My heart swelled with excitement when I saw the long list of local yard sales that were listed in the paper. With the long, cold, rainy winter I'm ready for some sun filled Saturday mornings and for me that means yard sales from April-August.
Here's how I make the most of this season of sales.
First, I have a list of items that I'm looking for during the yard sale season. I used to do pencil/paper but now I have a list on my reminders app on my phone. As I find items I can delete them form the list.
Items on my list often include kid's clothing for Annika and Camryn. I buy up to 2 sizes too big at great prices and store them until needed. I keep an updated list (on my phone) of their current sizes, including shoes, and what items they need for the summer and also next winter. I used to not keep the list so detailed but would get sidetracked into buying more than they needed even though the prices were great. Space is at a premium in a large family plus I love the little kid's to not have too many choices. Last year in Pre-K, Camryn had 3 zip up jackets, 2 heavy coats, and a few hoodies. It was too much!!! When we have one of each we keep up with them better and keep them clean better for some reason. However, next year she's going to need a bigger size so that is now on my list.
Other items that I'm always looking for include vintage dishcloths, vintage tablecloths, handmade quilts, crocheted doilies, books, kids' board games, Little People toys, blocks, Legos, outside toys, white dishware, spoons, Vintage Pyrex, and Milk Glass items. Adding to my list this year are small household appliances, like Blenders, toasters, kitchen gadgets and utensils, containers for storing items, and other house items my oldest girls may eventually need when they move out on their own. I'd really much rather not think about or acknowledge that one year from now I'll be staring high school graduation in the face but I'd also love for them to be prepared, on a budget, and not tempted to rack up debt.
Second, I have a budget and I take only cash with me when I go to yard sales. I plan to spend no more than $100 per month. Most weeks and months it is much less!
Third, go early and go late. The early bird gets the worm and the best available items. But if you go late in the day you can find the picked over items marked down or the owners willing to take much less than what they originally wanted to charge.
Fourth, know which areas to hit up. Facebook and Craigslist are great for finding and then mapping your route to yard sales. Neighborhood sales are a favorite, since you can hit many sales in one general area.
Last, get a feel for the type of sale you are attending. I dub yard sales in one of three categories; one type is a fundraiser where lots of people have brought donations to sell. These are great if you are looking for a variety of sizes of clothing and a eclectic grouping of items for sale.
The other two types I think are more of an intuitive approach on the part of the shopper. One kind of sale is the decluttering/I'm getting rid of this crap sale. These sales are made by people who generally buy too much stuff all the time. They are always shopping and eventually get tired of their cluttery stuff and decide to sell it. They get all excited to recoup 5-10% of their original cost because it is going out the door and they can then go buy more!
The last kind of sale is the "I'm desperate for money" to pay a bill, go on vacation, pay for Christmas kind of sale. These people usually have about the same amount of stuff to sell as the others but they are not usually willing to negotiate on prices. They may even have unrealistic ideas about how much their stuff is worth. They may even get upset if you offer less than their original price. These are my least favorite to attend for obvious reasons. I tend to leave these sales fairly quickly.
I hope you enjoy this year's yard sale season. Use these tips to maximize both your money, your space, and your time!
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