Friends, the weather is getting warmer, which means Yard Sale Season is upon us! Hooray!
Yard sales are such a fun way to spend a Saturday morning. Driving around cute little neighborhoods looking for treasures is the perfect start to the weekend. And the thrill of the hunt is so exciting! You never know what you will find at a yard sale. Instead of having a specific list of items in mind for what you will discover that day, you get to experience the joy of surprise as you see what sorts of things people are selling. It really stretches your creativity to imagine how you can repurpose different items or restore them to their former glory. And it is one of the best ways to stretch your dollars! Yard sales tend to have extremely reasonable prices, so if your budget is tiny, this is a great way to shop.
Grab a friend and find some vintage treasures at a yard sale!
Here are a few of my best tips for finding amazing yard sale treasures!
- Carry cash in small bills. It isn’t a good idea to negotiate a price from $10 down to $5 and then hand the seller a ten dollar bill and ask her to give you change. I always carry lots of fives and ones, plus some coins, just so I can give the seller the exact dollar amount.
- Dress comfortably, and perhaps not in your fanciest attire. It’s kind of hard to barter a price down when you look like you spent tons of money on your outfit. First impressions matter, and they can subtly influence a seller’s thinking. Wear comfy shoes, bring a hat and sunscreen, and wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. I’ve climbed through a lot of barns and garages on yard sale days, and it’s much easier if you are not wearing a cute sundress and sandals! Trust me on this. I speak from experience.
- If you are looking for larger pieces bring a tape measure, furniture blankets, bungee cords, detailed measurements for any projects you are working on, and the biggest vehicle you have access to. I always save measurements on my phone of rooms I’m working on so that when I come across a dresser or piece of art I can check if it will fit the space. I also toss a few empty boxes in the van to take with me to hold some of the smaller treasures I find. We always seem to have an empty diaper box at our house waiting to be recycled, and those things are sturdy!
- Don’t be afraid of a little dust! When people find out that I’ve purchased many of the items in our house at a yard sale, they often sigh and say, “I never find anything good at yard sales….” But friends, you have to have your “potential goggles” on when looking for good deals. Most of the treasures that I buy are covered in dust from years of sitting in an attic or basement. Sometimes an item is in pieces in a box. Things that I buy rarely look shiny and sparkly when I find them. And that works to my advantage. Sellers are often motivated to give me a good price on something that has been sitting in their attic for years, out of sight and out of mind.
- If you are looking for authentic vintage treasures, shop in older neighborhoods and rural towns. Talk to the sellers, ask to hear their stories, and share with them what you are looking for. It makes people happy to know that an item that was loved by one of their family members is now going to be loved by me and my family. Also, when sellers hear about our house project, they often say, “You should talk to so and so, they have so many things that you are looking for!” It is such an adventure!
- For the best selection, shop early in the day. For the best prices, shop toward the end of the sale when the seller just wants to get rid of what is left.
I found my crystal and brass chandelier in pieces in a box at the very end of the day at a yard sale. So many people had walked right past it without even giving it a second glance! Don’t be afraid of a little dust.
Good luck, happy yard saling, and let me know what amazing treasures you find!
Have a beautiful day!
Sandy
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