This weekend my husband and I put together a yard sale. We just wanted to get rid of some odds and ends we have accumulated over the years. Overall the day went well and we made a few extra bucks. I have done yard sales before, but not since I have been in the Professional Organizing industry. My perspective has completely changed and it all became clear the day of the yard sale.

First customer of the day was a middle-aged man driving a pick up truck with his dog in the front seat. He had an Indiana Jones look with the hat he was wearing and the knife on his belt. We chatted while he shopped. I noticed right away there was no real method to his shopping. He picked things up, barely looked at them, and handed me his money. He walked away with some random objects and threw them in the back of his truck. Customer number 2 arrives. It’s the same scenario. He picks up a glass pitcher, barely thinks about his purchase, hands me his money and heads off. Throughout the day my own guilt began to set in. Here I am, a Professional Organizer practically giving away junk to people who are obviously pack rats or even hoarders. This goes against everything I preach.

I began to ask people who arrived if they were looking for anything specific. For my own selfish reasons it would have felt better to know if they were being more strategic and actually had a need. But, each shopper confessed they were pack rats and stop anytime they see a yard sale. None of them took any time to contemplate their purchase. Whatever they touched, they bought. And even more ironic… all the shoppers were men! When I placed the ad in the paper and designed the street signs I had a female market in mind. I had no doubts that we were selling to middle-aged and elderly woman. I was so far off!

So here is what it comes down to… I will most likely never have a yard sale again and I now need to start research on hoarders and pack rats to find out if most of them are men. I am totally intrigued.