This blog.
It amazes me sometimes.
I never know what’s going to happen next.
Maybe you feel that way too.
Some days I wake up and I don’t know how it’s possible that after 8 1/2 years of writing, I can still come up with something worthwhile enough for someone to read. Maybe I’m still here because I need you. Or you need me. I have no clue. But the one thing I know for sure is that the people who do read this blog on a regular basis, the ones that have been around for awhile, know me. And many times, in ways that surprise me.
Take last Saturday morning for example.
One Hundred Dollars a Month reader Stephanie left me this comment:
“Unrelated but I happen to have an estate sales notification for alerting me to things I am looking for ( aka wool and cookbooks) and although I’m in PA it alerted me to this sale which I believe is near you. They have a pile of wool….. looks nice. Just thought you’d like to know. https://www.estatesales.net/WA/Gig-Harbor/98329/1584708?highlight=Cookbook+Cookbooks”
I replied back:
“Thanks for the heads up!!! I might pop over tomorrow and see if the wool is still there {and for a lower price}. Awesome”
Fast forward to 9 am Sunday morning and I’m standing inside the home of someone I don’t know looking through their things along with about 50 other people. I assume this person has died and one of their relatives is selling the persons estate.
It felt strange being there, going through the belongs of someone {presumably dead} I don’t know, hoping to find something I might be interested in enough to pay for and take home.
Yard sales are one thing, but going through this person’s home and garage was a little unsettling to me. It made we want to cry. All of those things… they belonged to someone. Why didn’t this persons family want them? Donate them? Give them away to someone that did? It was then as I was standing there with all these questions swirling around in my head that I realized that I had never been to an estate sale before. Or at least I couldn’t remember ever going to one.
You can tell a lot about a person without ever knowing them just by seeing how they live. I had the feeling the home belonged to an older woman who had been widowed for some time. How did I come up with that? Well, for starters the entire downstairs was dedicated to her sewing supplies and the closets were stuffed with linens. No man would ever own 15 sets of sheets for a 3 bedroom home.
The garage had minimal tools, there were hundreds of cookbooks and the amount of figurines were astounding. And the VCR collection, I’m going to go out on a limb and say Grandma didn’t have cable tv. 😉 And this was the second day of the sale, I can only imagine what all was there on day one.
The thing that almost made me lose it though was the master bedroom. Or rather the dresser. My grandparents had the exact same dresser in their bedroom. And their dresser was scattered with old photographs, statues of Madonna and rosary beads too.
And then there was the pink ceramic angel ornament.
About 22 years ago I owned a kiln. I made ceramic ornaments and sold them at the local Farmer’s market and holiday craft fairs. I owned the exact same mold that made the angel ornament pictured above. Even weirder is the fact that I painted all the angels I sold in a light blue and pink paint. I even added a fine glitter to the wings and dress, painted the eyes in the same way and used gold paint for the halo.
I have no idea if this is one of the angels I made or not, but a year or two before my grandmother died, I decorated an entire tree for my grandparents in angels. Angels that I hand made. And here was one of the same ceramic angels looking right back at me. It was almost as if my grandmother was there saying hello.
So thank you Stephanie for thinking of me when you got an email notification for an estate sale offering cookbooks and wool in my neck of the woods {even though you live in Pennsylvania}. I wasn’t going to go, but changed my mind at the last minute, and I’m so glad I did.
Have a good Tuesday everyone. Hug somebody you love today! For me.
~Mavis
Em says
Mavis, I understand.
Thanks for sharing this post.
Brianna says
I’m assuming you found some wool to buy as I see it in your arms in the bathroom mirror. I go to estate sales on occasion, but the prices have gotten terrible if they are done by certain Estate companies that I stay away. Sometimes it can be sad to see what items someone had treasured and valued on display for anybody to buy. Sometimes it just stuff, but you see heirlooms or photographs and wonder why nobody from the family wanted it.
Jfred says
Hmm, I enjoy estate sales. I love looking in houses, and seeing what things people enjoyed and cherished. I never feel weird about it. But then….I enjoy wandering cemeteries with my kids and eating pizza in our car at a local one, if we’re out and about and need a quick break for lunch. I don’t find anything much sad about either.
When I peed on the stick that told me I was preg with our firstborn….I was at my inlaws and no one else was awake yet. So I grabbed my Bible, journal, a patio chair, and a blanket….and headed to the church behind my inlaws. The church people built them a new church, and this is the one they left behind. I sat on its front porch, enjoying my new knowledge of life inside of me while overlooking the peace and calm of the small cemetery there. 🙂
Rust says
I am glad you saw and felt this woman’s life. It adds to its meaning and importance. Your angel story gave me goosebumps for some reason …like one had come back to you. Wonderful post.
Sally says
Thanks for sharing, Mavis! Fascinating to have a peek into someone’s life like that.
Mary3 says
I hope you bought the angel and will hang it in your kitchen.
Tami Lewis says
Loved the post!
You are like family….I say Mavis or Lucy and my kids know exactly who I am talking about. I really enjoy your site and emails!
Vivian says
Sweet and wonderful post. Thank you. And now I am crying too
Lilypad says
I would love to go to an estate sale like this, but right now I don’t have any extra money ($7100 just went to my son’s braces/oral surgery!!) or extra space. I would also be sad to be in an old woman’s house like that, just because it would remind me of my grandmother. She’s been gone 21 years, and I miss her so much. There’s so much I’d like to tell her, and so much I’d like to ask her. Anyone whose grandmother is still alive—give her a call! Ask her to show you how to bake a family recipe. Have her tell you how she met your grandfather, even if you’ve already heard the story many times. Give her a hug from me! 🙂
Heather says
I would love to see my grandmas again. Grandparents are a wonderful part of growing up and having kids to share with them.
Jolinda Ruggiero says
Felt the same way when I went to an estate sale a few weeks ago. The husband had passed away 20 yrs ago and the wife just recently. It was the last day of the sale & the house was pretty empty. Took one last walk through the master bedroom & under a desk on the floor was the American flag that had draped the husband’s coffin with all the info from his military funeral. I could not leave it there so for $5 on this Fourth of July it proudly flies from my flag pole in front of my house. I will treasure it always….
Jennifer says
Love this!
Melanie says
Bless you! I love this!
Lindsey says
You sound like a really nice person. What a lovely thing to do.
Mavis Butterfield says
I love that you bought the flag and now fly it.
Jennifer says
I agree completely with you about estate sales. My husband and I have been to a few. I too feel sad going to them. There was one in particular that will always stick with me. I also could tell it had been the home of an older woman, probably widowed. What struck me the hardest was what I presume were the children and spouses. They seemed so distant, more interested in what they could make off the sale. As I walked around the home I saw all kinds of beautiful handmade items. Embroidered table scarves and homemade aprons, things that I just knew she had put lots of time and love into. They were just thrown in a box, without any care. I picked up one of the table scarves and I swear it seemed I could feel her pain. So, I said a silent prayer and message to her that I would buy as many as I could and treat them with the dignity they deserved. I know that may sound silly, but it was such a strong feeling. It certainly goes to show that what may mean the world to us could mean less than nothing to our loved ones
CA says
Any of you who have elderly parents should google something to the effect ‘Sorry Mom we don’t want your stuff’. Trust me the articles you will read are very telling. Jennifer, my mom and dad were shocked that most people wouldn’t pay top dollar let alone take items for free when they moved to an independent living facility. The articles are spot on, unfortunately.
Kathie says
I just went through this with my mom’s house and treasures. Why don’t the kids take everything? Because it isn’t possible. We live in Alaska; her home was in Iowa. I mailed home boxes and boxes of letters, photo albums and journals that she kept.
But the other stuff? Her treasures were not my treasures, nor did they have meaning for her grandkids. So we kept a few things and let the others find new homes, new people who would appreciate them.
I will ask my kids to keep a few trinkets in the family but not to have any regrets rehoming the rest. No guilt.
CA says
All estate sales are not sad. My parents (Ma, 94 and Dad, 88….and yes, my Ma says she’ a cougar) recently moved, by their choice, to an independent living, 1000sq ft. apartment. They took the things they wanted/needed for their move. We 5 kids, the grands and great grand kids took what momentos we wanted. Then we had an estate sale. While that sale didn’t garner much money it was a huge help to unload 65 years of marriage worth of stuff. After giving away to friends, taking items to the thrift stores, and throwing away tons of junk, the clean out is complete and the house is on the market, Horray! It was a monumental task! Both M&D say the move was the best decision they could have made and wished they’d done it sooner.So, don’t be too sad when you go to an estate sale. They are a huge help to the family left to deal with the stuff left behind.
Linda says
You have such a kind heart Mavis. I love reading your posts.
Heather says
I have a few boxes full of things I couldn’t part with from my grandparents. Lots of times fsmilies no longer know the names of people in old photos. My grandmother wrote a note on each picture and I treasure her forethought and handwriting. I use mason jars everyday from my grandmas.
Patty P says
When I was young and my great aunt passed away her immediate family (brothers and sisters) could not agree on how to split her items in the house. She had split all of her monetary assets in her will, but left up the contents of the property for the family to split up. Well, one of the siblings couldn’t get past the fact that he didn’t get the money that he wanted, and forced the siblings to have to have an estate auction. I was about 10 and it’s still one of the most bizarre and saddest events that I remember from my childhood…all of my great aunt’s possessions being sold in her front yard one by one…strangers trampling her beloved flower beds and bidding on items that had sentimental value to us. I have one item that belonged to my great aunt, a little porcelain horse that she used to have in her curio cabinet…that was the item that I was allowed to get out when I visited her house and I always looked forward to it. My sisters both have an item from the cabinet too that had special meaning to them. Anything else that my family wanted had to be bought at the auction. As for the disgruntled sibling, he got his money and never talked to any of us again. It was just a bizarre situation.
Gina says
There are no accidents. You are meant to see your angel. And your reader in Pennsylvania was the one to guide you there. Going to estate sales is just a reminder to me how the things here in the material world are not what we should be valuing. With that said, I have gone to a couple in my neighborhood. I have bought a few items from several neighbors who have passed on. I think it would make them happy to know that they are in my home.
Barbara says
Estate sales eight or nine years ago provided my husband and I many pieces of the nice furniture in our house. At first, I felt like you did going into someone else’s home and seeing their personal belongings, but, when I would bring the item home, I felt like the person would appreciate the love and care I was giving to their treasure-I was preserving it for them. Plus, the furniture has given me pleasure as I could not have afforded it brand new. Thank you for sharing your story!
Sarah says
My mother and I enjoy going to estate sales a few times a year. We rarely buy anything significant, but we love the time together checking out houses and looking at old, used stuff.
Things for sale often take us down memory lane and my sweet grandma is probably the one whose memory is triggered the most. I’m so glad you got that hello from heaven, Mavis. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Peggy says
I love estate sales. One thing is that you have to respect the house, respect the person. I hate it when I see people rummaging through without regard to the people that lived in or own the house. Often times, at least in my neck of the woods, family members already have claimed what is near and dear to them and still have bills to pay and an estate to settle, so having the sale is beneficial to them. 🙂
mdoe37 says
I’ve been to a couple estate sales, its a bit sad picking through someone’s belongings. I got into a home of a co-worker’s grandmother to look around before any sale took place and purchased a few items. But it felt weird opening her cupboards….
I also purchased a treadle sewing machine a couple years ago. The great aunt had passed with no children and a neighbor was trying to sell it for the great niece. I bought the machine and desk for $60. All of her sewing notions and tools were still in the drawers, no one had even bothered to take a memento. From the obit, I found out that she and her husband had owned a grocery back in the day. There were pin cards with the store advertisement on them. I told the gentleman to let family know that I would take good care of it. I refer to the old Minnesota as “Katherine” for her owner.
renay says
Mavis, you were meant to see that angel and that wool. God works in mysterious ways and sometimes it is just the thing we need to remind of us of something we needed to be reminded of, ie that could be your angel that gave that older woman such joy! It is a lesson that none of us realize how valuable our jobs, our hobbies, and our weird ways can impact others.
I do love estate sales. It gives me a window into another persons heart and home to see the things that gave them pleasure to collect and treasure. I do however feel sad when I see pictures left behind…
Marissa says
Eastate sales are sad, but I do find some great things from them sometimes. 🙂 I remeber when going to an Eastate Sale where I am guessing the daghter of her mother who died in the house was there and I was interested in her mother’s coat. But since I was told the mother was a very small woman, I couldn’t get the coat to fit me when I tried it on. I told the daughter that I would have bought the coat if it fitted me and that her mother had good taste. The daughter then smiled at me sincrely because I complimented her mother even though I was just there to buy things. You always have to remember that family members could be at Eastate Sales when they are happening, so it’s always good not to crazy with looking at another person’s loved one’s past belongings. It’s a sweet memory I have. 🙂
Torry says
My first estate sale, DH and I had just bought our house and we needed window shades, so my mother went with me to one near our apartment. I found some brand new shades that could be cut down to fit our windows for very cheap $5.00 each. I didn’t try to bargain and the woman said I was the first all day, so she gave me a deal!
My mother started to talk to the woman and it turns out that the estate was her sister’s. She mentioned that her sister had been a teacher and my mother asked her where. Turns out that my mother knew her because she taught at the school my siblings and I attended. My mother told her a story that the woman didn’t know.
Every year when the PTA would do the baskets for Thanksgiving and Christmas, this teacher would tell them not to worry about the stuffing, she would get it. Which she did…along with several kinds of bread, hamburger and hot dog buns, desserts, etc. Her car w3ould be so full that there was just enough room for her to drive.
The woman cried, because she felt like my mother had given her a piece of her sister back. And I learned a valuable lesson on what to say to someone who has just lost a loved one. A valuable lesson that I might not have learned with out that estate sale.
jessica says
You were destined to be there! My grandmother was diagnosed with Breast Cancer while I was pregnant with twins.. she refused to keep me posted on her treatments to protect me from being upset.. I would make my cousin keep me posted… She was in Fl when I delivered and the babes were 3 months old when she came home and got to meet them. She passed 12 days after they turned 1. After all the services the aunts and cousins met at the house to start to split up 50+ years of memories… I was still knee deep in the trenches of nursing babies and chasing a toddler that I was not able to go the first time… plus I was just too emotional….
The next weekend they were meeting I told my husband I HAD to go.. the night before I had a dream.. Grandma was talking to me and telling me to make sure I got the knives off the kitchen wall, don’t forget the pig and check under the 3rd floor bed for the toilet paper…..I woke and shared my dream with the husband and he told me to go.. I had to go!
When I got there I headed to the kitchen and found my knives.. still on the wall!! I quickly found my pig… a often used and well loved wooden cutting board… I asked my Aunts and they told me if I wanted them they were mine… I headed upstairs to the 3rd floor and looked for the toilet paper ( Gram lived alone for years yet still bought case load size TP at Sams! ).. There was no TP.. but under the bed was a brand new, never opened box with a large toaster oven… and I started to cry.. our toaster had died the day before.. and I truly wanted to get a toaster oven for making quicker easy lunches and snacks for 3 little people….. but money was super tight… This was Grandma taking care of me!!! No one had seen the toaster oven before.. Gram never had one in her house… It was meant to be…
Mavis Butterfield says
Oh Jessica. I agree. The toaster oven was meant to be. 🙂 Goosebumps.
KAYTHEGARDENER says
I hope that the wedding photo found a good home. It looks to be in the 1890s — 1910s??
Bobbi says
I understand the emotion of the first time attending an estate sale. There is a company in our town that helps families sort and price items for these kinds of things. I always go to their sales, and I’ve come to enjoy thinking about the people who owned the items and their lives. And sometimes, I imagine that I would love the people as well as their things. Perhaps more than the family who chose to sell certain things that they were NOT so attached to.
Gale says
My mother passed away and I was left to sell house and contents. My parents were heavy smokers so the entire house has to be painted and new carpet installed. We went on vacation for a week and when I returned, checked in the house and found 2 bedrooms, hall and bath flooded. The tank on the back of the toilet had cracked and as it filled up it leaked out. Plumber who fixed it has never seen a toilet break like that. I knew it was my mother. Now I had insurance money to pay for recarpeting house.
Mavis Butterfield says
Good Ole’ mom! That gave me a smile.
Deborah says
We will soon be dealing with the household furniture and all that was my MILs. We don’t have room for all the knick knacks that she had. We are getting some of her treasures, but can’t take them all. We will be having a sale in a few months. We are still going through everything to see what all she had. I have picked out a couple of items of furniture that she wanted me to have. One is an old Secretary desk. It is an antique. She had so much stuff. She also had a doll house where she made dolls and clothes for them. We have all the molds, patterns, porcelain doll parts in many different stages. Some are made up and dressed, and some are soft fired. Oh and a kiln, too. She made beautiful dolls, but there are so many, and I have three plus.
Lynn says
I had the same feeling with my first estate sale and was rather sad. The estate sales were much, much better 15 years ago. I could find more estate sales from the depression-era generation, and the prices were WAY better. The estate sales back then told very interesting stories, including the handwritten letters often found at them. Now the estate sale people have the internet and want top dollar, and sadly the stories told through the ‘things’ seem less interesting. Many of the estate sales today are from those that raised their families during the 60s and 70s and are now moving into nursing homes, so they have to get rid of things.
I enjoy your blog, Mavis. Keep on blogging!
Stephanie Croquez says
I’m so happy you went! This is also was a nice tribute to a woman none of us would know but had a few things in common with! I bet she would be happy to know it. I can also say all the comments were beautiful to read. Maybe it will also get the conversation going for parents and their kids.
Hope you got some wool!
Stephanie Croquez says
Mavis, I had to add – this weekend was my mothers 81st birthday but don’t tell her. I took her to a few estate sales in north NJ where they are happening all the time. I told her about your blog…. the estate sale, your first time experience and my mom remincesed about her first one feeling the same way but then taking me when I was 10 and how I would give each family a story and she said I always honored them. We then talked about the pieces we still cherish from these estate sales. This was a great full day conversation. Thanks for the wave effect. A delightful day!
Rebekah U says
Mavis – Loved this post. Reading it almost made me cry. My aunt has dementia and I had to sell her farm last year to fund her assisted living expenses. I am still dealing with all of her belongings because I just could not do an estate sell. I donated a lot, and I sold a few items, and I boxed some up to save. I am not sure why I saved so much, but I did. I have struggled with a lot of the things you touched on in your post. So happy you wrote this!
Heather says
I understand. I had to deal with my mom’s house and things two years ago. Since I couldn’t get the Estate company in her town to call me back and knowing that I wouldn’t be able to do it by myself I donated everything that we didn’t want. My sister and brother each took one tiny item. When I sold the house the buyer agreed to let me leave anything big that we didn’t want – couch, dressers, etc.