Hello from The World’s Longest Yard Sale…while you’re reading this, I’m out in the country pickin’ at endless yard sales! It seemed fitting to share a couple of yard sale or garage sale tips with you today. Let’s kick off the very first Friday Five, where I’ll share five yard sale tips so you can have luck on your next treasure hunt.
Like they say, one man’s trash is another’s treasure. That saying goes for me and a good yardsale. A Saturday of coffee and yardsales sounds like a good day to me! I’m a competitive yard sale shopper…for real. When I see another person walking up to the sale, I walk a little faster. I’ve gotta get the good junk before they do! I watch the other shoppers to see if they put down something cool so I can get first dibs. I get excited when I see a sign for a yard sale and I wonder what they’ll have… I’ve even been known to hit up random yard sales while we’re out of town. I can’t pass up the chance for unique finds! I’ve got my yard sale game figured out and I’m sharing my yard sale tips with you today.
The Pros Guide to Yard Sales:
- Make a plan of yard sales to shop at. Search for yard sale listings in your area. You can search Craigslist, Facebook groups or estate sales online. There’s even apps out there where you can search for yard sales in your area such as Garage Sales by Map, Estate Sales and Yard Sale Treasure Map. While I haven’t tried out the yard sale apps, I downloaded them to have just for The World’s Longest Yard Sale!
- Decide a route and which neighborhoods you want to shop in. Older neighborhoods are my favorite places to stop at because they’re more likely to have more vintage and unique pieces. Younger neighborhoods will probably have more baby items and toys.
- Make a list of your stops. Usually estate sales, multi-family yard sales and church yard sales are the best ones to stop at because they’ll have more items to pick from. I love a church yard sale because I know they’re raising money for a great cause such as missions or youth trips. At a church yard sale, I never try to haggle because I know they’re raising money for a good cause.
- Drive by the yard sale. If nothing stands out to you, keep going and go on to the next yard sale on your list. Mr. Sweet Southern Oaks and I do drive bys all the time when we’re checking out the sales. This will be a must while we’re at The World’s Longest Yard Sale because we will have a lot of ground to cover!
- Make a list of things you want to look for. If it’s furniture, have the measurements written down and bring a tape measure. For me, I always look for: furniture with good bones,pretty curves, or detail (wooden–not laminate!); vintage books; old suitcases; copper; old doors and architectural pieces; vintage Christmas decor and picture frames.
Bonus Yard Sale Tip:
While I love a good yard sale to help save money, there are some things I’d never buy, even if it was a great deal. One more yard sale tip: I’d never buy a car seat because you don’t know if it’s been recalled or been in an accident. I’d never buy a crib, mattress or baby bottles either… I mean, you just don’t know! I’d also stay away from appliances…. ummm, hello, the crockpot on This is Us! Enough said on that one.
Are you like me and love to shop at a good yard sale? What are some things you always look for while shopping at yard sales? Maybe you’ll find some of these yard sale tips helpful when you go out picking. Do you have another yard sale tip to add? If so, tell me your yard sale tips in the comments or on social media!
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Awesome article!
Thanks! I love a good yard sale!