Yard Sales Series - Part 1

Ok...I'm finally starting the yard sale series! It took long enough eh? In this part of the series, I'm going to talk about what I've found and give some tips for yard sale-ing.

I really think alot of people have the wrong conception of yard sales. They think yard sale equals junk and that's just not the case. Yes, sometimes there is junk but I believe most would be pleasantly surprised at what they could find. And not only what items you may find, but how little they cost. With that said, click on the slideshow below to see some my recent good buys:

Make your own | Click to play

I'm doing a palm tree theme in our bedroom and bathroom hence all the palm tree items! The items pictured in the slide show are just a handful of bangin' deals I've found at yard sales. I don't want to keep you here all night though. :oP

I've seen just about everything for sale: toys, furniture, books, cds, movies, kitchenware, picture frames, decor, collectibles, and even some unusual items. The list and possibilities of what you can find is endless.

Now for some tips. These are just things I do and guidelines I follow for myself:

1. If there are alot of sales it's best to organize them. Get a sheet of paper and create sections by the time the sale starts. A majority will start at either 7 a.m. or 8 a.m. However, you do have a few every now and again that will start at 7:30 or 9:00, etc. Write down each adress under the corresponding time that it starts. This may sound crazy but trust me, it's alot easier than trying to read small newspaper print. When you have them all in front of you in this manner, you can better organize your route. This way, I can go to the ones that are in the same area of town and then move on to another area when I'm finished. It saves time and gas as well. After I check out a sale, I cross it off my list.

2. Have somewhat of an idea of what you're looking for. Since I'm doing our bathroom and bedroom in palm tree decor, I'm always on the lookout for those things at any sale I go to. Another thing I keep an eye out for are Dr. Seuss books because they do well on ebay which I'll get to in the last part of the series. Those are just a couple of examples but you get my drift.

3. If you don't have a place or use for it, don't buy it. I know it's hard when you see something cool that's cheaply priced. But if you don't have a place for it, it will just create clutter and probably end up in your yard sale.

4. If you see something you really want and the price isn't what you would like, don't be afraid to ask the owner if they'll come down on it. You can either suggest a price you think is fair or let them suggest one if they are willing to budge. The worst they could say is no and a majority of the time they don't because they are ready to get rid of the stuff.

5. Don't show up any earlier than 10-15 minutes before the actual start time. Early birds can be a nuisance. I speak from experience. Usually, most owners are set up by that time and have probably already been raided unfortunately (for you anyway lol). It's a personal rule for me. I just think it's courteous and respectful not to show up mega early. It's easier to set up when you don't have someone looking over your shoulder trying to see everything you're sitting out to sell and asking you questions.

6. Don't judge a book by it's cover. Yard sales in nice neighborhoods may yield the nicest items, but don't pass up a sale because the place doesn't look good. I'll share my story. A friend and I were on our way home from yard sale-ing when we passed an old house that had stuff set out. It was an unadvertised sale and mind you, I didn't see anything from the road that looked useful, but I decided to stop anyway. As I'm looking through the items, I come across a Mary Engelbreit napkin holder (pictured in the slideshow). I couldn't believe it. My kitchen decor theme is Mary Engelbreit so I snatched it up. The sticker said $.50 but when I went to pay the guy, he gave me one of my quarters back. So it only cost me $.25! That was the last place I would have expected to find anything Mary Engelbreit. So check out every sale whether it's in a ritzy neighborhood or the ghetto.

7. To save time, make sure your car is gassed up and make sure you have plenty of cash so you don't have to make unecessary trips to the ATM.

8. Have fun! Make friends! I see alot of the same people every Saturday. I guess you could call us regulars. It's nice to chat with them and I find they are a hoot. I really enjoy my Saturday mornings out. It's nice to get out of the house and there is a little excitement in me as I drive to each sale. I get such a high on finding a good deal. I like nice things and finding them at rock bottom prices is the bomb diggity.

Stay tuned for Part 2!