Old Style Jumble sales

Austin_Allegro

Ones man's rubbish is another man's treasure or, 'we buy junk and sell antiques'

I do think jumble sales have declined in quantity and quality, I think boot sales, Ebay but most of all charity shops have caused this. If you can donate stuff at any time to a charity shop, you won't store up things to give to a jumble sale. Also, the decline in churchgoing means church sales have fewer people to donate items or attend.

That said, you do still get reasonably good jumble sales in London occasionally, my parents' church does one twice a year and rents out stall space to local people as well, so it's a sort of cross between a jumble and car boot.

Queenie

Some of the local school fairs include a White Elephant/Jumble Sale stall - it's not exactly old tat, but mainly the one place they can safely put much of the stuff parents "donate" and know they will be able to sell off.
As most of the items come as a "donation to the school fair" in exchange for their child attenting in non-uniform for a day, you can imagine that people's idea of what constitutes a tombola "gift" can vary quite widely And while not "gift" worthy as such, are still in good enough condition to boost the school funds on a "White Elephant" stall

Hospice type Fete's often have a jumble-type stall too but that I suppose anything not sold on the day gets recycled into their charity shops anyway.

Becles

They still have them at my boys school. They mainly sell second hand uniform, toys, books and unwanted gifts that parents have donated.

Sweet_Pea_2

Slightly off topic I know, but just read Becles post. My DD's school refuses to sell second hand uniform (they claim no-one would be interested) The caretaker was complaining to me the other day about the amount of lost property - good quality coats, wellies, umbrellas etc that the children leave behind (its an infant school so the children are aged 4-7) not of it name taped. Once a year the school puts out a plea for parents to come in and have a rummage for their childrens belongings, but most dont bother, so the caretaker puts it all in a skip. :eek:
I tried to talk her into taking it to one of the numerous charity shops, or get them to collect it, as Im sure the parents that are too embarrassed to be seen buying second hand uniform at the school would happily buy it from a charity shop. (I'm mainly referring to the school sweatshirts and fleeces etc with the school badge embroidered on which are expensive to replace)
It is a church school and the church itself holds regular jumble sales, I cant believe that the stuff isnt even donated to that.

Becles

Sweet_Pea wrote:

My DD's school refuses to sell second hand uniform (they claim no-one would be interested)

Tell them to give it a go. It is really popular at our school, especially at the summer fair, when people are thinking about new uniforms for September.

Someone washes any grubby items, and they are all pressed and packed in clear plastic bags, so they look as good as new.

If you have time, maybe you could volunteer to do this for the first year to see if it works or not at your school.

Izzy.

It could raise funds for the pta as well. Can some of the parents get together and organise it.

bratsmum

Sweet_Pea wrote:

Slightly off topic I know, but just read Becles post. My DD's school refuses to sell second hand uniform (they claim no-one would be interested) The caretaker was complaining to me the other day about the amount of lost property - good quality coats, wellies, umbrellas etc that the children leave behind (its an infant school so the children are aged 4-7) not of it name taped. Once a year the school puts out a plea for parents to come in and have a rummage for their childrens belongings, but most dont bother, so the caretaker puts it all in a skip. :eek:
I tried to talk her into taking it to one of the numerous charity shops, or get them to collect it, as Im sure the parents that are too embarrassed to be seen buying second hand uniform at the school would happily buy it from a charity shop. (I'm mainly referring to the school sweatshirts and fleeces etc with the school badge embroidered on which are expensive to replace)
It is a church school and the church itself holds regular jumble sales, I cant believe that the stuff isnt even donated to that.

How strange! Beginning of every school year most parents bring back the sweatshirts and t-shirts with the school badge on that the kids wear for special days (no uniform as such, just "rainbow" colours for the years), and there is a major scrum for them! I always help out at the stall so get first choice! And I live in a reasonably well to do area of London too. Funnily enough, its usually the mums you would conceive as being "well-off" that get the 2nd hand ones, then drive away in their 4 x 4 Porsches, while the poorer ones buy new.

Lost property is sent up the local charity shops at the end of every term.

nuttywoman

There used to be loads of jumble sales years ago, but i suppose charity shops have taken over.I used to love going for a good rummage, but some folk were really viscous, they`d think nothing of barging through you to get what they wanted at a pittance price.
The good old days,lol

Dazi

Have to say I havn't seen a jumble sale advertised for ages. Guess car boots and ebay have taken over.

When I was involved with Playschool/ PTA/ local danceschool we had loads, always got dealers knocking on the door half hour before it opened. We didn't let them in and then when they did get in..............:eek: don't get in their way. It was always a good moneyraiser as really once you paid for the hall, anything you took was profit, afterall all us helpers did it for love :rolleyes: and hoping for lots for the fund

Just looked through local paper small ads, as realised this would be good to get material - no jumble advertisted, loads of car bootsales though:rotfl::rotfl:

beemuzed

Jumble sales seem to be a thing of the past round here - even for school fundraising. We find that it's even less effort giving parents a bag to fill, bring on collection day and then we get paid by the bagful. However, no fun to be had in sorting through for bargains any more!