Thift Shop Lesson No. 1: Tame the Pile

George and I slowly filled shopping carts with items, barely making a dent in the Matterhorn-like mounds. Periodically someone would take a cart and roll it to a room where the objects would be inspected again, priced and moved to the sales floor.

Another merciless weeding takes place there. Any clothing that's been for sale longer than six weeks is pulled and sent to a rag buyer. ("If it hasn't sold in six weeks, it's taking up space," Judy said.)

Every now and then the Pile yields treasure. For years, assistant manager Dolly Shie kept a little metal sculpture on a shelf in the office, convinced it was valuable but uncertain what it was exactly. Then a man said, "How much you want for the hood ornament?"

The hood ornament -- for a Pierce-Arrow -- fetched $800.

The proceeds are split among four area charities: the National Capital area of the American Red Cross, the Northern Virginia section of the National Council of Jewish Women, the Arc of Northern Virginia, and Service Source Inc., a nonprofit that trains people with mental disabilities and provides many of the workers at Yesterday's Rose.

In the 25 years since it opened, Yesterday's Rose has raised $3.5 million.

As I surveyed the Pile -- wicker baskets, baby dolls, a Candy Land game, a skein of purple yarn, an unopened gift set of Coty Wild Musk cologne -- I asked Judy if she ever wished they could whittle it all down to nothing, process all the donations and just sit back and rest.

Judy thought for a moment. No, she said. "The Pile pays the rent."

My e-mail: kellyj@washpost.com.