More Rubbish Out And Some Forgotten Things

I’m kind of glad the market season will end soon. Getting tired of the bags in my room, the repacking and resorting. Having to wonder what to bring next is actually a good thing. It means the mountain of junk is shrinking. I’m not sad taking some more expensive stuff now and get only half the money if it didn’t do anything on line. Getting fives or tens instead of ones or twos out of a sale saves the days results.

But that’s for later, here’s some more rescued ‘rubbish’ that found new owners on the parking lot earlier on.

This kitschy vase was gone in five minutes. Sold to a fellow vendor. My friend told me she saw it on her stall later on… I laughed and thought good luck with the cheap Chinese glass. Found by my co-picker in front of my door.

When I opened the door for him I peeked across and also saw this jar shaped vase. I flogged it but it was another euro extra on a slow day in July.

This mirror isn’t the best but it came with the Edwin name sign and it was a fairly long walk home. It went to a Moroccan guy who probably brought it to family in the home country. He wanted it for next to nothing but I thought of my effort and finally got the price that satisfied me. Did you notice my photography trick here? It was with one mirror before this one I finally got smart and shot it facing the sky to avoid reflections of junk in my yard.

These mugs are from a series issued by Douwe Egberts coffee. I wanted to list them but found them all over the site. It took forever but finally the bird-tree one found a lady who probably completed her collection with it. I may keep the cat-apple.

A tiny skirt found a tiny waist. Another thing out of my fall 2015 clothing haul.

This Mexx blouse almost sold on line up to three times I think. Got tired of that and was sure to sell it at first try in person. Can’t remember when I found it. It was stored over winter in my co-pickers warehouse.

Ikea ‘battery box’ vase, as we call them in Dutch. Surprised I sold a set of them on line in 2014 and again this one went at second try. Just glad glad glad not to have to pack up the heavy thing again.

I just looked them up and realized they hadn’t made it to the blog yet. They went after three weeks. I had forgotten that too. Maybe they are more popular than I think. But my market price was better!

The same day I shot this Ikea wall lamp. Had forgotten that as well, but I remember well selling it at the beach venue later that month. Picked up from across the street I’m sure too.

Another pair of cheap sneakers. I’ve got one pair to go now that nobody looked at so far. They are destined for free pick-up center I’m afraid.

A silly craft basket. I found it coming home from free pick-up center with yarn leftovers still in it. And a hook! I thought the thing looked ridiculous but my friend loved it. But then that’s her colour. To a neighbour vendor, but she bought it for herself. She had been looking at it all day before taking it while we were packing up.

Last for today: block candle holder. Parked neatly at the dump across the street, new in box. Probably from an employer’s Christmas gift box. The inedible things from them are invariably tasteless. I can understand they threw it out. I’ve done it in my days when I could afford to do so. Glad somebody liked it. 

Rob & Coen’s Car Boot Sale

A week after our second sale at the mall we went to check out a new venue by the river IJ and had a great view over the water. Unfortunately the crowds failed to flock in. There was competition from two other markets in town, one that we used to love but was booked full and the IJ-hallen which is in the same part of town.

So we didn’t do well. I sold 11 items in total so imagine. Still want to show the unsuccessful listings I got rid of.

The only piece of clothing that went, one more H&M out of the big suitcase. To our neighbour’s wife, the owners of the stock of books and records in the first picture.

A souvenir bottle opener from Disney World. Out of the emigrant’s kitchen drawer. Obviously he visited the US before moving over definitively.

A funny name sign. To a guy who’s friend Edwin just moved to a new house.

But this necklace of semiprecious stones saved the day. I had intended to list it on Etsy but never did. It’s a kind of strange random collection of beads on a string and I doubted if anyone would fall fort it. It was my most valuable item, a man bought it for his son who was going to redo it.

Mainly thanks to this I came home with a little extra money in my pocket. Still we decided we like this place. We love the view. The man behind it is very nice. He gave all vendors a little discount for the lack of visitors. We don’t have to book in advance. So if it rains we just don’t go. There was a dj who played nice old music. 

It’s a shorter ride than the one we couldn’t book for and we’ve had very bad days there as well. I will also not miss the sand and uneven display surface of that place. This photo is from years ago and the water in the background has been turned to land and is now a building site.

If it's up to me we don't go back here. The mall though is the best place so far. More about that soon.

More Fun At The Markets

Half June we went back to the mall. It was a lovely half cloudy day so we were on the rooftop and it brought in even bigger crowds.

Here are some unsuccessfully listed curb finds that I got rid off.

Thick polka dotted party candles, from a suitcase across the street.

If I remember well this handbag came from the same haul. Brand new just not too attractive.

As well as these cheap Victory sneakers. Can you see the original price?

More thick candles, from the emigrant's posessions.

And from the same loot, ergonomic Joseph & Joseph strainer.

A four liter plastic jug, made in Mexico. Found across the street last September.

Last but not least a set of handmade Mediterranean candlesticks. I'm not sure about the origins but I'm thinking Greece. Not my taste but I do like the little deer and bird. Brought home by the Man in December.

My focus is totally on the outdoor sales now. I love to see the stuff going and hope to sell out this summer, so I can start listing new things in September. We already did two more car boot sales, hope to come back on it soon.

Car Boot Sale Akerpoort

I’ve been busy, very busy. First, half April I started sorting stuff and packing for the first big street sale opportunity, the flea market on our national holiday, King’s Day. But rain was predicted, it was cold and we never went. Then the rain failed to appear and I was a bit cross with my friend that she chickened out, but it was still very cold.

Not listing a lot slowed down sales, but I still closed the month best of 2016 so far.

Pretty happy to get rid of the Royal Darlington coffee cups and the Dutch vases to one buyer, so it all went in one box and left my house in one go. The deal wasn’t great, but decent enough.

Then May started in warm weather which is not good for sales. People are having fun outdoors. I started sifting through my seven bags again, taking out all that I deemed not good enough for the car boot sales. That’s all we will have the rest of the season and we can only fit in 4-5 bags in the car each. At King’s day we are nearby her house and she can go back home for a second load while I start selling.

I brought the surplus to the free pick-up center. It took me about five bicycle trips, one every other day. It wasn’t a punishment with the pleasant weather. Not bringing back a lot to sell I was left with five bags for the next sale.

In the meantime I took the opportunity to do some gardening.

Green beans are coming up.

Bell peppers from last year that survived the winter indoors are growing some fruits already.

Radishes will be ready to eat within a few weeks.

May promised to be an absolute low, and I was glad my friend finally booked for the event, then I had a big score. Across the street I picked up a pair of EUR 389 Italian men’s shoes. Being a small size I didn’t have too high hopes though.

In 2014 I failed to sell this fine pair the same size on line and I flogged them at a market.

But I wisely removed the sticker with the outlet price before listing my pair of Santonis.

Well, I sold them within 24 hours at EUR 75. I didn't think it would get better and accepted first bid. But then there was someone overbidding, but not too much. I was thrilled enough with my 75. Second time since August I made such an amount in one sale. It made up for the whole month and with just enough 5-10 EUR sales I was ahead of schedule.

Finally last Sunday was the big day. The sale was on the parking roof of a mall, a new venue for us in a part of town where we hadn’t sold yet. Then some rain was predicted again, but we were very keen on checking the place out and repacked a bit focusing on stuff that is ok to get wet. Early morning it was announced that they moved the show to the lower parking decks, so we were covered.

We had a great day. The ride was short and convenient. Inside we were competently guided to our place. Everything was very orderly. We were a bit late and the crowds were already circling around and started buying as we were still unpacking. That can be a bit stressing but I’m used to it since we’re never the first to arrive.

I had a lot of stuff that didn't go on line in the past 10 months. First out was my plastic bunny. It’s actually a lampshade, but I didn’t have the fixture and it’s cracked at the back. A recent find from across the street that I listed without much hope. Still I thought it would make a cute sort of garden gnome and that’s what the lady bought it for. I would have liked it for my garden, but my cats like that patch of grass and weeds.

Here’s Thomas enjoying some afternoon sunshine.

And Joey, my co-picker’s helper.

My friend sold my oven dish when I was looking around and priced it a bit too low in my opinion, but otherwise I might have had to bring it back home, so I said nothing. One of the duller things from the big loot, I’m glad it’s out.

This wooden mortar was listed forever. Picked up on the way home from I forgot what.

Four school notebooks. You get them new for next to nothing in packs, I got half of that. Not bad and a happy schoolgirl. They were in one of those suitcases I got from across the street.

Two skeins of finger or arm knitting yarn. From co-picker. Last sale of the day.

All the rest, mainly shoes and clothing I never photographed to list. I lost almost one complete bag but did not make a lot because I priced low to get rid of the bulk.

I'm looking forward to go back to this place soon. I had to leave one bag at home because the car was full, so if the same crowds visit I have enough new things to show.