Gone yard sale-ing

Text and photos by Erin Rhoda

     The past couple weekends, I went yard-sale hunting around the Midcoast area. I went with the expectation that I could stick to the main roads of Route 17 and Route 90, poke around a number of musty, throw-away items and be home in two hours. Needless to say, that was not the case.

Gail McDonald and her husband run an antique barn on Sennebec Road in Union. The unnamed barn opens whenever the owners are available.

To begin with, I found absolutely no yard sales on major roads. However, I did find plenty of handmade signs on Routes 17 and 90 pointing the way, over miles of backcountry roads, to someone’s front lawn or garage. This gave me, and would give anyone searching for yard sales, a great opportunity to see the countryside and to get off the beaten path.

     I’ve lived in the same Maine town for 21 years, and in the past two weekends I explored some roads that I had never traveled before. I also met a number of memorable folks whom I would never have met had I not wandered from the major roads.

     Also, while I did encounter some yard sales that consisted of a heap of trash at the top of the driveway with not a person in sight (three on one Sunday afternoon!), most of the yard sales I found were pretty tasteful. Now, I’m not an expert on yard sales, but, in my travels, I did meet an experienced group of ladies, consisting of a mother and two daughters, who go yard-sale hunting almost every summer weekend of their lives and who were pleased to give me advice.

     The daughters, who now have children of their own, told me that when they were little, each summer they would organize yard sales to earn their own money for school clothes. One summer, they sold a pair of 1925 antique dolls. Amazingly, more than 20 years later, their mother found the same dolls, still together and in good condition, at a yard sale in the same area.

     This particular weekend, the ladies had organized their own yard sale on Hart Road off Route 131 in Warren. They told me that the best items to look for are name-brand clothes, jewelry and antiques. But really, they said, yard-sale scavenging is more about finding what is right for you. Everyone’s taste is different and every yard sale is unique. The beauty of yard sales is in the surprise you feel when you find that perfect, generational item that someone else is willing to throw away, but that fits with your needs, wants and style.

     I was surprised and delighted when I found a small, high-quality yard sale on the Common Road in Union. Music emanated from a radio; the items were artistically arranged on ladders, tables and a clothes rod; and many of the goods appeared to be from overseas. My favorites were the jewelry, the deep-colored, sophisticated dresses, selling for $3 to $5, and the multi-hued, $4 sarongs. I asked the man why he was getting rid of such elegant goods, and he said that it wasn’t his stuff; it was his wife’s! It goes to show that, indeed, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. I bought a pair of beautiful silver and green earrings for $5. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough money at the time, so I have to wait for the yard sale to reopen, so I can return and buy a sarong!

     During my yard sale adventures, I learned that you never know what you can find until you look. On Main Street in Warren, I met a family who had gotten up at 5:45 a.m. on a Saturday to set up their yard sale. They were selling a dryer, a bureau, bikes, sofas, computers, a Christmas tree, mirrors and a PlayStation (and it worked!). Most of the prices were negotiable -- I paid $1 for a photo album.

     That’s another great thing about yard sales -- the prices.

     Farther inland, in east Augusta, I discovered a yard sale that is better defined as a give-away. I found a worn, wooden cabinet, and the man was so happy that I was taking it off his hands that he gave it to me for free. I brought it home, cleaned it out, touched up the edges with some paint, ripped off the top layer of plaster, and now I have an old-fashioned bookcase for my books that were previously threatening to cover all my available floor and desk space!

     Part of the appeal of yard sales is the uncertainty. There are no designated hours, and you never know if you’ll find 20 yard sales or none in a given day.

     In Union, on Sennebec Road, is an unnamed barn that opens whenever the owners are available -- they don’t have set hours. Inside, you’ll find an overwhelming number of eclectic antiques. My favorites were a beautiful, hand-painted mirror for $45, an antique Bugs Bunny jack-in-the box and some fancy, decorated matchboxes. They also have a large selection of glass figures, household goods, furniture and an old Maine State Prison jacket.

     However, if you would rather know exactly what yard sales are available, try looking in the paper, like The Courier-Gazette, The Camden Herald or The Republican Journal, for advertised yard sale dates, times and locations. Or, go to the Union Flea Market at the intersection of Route 131 North and Route 17. There you’ll find yard-sale-like items such as second-hand books, tools, furniture and a whole assortment of random goods, including swords for $35, postcards for $1 and a gorgeous, old tin jewelry box for $40. They are open Friday and Saturday, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.

     Or, if it’s clothing you’re looking for, try your luck at the Thompson Community Center Thrift Store on Route 131 in Union. Sometimes they have bag deals where you can fill a brown shopping bag with clothes for $1. They are open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

     Yard-sale scavenging is like treasure-hunting in more ways than one. While you may or may not find that inexpensive, unique item that is treasure in your eyes, you will be sure to create your own treasurable memories.

     Looking for yard sales is a great way to spend time with your loved ones, meet new people and explore an area that you otherwise might never have known existed. Even if an old, forgotten yard sale sign sends you on a wild goose chase for miles, you will have seen the scenic Maine countryside and gotten off the main roads. So next weekend, grab a couple friends or a family member and see what treasure you can find!