I am an avid yard saler, I love it! I have been doing as long as I can remember. I remember when I was in grade school, there was a whole sign that said, “we negotiate”. I asked my mom what negotiate meant and she told me that I could ask down the price. I had a $1 Boggle game in my hand and I went and ask for $.50 for it. 🙂 Ever since then, I’ve been negotiating and getting good deals at yard sales. This summer I have gotten a TON of great things. I have been going almost every Saturday morning and it seems like I find something great every time.
Here is just a few things that I have found this summer:
Bookshelf for $5.
All I did was painted the bookshelf with a fun purple color and then added some vinyl flowers and butterflies to it. I didn’t sand or prime the bookshelf (I’m sure people would recommend it). I put on three coats of paint.
Dresser for $5. Lamp for $5.
I spray painted the hardware purple and then added some vinyl to the dresser. Very easy and cute! I just spray painted the base of the lamp pink to match the room.
Shoes for me. Sandals were $.50, heels were $2.
I love getting shoes from garage sales. I just disinfected them really good and they are good to go!
Dresser for $10. The three end tables were all for $15.
I just recently redid the dresser (that’s coming this week).
I just spray painted the tables.
Chair $5, cake stand $2, mirror $.50 and squares shelves for $1.
I recovered the chair with some awesome fabric using a staple gun and a glue gun. For the square shelves, I just spray painted them (I love spray paint).
Play car $7. Shoes for $.50.
Here are a few things that I do to find such great deals:
1- See the potential of everything. It’s amazing what paint can do to something. If it’s in good shape, the right size and what I’m looking for, then I get it.
2- I go out around 8:00 am. The best stuff goes first, so you need to get out early.
3- Don’t be afraid to negotiate the price. I have found that people are usually willing to go down a couple dollars.
4- Within 2 minutes I can tell if they are priced to sale or priced to make money. When they are priced to make money, then I look but don’t buy anything else it’s exactly what I’m looking for.
5- Kids’ clothes are a great deal at yard sales. I usually pay $.50 to $1 for things, depending on how nice they are. It’s amazing how much money I can save when I buy my kids a few things at yard sales and then I only have to buy a couple things at stores for back to school.
6- I also buy a ton of my clothes there. People either don’t like their clothes or they don’t fit. Whatever reason, it seems like you can find some really good stuff. I usually pay about $1 for things.
7- Kids’ toys, especially baby toys are easy to find and get good deals on.
8- Spray paint is a yard saler’s best friend. I seriously spray paint almost everything that I buy for my house.
9- To find good things, you have to be willing to look and really look. Dig through the clothes piles, go through the tables of knick knacks and things like that.
10- Don’t be afraid of a project. Every weekend when I go, I bring home some kind of project. Right now I have a lot more time than I do money, so it works out for me.
If you haven’t tried going to yard sales, you need to, they are awesome!!
AMEN!
Do you look online for the yard sales or the paper? Or do you just drive around?
I usually get a paper and look at them but because I'm new to where I live, I just drive around and look for signs
You've seriously got an eye for potential in garage sale finds, Kaysi! You've inspired me to dream bigger at garage sales and not be afraid of a can of spray paint!
I love garage sales! I need to go more often, but I don't get a lot of free time without kids and kids are the worst people to take to garage sales (even worse than husbands!)
Great tips!
Great tips, and awesome deals! I love those side tables!
Kaysi I bow down to your yard sale-awesomeness. You have done some really amazing projects for next to no money! I'm impressed, and totally taking notes.
I enjoy doing yard sales but I go through phases. I don't have much need right now but this made me really want to go out. This post really shows how great you can do. I love the upholstered chair and the tables! By the way… I like to skip the sanding too 😉
I feel like people have crap garage sales around here! You HAUL, girl! I'm going to need to try garage-saling some more — clearly I'm missing some gems!
I LOVE those little tables. Goodness.
Great tips and a great way to personalize your home!
I will learn your ways!! I am terrible at yard sales.
Good job! This is great, thanks for sharing. I've got a house full of stuff ready to paint, but keep putting it off because I don't want to spend the time and money to sand and prime everything. Now that I've seen what your bookshelf looks like without that, I'm super thrilled, and plan to just go ahead and do it!! 🙂
Great tips!