My friend’s mother had passed away and my friend had the unenviable task of sorting through her mom’s things. She had decided what she was going to keep, but now she had to price the remaining items, advertise the sale, and then watch as strangers came through her mom’s home and took them away.

I’ve gone to estate sales, yard sales, and garage sales (there are many names for them) all of my life. Some of the best things I’ve come ...