smoking a cigar? I hate mysteries and cigars, but you get the picture!

a reply to: JAGStorm

I'm remodeling a house right now,
Room by room getting rid of all this white paint garbage and going back to stained wood.
Hardwood floors, pine trim, windows, doors, all of it. Oak shelving. Hand made fixed oak book cases.

Hopefully by the time I'm selling, it will be back in style... I'd hate to imagine someone coming in here and painting it all, then nailing down carpet.

I cannot drive by a garage or estate sale without stopping. I see lots of people around here doing it. But, I have noticed the prices.
I found 5 antique bottles. My favorite, especially old medicine bottles and ink bottles. Whereas just a few years ago, they were getting 10.00 or more each, I paid 1.00 each for them. I prefer the colored glass. Looks cool when you add colored water.

I think so many people just want the newest toys and gadgets. It's happened before, and will happen again.
When it does come back, maybe I will sell my green depression ware. It's the ballerina set. Used to be 80.00 for 1 damn plate.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Hard to say if it's economic or societal change. I lean towards the changes in society from Covid. As far as my wife and I, the report is we've had 5 loads of junk carted off that could be yard sale worthy. But the cost of buying new instead of someone's "junk" is such that in reality, it makes more sense to buy new. I've gotten to the point that I buy new instead of used unless it's something worth the effort or still costs too much new.

Plus, I'm not seeing people buying heirlooms or antiques right now unless they are really, really, really valuable.

In my small affluent village, antique stores are closing and being reopened as coffee shops, 420 dispensaries, craft beer breweries and contemporary art and craft galleries. My retail shop of Native American/Hispanic.... pottery, jewelry, Kachinas, crucifix's, Retablos, shrines, textiles, baskets and local artist is finally kicking butt after the covid BS.

Tons of tourists driving BMW, Teslas, Benz all up and down the main road....bring it on!! I don't think the fat cats even know about the recession.

Ah at first I thought it was another trans thread. Instead thankfully another timely topic worthy of discussion.

Not to get too esoteric on a beautiful Friday afternoon, but unless mankind can quit accumulating garbage, clutter, and waste individually and as a society it will erode us mentally, and spiritually. I could go off on a tangent even more than I am about to.

For some, if not most the junk and clutter is a cycle of need or want, buy, enjoy, forget, and store then get stressed and depressed over the # you just had to have X number of months or years ago. I worked hard this week Im gonna get that new widget, Im depressed, I got to have this for work, or I just saved a few bucks Im gonna get, these are just a few reasons we get # we don't need. For most guys, it's definitely a bit like Fight Club unless it's job-related or you are a Mr. Fix it's all most don't need 2/3rds of the crap they do have.

It obviously can build up and become an issue. Even in the tidiest, well-kept homes. Normal busy families often see their homes become filled with for lack of, better word crap. Saw it up close and personal with my parents after my father passed, they had so much stuff, we finally downsized for my Mom, and when we moved we did one of those estate sales. None of us had room for all their stuff, but generally, it worked out great we sold loads of stuff. Lost some money doing it so quickly, but we all had been thinking about it for 2-3 years before we finally bit the bullet. It was damn sure better than moving it into storage where it would have sat for years and deteriorated. It's been 4 years and we all still talk about how well it went, LOL we just went through the things we did move, and after 3-4 years we have thrown away more stuff.

I used to work with Terminex so I would go into loads of homes across all demographics, being filled with clutter doesn't discriminate. Rich and poor all races creeds and colors, Im not immune Ive definitely had periods where I had too much sheit.

Slowly I learned after my divorce though, I don't get married to stuff anymore. So like many divorces, it was sudden and quick, after 13 years of marriage, and 5 years of adulthood I had already acquired too much stuff. I was really busy at the time with work and traveling all the time money was tight, so all of my stuff went into storage. For 9 months I'd think I got to find a place for my stuff, I miss my stuff etc. Funds got tight and I didn't pay for a couple of months finally I was on the road 4 states away, and the storage place called wanting the back rent and this month's rent or I needed to move it all out or they would sell all my stuff, I suddenly said screw it, sell it, I don't give a damn. Occasionally I think about my old Honda motorcycle, my stereo, and loads of books but otherwise most of the stuff, I would have probably kept just to throw away later

The best thing I ever did, it's just stuff.

Obviously, if it brings you joy keep it and treasure it, but be aware even though that is a bit of a psychosis we probably need to evolve beyond that as well.

a reply to: putnam6

I started asking people for plants or trees for gift giving occasions. Surprisingly people really don’t like to give that as gifts. I have no clue why. I like that it’s something I can enjoy, the animals, the bugs, neighbors etc.

Now when I visit places instead of souvenirs, I pick up a packet of seeds or a book on that areas gardening culture.

I used to also say food gifts, but let me tell you. Some food gifts are downright terrible and way way over packaged.
Do we really need 100 little boxes for three servings of nuts?

originally posted by: chiefsmom
I cannot drive by a garage or estate sale without stopping. I see lots of people around here doing it. But, I have noticed the prices.
I found 5 antique bottles. My favorite, especially old medicine bottles and ink bottles. Whereas just a few years ago, they were getting 10.00 or more each, I paid 1.00 each for them. I prefer the colored glass. Looks cool when you add colored water.

I think so many people just want the newest toys and gadgets. It's happened before, and will happen again.
When it does come back, maybe I will sell my green depression ware. It's the ballerina set. Used to be 80.00 for 1 damn plate.

I’m a sucker for old bottles, I think they are so unique looking and make me very nostalgic.
I love the ambiance of an old pharmacy, or candy shop. The old glass and labels are really neat. I don’t buy them, but I sure do appreciate them.

a reply to: chiefsmom

Yes, people want modern things and as society progresses, I think that's only going to get worse. Not to mention that millennials seem to want to spend their money on experiences and not things, which will affect consumerism even more. The millennials are definitely the generation that wants to be "entertained."

I wouldn't mind downscaling myself. I've put a lot of things on facebook marketplace and I'm surprised at the things I couldn't sell at any price. When I was just starting out I bought a lot of second-hand things. Now I look for things that are unusual or beautiful that I can get a better deal on such as turkish rugs. I have great difficulty paying full price for just about everything.

Lower income Chicago people get together and come out here to the suburbs for garage sales. They look so happy buying what we don't want. A truck follows them to get the lawnmowers, snowblowers, tables, etc..

I did notice that trend - no one is buying and buying. I think it also has something to do with people having less contact with each other. Do you really need that nice place setting when you rarely have visitors?

I'm starting to appreciate older things not because they look better but because of the quality and lack of regulations. I would give anything to find a good quality older washer that's not energy efficient. I don't to wash my cloths in cold water.
I want kitchen skillets that last more than a year without deadly flaking. A broom that doesn't break - things like that.

Good, more tools and militaria for me to scoop up!

Oh and an occasional chair or table for the Mrs

originally posted by: carewemust
Lower income Chicago people get together and come out here to the suburbs for garage sales. They look so happy buying what we don't want. A truck follows them to get the lawnmowers, snowblowers, tables, etc..

If anyone needs any furniture look up when the colleges are getting out and go around with a truck or trailer.
You WILL score some amazing finds. My daughters street had dozens of recliners for free, plants, tables, dressers.

Of course it is all college kid stuff, but a lot of it was higher quality hand me downs.
Some middle aged women were having the time of their lives.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Well if my family is any example, then I would say at that many young folk are minimalist.

My Mother is not far from the century mark. She decided she was not going to wait until she died to give away her tchotskes, so she gave them to her children and grandchildren. And everyone of them are still sitting in my house.

They claim they have no place to put them, so they want her to hold on to them for them.

None of the young folk in my family seem to be interested in buying homes, or taking family heirlooms.

My friends say they see the same behavior in their lot.

a reply to: JAGStorm

If anyone needs any furniture look up when the colleges are getting out and go around with a truck or trailer.
You WILL score some amazing finds. My daughters street had dozens of recliners for free, plants, tables, dressers.

Exactly!!!

I used to haul away broken cars abandoned in parking lots of dorms after the semester. Most of them just had minor problems.
That's how I started my "picture car" business for the movies. My neighbors hated me. Eventually I needed a fenced lot to keep them in. Some of the units were beautiful....My GF hates that I'm such a scrounger.

a reply to: JAGStorm

I live in a 1890 Queen Ann , I only buy antiques to furnish it #1 is the quality of the workmanship made from real materials solid wood not to mention the artistic value .

Currently looking for a Victorian Fish tank Oh and a coal basket someone stole from the fireplace lol

a reply to: JAGStorm

You were not a gay man in a past life. You were Old World European.

a reply to: Butterfinger

Hubby just found an ammo box, with the date(?) 1933 or 34 (can't remember) embossed on it. $5.00.

In amazing condition. Was the woman's grandfathers.

I’m in my mid 50’s, I’m past the point of wanting to collect more stuff, and I’m dealing with getting rid of my parents stuff. And other than a few sentimental things, most of it is going to be auctioned.

My grandparents went through the Great Depression as children. And my grandma was a hoarder. Not horrible, but still hoarded. And my dad kind of clung on to that. I always assumed that hoarding came from that era. She would always say, "hang on to that you never know when you might need it!"

My rule of thumb is, if I haven't used it for a year, especially if it's an article of clothing, I'll get rid of it.