My time

I've never been to one either and now I'm not sure I would. It sounds depressing.

Ramona Byrd

What creeps me out is when they try to sell open medicines. Who would buy someone's open aspirin, eye drops, toothpaste? I have even seen used denture cups for sale.
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I've seen strange things too. But some my late DH got somewhere I know someone will want. Someone who collects old medical equipment, cause I found a stainless steel male urinal and it's matching spit tray. Sure wish I had a female one and a stainless steel denture cup, or did they even make such a thing?
Son who's a Respiratory Therapist finally stopped laughing and said he'd ask around if anyone collected such things. Else they are going in my next yard sale when both daughters visit this summer.

Strange things? People in general collect strange things, and I've seen lots of them at Estate sales.

arimuse

hubs' stepdad was a very nice man who finally died of alzheimers. he was very very orderly up til then, and when he went to the hospital the last time mil asked us to go thru his things in the cellar to clean things out. we found bxs and bxs of letter and journals starting from hs in the 20s thru the 30s, WWII and up to when he married mil (his second wife) also ALL the proceedings of a very nasty divorce. It was interesting to read how people lived way back when and what moral thought was.( he was quite the guy! and a real womanizer - he even had "pics" of a lady who was an officer at a local bank!! )In the end, he had no one to leave all this to and it was not what his wife would have wanted to find out, so hubs and I took all the paper home and burned it in the fireplace.
other than that - I dont keep anything in writing! I think it would be nice if what I owned could be recycled. I hate thinking anything useful would end up in a landfill. sharet

ButtermilkMama

I think in most "estate sales" the immediate family has chosen what they want and the rest is then sold!

Krystyna

More often than I'd like to think about, I'd go to sales specifically to pick up old religious items and in the basement there would be a huge collection of Playboys, etc. Sort of a double life going on in those homes. Sad.

Jammin' Jane

Kind of eerie!

blueheavenfla

Dear Friends,
You need a laugh about now so here it is...we live in Florida across the road from the Indian River. My children have said that when we both die, they would all take whatever they wanted and then rent a BARGE and have a barge sale out on the Indian River. It would take some big boats to take away some of our belongings. Envisioning the sight just makes me laugh. We joke about it often.

DorisPa

I have gone on several estates sales and I think of the person that was or is the owner of the stuff I buy. I have several quilts or blocks that were started and I have finish them. I have talk out loud to the person that might have sewn them and tell her that her work was finish and I thank her for them.

Rose_P

I have no problem with estate sales, usually. I understand perfectly well that if my kids were left to deal with all our stuff, they would surely hire someone to dispose of most of it this way. Maybe we should make note of who in the area runs nice estate sales and add the information to the important papers box. I like the idea that my stuff could go to people who want it and who are doing the environmentally friendly thing, buying used rather than new. Much of the time when I look at someone's belongings it makes me realize how much alike people are. Quite a few homes seem friendly and welcoming, and speak of the owners' enjoyment of the life they lived there. I don't feel it's intrusive. At least they are not present to see someone turn up his nose at one of their treasures.

Granny Charley

When my step-mom died I had a 4 weekend garage sale. Not inside the house. If you gave her something, it had your name and a date on it. If you came to this rummage sale I would ask you if you wanted it back, FREE. There were a lot of people that did take their gifts back.

She had lots of "stuff" and I am sure a lot of it was family heirlooms but I did not know about most of it. If I did know of a family history I gave it to that family if it meant nothing to me.

After this experience I have left notes in dishes etc about whose it was or where it came from. I have notes taped to the back of furniture etc. I only have one daughter and 4 grandchildren and I want them to know of any family history then they can decide whether to keep or not.