Because I'm changing jobs and all, it was high time to pack my closet and clear out stuff I don't need anymore. Mainly office attire, as well as clothes I've out-grown (yes yes, go ahead and snigger).

Also partly due to space constraints, as I now have to share closet space with my husband and he (like all men) nags about how much clothes I have.

While packing I realised I bought many pieces of clothing because they were retro or looked special. Not necessary in my style. So I ended up not having worn some of them even once.

It was such a waste selling them to the karang guni at 20 cents per kg! So I decided to try my luck at the flea markets. Hopefully someone else will appreciate them.

I've trawled flea markets before and enjoy digging for gems. But selling is another business altogether.


My first attempt was with Flea.Fly.Flo.Fun, who proclaimed that they were having their 2nd anniversary bash. It would be better than their usual venue at Homeclub, which was an indoor-and-outdoor venue along Clarke Quay with walk-in traffic. This would be a bash at Singapore Conference Hall with lots of publicity promised. So I plonked down the $40 rent for my little stall.

I was disappointed and felt cheated on the actual day. Instead of a hall or lobby, the organisers had rented a longish function room at the side of the lobby. Which meant: narrow aisles, lousy layout and bad air-circulation. The crowds did come, but they could hardly stop at a stall to browse before the people behind pushed them to keep going. So a crowd was no use.

By the end of the event both customers and sellers were sneezing and coughing from accumulated dust from 2nd hand goods, as well as nursing a headache from the thumping techno music they blasted within the tiny room.

My grand profit after deducting rent and parking? $4.60.

I also got pissed off by my neighbours, a young couple. They took their own sweet time to come although it was a first-come-first-serve chope-ing system, then begged me to give them a little of our stall space. Eventually I did give a bit of my space, but then their relatives turned up and encroached even more into my stall, blocking off the passageway and any traffic.


I actually had extra space behind the pillars to put my 'lelong' bins, in addition to my stall. Ended up my stall became behind the pillars. Super pissed. If the couple's elderly parents weren't there, I would have exploded at them. Talk about being suay.


Attributing the first flea experience as bad luck and a fluke, I tried again at the next flea, this time with Flea_olics.


It was in tandem with the opening of S'pore Art Museum's new extension '8Q', and again promised publicity. The hours were also longer, and rent cheaper. I've gone to fleas at SAM before and they were good. So $35 plonked in.


Here I was happily setting up my booth, elated to have drawn a stall right at the entrance. Business would be good, I thought.


Here we were swatting mosquitoes. The only sign of life occurred when the church across the street finished mass and the crowd flooded the street. I sold a few pieces to Filipino maids, who were so excited to get my colourful clothes at $5 only.


Here we were at 730pm. What the hell? The organisers organised a night flea without providing lighting. Very smart. How to shop like that? The least they could have done was warn us to bring our own lights.

If I had not persisted til 930pm, I wouldn't even have broken even. Profit for the day? $3.17.

So I am swearing off fleas. Unless you're selling something that can earn you high profit per piece, it isn't worth it to invest the rent and time on fleas.

I also deeply suspect the integrity of some flea organisers, who don't have the decency to do a proper job after collecting rent from so many stalls :(


Copper loves nesting in my clothes, but unfortunately I can't stand the sight of them anymore. Brings back horribly traumatic memories of the two fleas.

The clothes are now with my mum, who will give away the good ones to people at her temple, then donate the rest to relief efforts. Good riddance! Amitabha!

Labels: Cynic In The House, Nostalgic Nut