Yard Sale Like a Pro: How to Find the Best Deals
Yard sale shopping is an art. Or perhaps it is better described as a competitive sport. Because you can bet when I pull up to a loaded yard and see someone else getting out of their car, I start power walking. If I don’t get there first, they will buy absolutely everything I ever wanted at the cheapest prices in the history of yard sales ever and I will have nothing!
Ok, maybe not – but it sure feels like it in that moment! I used to be a bit fanatical about yard-saleing. I was out shopping every Friday and Saturday morning at 7 am all summer long. I would even try to find some yard sales to shop at when we were out of town. It was sooo much fun.
You see, I am an amazing yard sale shopper. Really. I have honed my skills for finding the absolute best stuff at the absolute best prices. For awhile there, when I was selling my wares at a local consignment store, I even considered myself a bit of a professional yard saler.
But then I had a baby. Who became a toddler. He is an amazing toddler, but he makes a mediocre yard sale buddy at best. He has got the early rising part down. But he really hates all the getting in and out of the car. Also, he prefers pulling up people’s grass and climbing their porch steps to actually looking for great deals.
So I’ve had to cut way back on my yard sale shopping. But, that doesn’t mean I have forgotten all my tricks and I can’t wait to dust them off at the upcoming 40+ mile yard sale. The Route 11 yard crawl has become an annual event I look forward to all summer and this year’s sale is coming up next week – August 9. If you live in VA, MD, or WV you have got to check it out. Forty miles of flea markets, parking lots, and yards full of anything you could think of. There are tons of vintage goodies along with plenty of the usual junk and some downright weird stuff as well. (If you want to know more about the yard crawl check out this post about my experience there and this post about my carload of amazing finds.)
And if you don’t happen to live locally, I know the World’s Longest Yard Sale is coming up next week as well. (Definitely have to make it to that one someday!)
So it seemed like a great time to share my tips and tricks for shopping yard sales like a pro. I originally wrote these a few years ago when I was yard saleing like a fanatic and let me tell you, I really knew what I was talking about! I recently reread this series and felt like I learned so much – from myself! (I’m going to say baby brain is to blame for that loss of info.) So if you are looking to score some deals, definitely check these out.
Shop Yard Sales Like a Pro: Have a Plan
Shop Yard Sales Like a Pro: What To Buy
Shop Yard Sales Like a Pro: The Nice Girl’s Guide to Haggling
Shop Yard Sales Like a Pro: See the Potential.
Enjoy! Anyone else heading to the Yard Crawl or any other big yard sales? What are your best yard saleing tips?
I used to live in ky part of that longest yardsale loved it and miss it now mostly get to thrift stores unless yard sale close by thanks for sharing the tips have a great day
Lorraine, how cool to live near the worlds longest yardsale! I would definitely miss that too. Where I live, thrift stores are good but I always find the best, cheapest stuff at yard sales. Unfortunately, they aren’t always the most convenient!
Who would’ve known that there were yard sale events! Ha. I would like to get into going to yard sales, but now I have a toddler AND a baby, so it’s just not gonna happen! Like you said, they aren’t gonna enjoy it and I would spend more time watching after them than finding great deals. I hope you can go to at least a few yard sales this year! I found you over at Thrifty Thursday.
Charlee, you’re right – going to yard sales with a toddler and a baby doesn’t sound like all that much fun. Even though I haven’t made it to a ton of yard sales this year, I have managed to sneak away to a few by myself. Even if I don’t find anything, it is so nice to have all the time I want to look!