June has got to be the month for yard sales. Recently I’ve noticed some very deserving charities are using yard sales in fundraising. BigHouse Foundation is having their second sale of the season tomorrow, June 1.

They had a rain out in May. As you probably already know, BigHouse advocates for, provides free clothing and comes alongside families who foster children in Alabama. It is an organization near and dear to my heart. In spite of the rain, they had a decent turn out last month simply because people are realizing that if BigHouse is involved, good things are happening. I happen to know there will still be some good items worth shopping for at their June 1st event.

I have attended several sales for more personal causes. It is so sweet and encouraging to see friends and family come together to donate items for sales in order to get an adoption paid for. What could be more important than that?

International adoption costs can end up in the thousands, talk about turning trash into treasure. One of my own daughters recently experienced a heartwarming moment while we shopped at one such sale. She was tugged by a tiny girl to the family trampoline for a few minutes while the parents talked. This little sprite had, in the past few months, been brought to her forever home from an Eastern European orphanage. She stole my daughter’s heart, and convinced me that yard sales with purpose are much more gratifying than just purchasing someone’s old vase just because it matches my dining room.

My hat is off to anyone willing to get out pre-dawn to set up tables of stuff before the early birds descend. I am not cheerful that early in the morning.

When these sales occur, it usually means someone has stayed up late sorting and pricing, and in my experience the sorting and pricing and setting up tables all seem to happen within the time I should have been sleeping. I have thought I would be more profitable just setting up a coffee bar for all the folks who are dragged out of bed to drive others around or accompany cheery, enthusiastic morning people, while they make the deal of the century.

Perhaps I’m going about it wrong. There is no law that says the hours of yard sales have to be ungodly. What about from noon to five on a Friday?

I have seen some of these and wonder if they are any less taxing on the seller. Saturday morning is the norm, but I have seen weekday sales.

These extended hours would probably put me under, but I would probably be better sticking with the one horrendous 24 with no sleep and then catch a nap later in the day.

No matter how you look at it, from selling to buying, yard sales can be both rewarding and profitable. If they aren’t your particular cup of tea, that’s fine. If you need to get rid of junk and don’t want to sell it, call an organization that can use it for good. Donate and get a tax receipt. That is always a win, win!