Sunday 28 March 2010

Giant Jumble

I don't often go to Jumble Sales, mostly I find the rewards are not worth the effort.


Yesterday I made an exception as this was a GIANT jumble sale


First there's the queueing - I arrived half and hour before the start, and there were already over 20 people in the queue in front of me.


That meant no peeks inside the doors to see what delights may or may not lay within.


Secondly the boredom - standing around for half an hour (or an hour if you want to be first in the queue) with nothing to do but wait is quite tedious and feels like such a waste of time. 



I usually chat to someone in front or behind me for a while, then eavesdrop on other conversations.  This is where you normally find out about other fantastic sales that they attended and you didn't, but sometimes you find out about upcoming sales that might be worth a visit.


Even if they're ready, they always seem to keep you waiting until the very last second - something to do with insurance I've been told.

The doors open and a dilema - which stall to rush to first.  Even if you're the first in, within a few seconds the hall is teeming with bodies, if you don't get to that fantastic bargain straight away, you never will.


I usually rush to the wrong stall and find nothing worth having then watch others walking out with the things I would have bought.


But on a good day,  there's nothing better than rushing to the right stall and walking out laden with all the best bargains.  A rare occurance since the bargains are usually scattered around all over the stalls.  Fair's fair I suppose, everyone gets a chance.


This giant jumble didn't have much I wanted in the bric-a-brac department, just a few trinkets, but the linen stall proved quite bountiful.  A huge boxful of mats, doylies, runners, tray and tablecloths, fabrics and curtains.


I wasnt' quick enough to get the whole box, but managed to grab a couple of armfuls.  After that, I was fed up of the pushing, jostling, neck-straining and general lack of air and made my escape.  The best thing is you can come away with bagfuls of stuff and your purse not much lighter than when you went in.

Maybe I should start going more often!

13 comments:

  1. Seem like a great haul to me :o)
    When I 'did' the antique fairs some years ago I used to get some stock from jumbles, and once witnesses a 'Zorro' type fight between two women pensioners and their walking sticks in the queue!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Flipping heck, you found all that at one jumble sale? Thats fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mmmm I love a good jumble sale.
    You got some beeeeeeuttttttiful items.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi there
    I did 2 jumbles yesterday, first in probably 20 years and they were awful.
    One embroidered traycloth and a cardi for my friend Jane!
    How disappointing. Then to read about your wonderful haul....how lucky were you.
    It was better at the car booty today, I found some most beautiful 1930's diaries hand written, 6 years consecutively, with P&O maps & advertising. Having read them I wonder what happened to the young lady as the last one was 1936.
    Have a lovely afternoon.
    Tracey

    ReplyDelete
  5. You certainly had some fabulous finds!

    Jayne

    ReplyDelete
  6. Such fabulous finds!Love the teaa cozies! I've only been to one jumble sale and was a little shocked, all the old dears grabbing armfuls of stuff as if their life depended on it! A lot of snatching too. I did manage to bag some lovely bric-a-brac though!

    ReplyDelete
  7. You know, I don't think I've seen a jumble sale advertised for years, and when I used to go the collectors were allowed in first (ie - not me).
    Seems to me you were MEANT to go to this sale. All those lovely things you managed to get. I'm assuming the 'walking the dog' plate was in the haul. I love it! xx

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lovely stuff, I wnt jumbling on saturday too. Not a great one though, I got a couple of bits of linnen. Love your tips on quewing though.
    Luv Sophie xxx

    ReplyDelete
  9. WOW, well done. They don't seem to have jumble sales where I live, more's the pity.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I hear you, lol. We've held 2 at my church which did quite well, but I was so surprised when people started queuing, lol!
    Well done, you :o)

    ReplyDelete
  11. oh how i have a touch of jumble sale envy...no one does a good jumble like the brits..something i sorely miss here in oz..still i am there with you in spirit...hugs lynnie

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm still tortured by a jumble sale I went to years ago! Queued for hours and then it was more crazed than a Take That concert!!!

    Yours looks like it was worthwhile though

    Victoria xx

    ReplyDelete
  13. Onсe yοu knоω what's getting you clients and what is popular enough business to be ready for both, incurring losses as well as concession pricing lists.

    Feel free to visit my web-site :: wiki.dbjr.de

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comments - I am not always able to reply but they are always appreciated.
Lucy x