Garage Sale Master

Fail-proof tips for becoming a master at garage saling (new word, k?). 

Garage Sale Tip #1: Cash Money

Garage sale holders do not accept credit cards. And if they do, then you probably shouldn’t be there. Get your cash THE DAY BEFORE. Don’t wait until the morning of your shopping spree. This wastes precious moments that you could be sleeping (see Garage Sale Tip #3 to fully understand the importance of this). As far as how much to withdraw, consider what you need to purchase (see Garage Sale Tip #6 for how to put together your list and why you MUST have one).

Garage Sale Tip #2: Scout ‘em out

Most people begin their garage sales on Friday, meaning their signs are hopefully out by Thursday. If you are one of the Chosen and do not have to work on Friday (not jealous AT ALL), then definitely hit the sales on Friday. If not, take advantage of the signs and go cruisin. Take note of any signs you see and the location. If you’re a boss, like my friends and me, plan a route that will hit the most sales.

You may also want to check out this website for garage sales:

http://www.yardsalesearch.com/

**Why didn’t I create this website?!?**

Garage Sale Tip #3: Get out of bed, lazy.

Friday night, 11:30 pm

Sr: Hey, are we going garage saling in the morning?

Me: HECK YES

Sr: What time are we getting up then?

Me: Ummmm…..

I love sleeping late. It’s my favorite. Unfortunately, this does not work in my favor on Saturdays from April-September (prime garage sale season). Thankfully, Sr., as in Señor, my handsome husband, is disciplined enough to make me get out of bed. He’ll even make breakfast. Gah.

Anyway, arriving early to sales is crucial. You want to beat all the other jokers, um, people. Most garage sales begin at 8 am, so depending on where you live, you need to be out of the door by 7:45* No worries though. You can go in t-shirts, sweats, whatever. The garage sale community accepts you as you are (unless you wear heels, then you will be judged severely).

*Some people will open before 8 (even if the sign says 8). BEWARE: They may not have everything out, which could mean you miss out on something super-duper excellent. Is that a risk you’re willing to take? Not me. Although that’s mostly because I can’t get up on time.

Garage Sale Tip #4: Drive-bys

Just as the name suggests, I’ll often do a drive-by before getting out of the car. Again, this is very risky. You may miss something awesome, like that lone Michael Jackson CD. Or, as is most commonly the case, you’ll avoid getting out for baby stuff. Nothing wrong with baby stuff, but since I have no kids, this is not my favorite sale to stumble upon. Drive-bys afford you the opportunity to avoid getting out of the car, walking to the single table they have out, and trying to get out of buying that $2 lemonade ($2!?!?! WHAAAATT? Yep. It happened). There’s something slightly uncomfortable with walking away empty handed, too. Like saying “I hate your trash.” I mean, it shouldn’t bother me. It’s okay to not need an Alladin VHS.  Or a food processor from the early 90’s (we already have one, duh). I try and counter that feeling by being overly friendly. “Have a great day! Good luck! Thank you! You’re wonderful!” It seems to work for me.

Torture device, sometimes used for cooking. Bought at garage sale for $10. A little steep, I know. I was a rookie, don’t judge.

Garage Sale Tip #5 Purpose-driven Purchases

Make a list. Make a list. Make a list. Walk through your house. Make a list of things you need. Chances are, you could get these at a garage sale. Scroll through your Pinterest board project ideas. Add those items to the list. I keep mine in my phone so that I always have access to it (you know I’ll lose a paper list in 3 seconds).

My go-to list for garage saling. I read this on the morning of to anyone that is going with me so they can be an extra set of eyes.

Once you have your list, think about how much cash you would need to purchase your goods. Do not withdraw too much or you may go insane buying every knick-knack, doily, and John Grisham book known to man. Seriously, watch out.

If you have friends going with you, tell them what’s on your list. Encourage each other to stick to the list. Buying something you don’t need is stupid. And wasteful. And most people don’t want to have garage sales. They’re a lot of work. And it’s usually hot. That’s what will happen to you, however, if you do not shop with a purpose (this principle reaches far beyond garage saling).

Finally, it’s okay to occasionally buy beyond the list. For example, I didn’t think I needed this cute organizer, but when I saw it for $5, I knew. That will happen to you. It’s okay. Embrace it. But if you cannot think of an EXACT purpose right then, don’t buy it. Deal? Deal.

$5 at garage sale=no more mail on my table, counters, passenger seat, etc.

I added these labels that say “READ,” “ACTION,” and “FILE.” We have reminders in our phone to clean out the organizer every Sunday night so that it doesn’t become what we formerly called this area, the Black Hole.

Garage Sale Tip #6- Haggle

Talk ‘em down. If that chair is priced at $20, ask $10. They probably won’t take it, but who knows?! Maybe they hate that chair. Maybe that chair is literally an eyesore (that you can fix up with your super craftiness, of course!). Or, they may not take $10, but will accept $15. It never hurts to try** If you’re offering below the price, try and have exact change in hand. Holding out a $10 bill is screaming “I have money and I’ll pay now!!” It may work, it may not. If it doesn’t, you have to decide if you want it bad enough. I go either way. Sometimes, it’s just perfect and I’m likeokayiwanteditreallybadanyway. Other times, I balk at the price. $2?!? You won’t take $2 for this?” I never really say it, but I think it in my head. Not nice, I know.

**It hurts a little, at first. At first, I would get Sr. (husband) to haggle. Then, I decided I needed to join the cool club. I mean, it couldn’t be thaaaat bad, could it? Nope. It’s not.

Ultimately, you have to know when to walk away. You need some willpower. Resist the urge to purchase something that is overpriced. You may be asking, “but it’s a garage sale! How could it be overpriced?” Well, it just can be. Many people are emotionally attached to their items. Some people remember exactly how much they paid for it in 1999. “I bought that sofa for $800 so you’re really getting a deal at $500!” Maybe. But you can do better. It will require patience, and some of your Saturday morning, but you’ll find that perfect coffee table. I know it.

My perfect coffee table that I bought for $10 at garage sale.

Do you have any garage sale tips you live by? Any horror stories? Do tell.

-Tea