Grab bags

I know a lot of people love the grab bags/mystery boxes. But since I have so much stuff and I'm trying to purge and keep only what I will use and love, I'm trying to stay away from them.

I know that doesn't help but maybe someone will come on and tell you how to make sure you get some really good ones I keep hearing about the October Afternoon Santa Sacks, but I've never gotten any.

I have never had much luck either. Even when I did the Carta Bella warehouse box, I felt like there was a ton I would never use.

I think it comes down to 1) liking surprises 2) having an idea of what you might be getting (for a lot of companies that do this regularly people post hauls on You Tube. This is a good way to get an idea of what you may receive), 3) not minding if you get doubles of things and 4) not caring if something is not the latest and greatest. I have purchased a few of these from various companies over the years and I find the ones I like best are companies I adore like October Afternoon And Sassafras Lass when they were still doing them. I have received boxes from Maya Road and Pink Paislee that were good value, but had things I had no interest in. My advice would be know your product before you jump on board. I would definitely get boxes from October Afternoon again because I love everything they do, they are a fabulous value, and I don't mind if I get doubles. I would probably try a box from Webster's Pages (they do them a couple of times a year usually) because they have been kitting it out of the park with their collections lately.

I bought a Bella Blvd warehouse box and was not disappointed.

I love almost everything Bella puts out so it would have been difficult to disappoint me.

I've given up on them. I don't like surprises.

I used to be the grab bag queen! We had two LSS that sold mystery boxes and brown paper bags filled with odds and ends. I would buy one every time they put them out. All was good because the one LSS would hold "garage sales" twice a year and I would always get a table and sell everything I didn't want to keep. Now both LSS are closed. I now have to be much more selective in what I buy as I don't have an easy way to get rid of the things I don't want. I've bought two Webster's Pages but I don't buy them anymore as I have enough and I have some things I know I will never use. I bought Santa Sack #4 from October Afternoon this year. I had skipped last year. I love everything October Afternoon so that was a good purchase.

I told myself to never buy another box/bag of random stuff from different companies. I recently fell off the wagon and bought one from Peachy Cheap. The value was great but unfortunatly more than half of the stuff I won't use and I don't know what to do with it. I'm kicking myself for getting sucked in.

I think if you buy from a company that you love then the box should be ok. The radom boxes of stuff from different companies is what I've learned not to buy anymore. More correctly, re-learned not to buy.