Car Boot Sale Virgin

On Sunday Mark and I became members of the sub-culture that is the car boot sale. As a self-professed hoarder I decided that I needed to cleanse my life of 26 years of impulse buys, unworn clothes, unused notebooks, all the awful unwanted presents I've had to endure and general crap clogging up my life while making some money at the same time.

Wake up time 4:15am Sunday morning.
We packed the car the night before and arrived at a pitch black field in Essex at 4:45am. Torches were essential. After being ushered in and instructed where to park we begin to empty the car and assemble the table and rail. At the same time other sellers started to surround (swam) us asking for specific items; mobile phones, costume jewellery, hand bags or perfume. If I said yes they started routing through my bags and car like a crack fiend to find it (this was rather strange and scary) I didn't know if it was a done thing or not. So I just watched to make sure they weren't jacking my stuff and let them get on with it. They were so excited it helped to hype me up to sell crap I would happily give away. The sun started to rise. But it was freezing. I bought two cuppa's for quid which turned out to be the best tea on EARTH.





The down side to the tea was needing to pee......In the port-a-loo......All I'm saying is that I managed to do everything with my elbows, I was not touching anything.

As the day went on we realised that the hardcore car booters came between 6 and 9am and after that the maximum anyone would pay for anything was about £2. We had sold almost everything we came with, noticing that winners were shoes, costume jewellery, electronics, accessories and general little crap like key rings. Someone even bought my half eaten tube of original flavour pringles. The take-homers were CD's, art supplies, and thing over £15.00.
I took a wander around and people were selling all sorts; from sofas to ceiling fans (I questioned how they checked it worked) to old remote controls. Generally everytime mark went for a walk
he bought something; like 7 rolls of masking tape for £2 or a faux-wood record box. I, on the other-hand was very controlled and only made one purchase of two crystal pear shaped trinket boxes for £1.50 (I do love me some crystal).

We were lucky being near the front, as it meant we could leave before 2pm, the ones further in had no chance of exiting the maze. But I was determined to sell a padded jacket I've had since I was 16. I wouldn't leave until I sold it. I went down to a pound, it was a hard crowd but I eventually shifted it at 12pm.
We packed up and counted our profits (over £200 between us) and headed for champions food; Pie & Mash at Robins of Wanstead which opens 7 days a week! Hash tag Winning.
Collier Row Car Boot Sale
Every Thursday & Sunday 6am - 2pm