One Woman's Trash Is Another Woman's Treasure

June 21, 2010

Summer is here, yard sales are all over the place. This past Saturday, I went to a few yard sales.

Yard sales are great to find things that you need that you don't have. The keyword here is "need".

Here are some pointers on how to become a professional yard sale buyer.

1. Go to craigslist in your area and look for yard sales that are in your area. Note that yard sales are usually on Saturday. There are some yard sales on Sunday, but sometimes they are carry overs from Saturday. So if you have limited time, just scope out the ones on Saturday.
   
2. Write down the addresses and the times and also items that they are offering that might interest you.
   
3. Using a mapping tool, I use Map Point by Microsoft, figure out where each place is and route it accordingly. The first stop should be the yard sale that lists the most things you need. For example, if you are interested in yard tools, go to that one first so that you get first pick at the items for sale.
   
4. Bring singles and quarters. Yes, people should have change for you if you hand them a twenty dollar bill, but it makes their life easier if you give them singles and exact change.
   
5. Bargain, but be realistic about at your price. For example, if a vase is fifty cents, don't try to bargain for that item. Know how much the item costs if you buy it new. Then bargain your way down to a fair price for the two of you.
   
6. Bring a basket or a tote bag for your goodies. Laundry baskets are great. Bring bubble wrap if you plan to buy anything fragile.

Be careful and don't overbuy. Temptations are usually hard. Ask yourself before you buy, do you really need it? If you need it, what would you use it for and how often would you use it. Discipline yourself. Don't buy anything that you say, oh, maybe I can use that, most likely, you will not use it.

One more tip, don't go with a friend, because you will probably end up buying more than you were expecting and you can't return it later. Also, if both of you like something, then you have to compromise. Yes, it's selfish, but you're on a mission here, so don't let friends drag you down.

Quilt & Bitch