I have been going to garage sales and flea markets for years. First as a kid with my mom, and then as an adult with my own boys. Throughout the years, I have learned a bunch of tricks for how to shop garage sales and flea markets like a pro, and I’m excited to share my garage sale tips with you here.
I love garage sales. I mean, I LOVE them. It’s something I learned from my mom as a kid, and it’s something I’ve carried into adulthood. I find it so fun to walk up to a sale not having any idea of what you are going to find. While not every sale is a winner, I have found so many treasures at garage sales over the years.
Despite the hidden-treasure potential of garage sales, a lot of people get overwhelmed at garage sales or think they will only find junk, so they avoid them like the plague. Now, truth be told, a lot of garage sales do only have junk, but with a few of my favorite garage sale tips, you can maximize the awesome and minimize the ick.
This post is all about garage sale tips.
Garage Sale Tips: How to Shop Garage Sales Like a Pro
Tip #1: Plan ahead
Having a game plan and a list of sales you want to hit up can help you avoid driving around aimlessly looking for signs. Many people only look at the classifieds section of their local newspaper, which is definitely a great starting point, but if you only look there, you may be missing a lot of great sales. A lot of garage sellers (whatever, it’s a real term) don’t want to dip into their profits to advertise, so free sites such as Craigslist, EstateSales.net and Garage Sale Finder can be treasure troves of garage sale ads. If your town has a local website, that’s another great place to check, as are Facebook Marketplace and other Facebook Sale Groups.
Make a list of sales you want to hit up, in order. This could be based on location, what they’re selling, or other reasons. For example, if you’re really looking for antiques, you may want to put to the bottom of your list the ad that promises “lots of toys and kids’ clothes.”
Tip #2: Know your neighborhoods
As a general rule, the older and more well-established a neighborhood is, the more likely you are to find older and antique items. However, that doesn’t mean that you should discount newer neighborhoods or even apartments. You truly never know what you’re going to find.
Tip #3: Bring small bills and change
Be sure to bring cash – including change and small bills. A well-prepared garage seller will have change, but not all sellers are well-prepared. And even if they do have change, they’re going to get irritated when you whip out a $20 to pay for an item that costs a quarter.
Tip #4: Make a list
Before you go, jot down a few things you’d love to find. Yes, they’re garage sales, so in all likelihood you won’t find every one of the items on your list, but maybe you’ll get lucky.
For example, when I was planning my sons’ room, I saw this baseball wreath tutorial, which I loved. However, we did not have 15 baseballs lying around, so I decided to try a garage sale. And wouldn’t you just know it, the first sale we went to had a huge basket of baseballs and softballs for $.50 each.
I like to keep an ongoing list on my phone, in the Notes app. That way, I know I’ll always have my list with me. If you’re looking for furniture, add in the dimensions of the space you’re trying to fill as well. And throw in a tape measure so you can make sure that piece you’re eyeing will fit where you want it to! (The one linked below is tiny, so it fits in your purse or pocket!)
Tip #5: Go early
A garage sale typically begins around 8:00 a.m., and a lot of the best items will sell quickly. So going early can help make sure you’re getting first dibs. (NOTE: By “early”, I don’t mean before the sale starts. Please don’t do that. No one likes that person.)
There is an exception to this rule, and that’s if you’re looking for furniture or if you’re hoping to negotiate. (See tip #6 below.) Sellers will likely be more willing to negotiate better prices later in the day, when the traffic has slowed down and they are just trying to get rid of what’s left.
Tip #6: Negotiate
If you really love an item but don’t want to pay the marked price, ask the seller if they’d be willing to take a lower price for it. Once you’ve selected a few items, you could also ask if they’d take a lump sum for all of them that is lower than the total of the marked prices.
Start by asking if the prices are firm. If the seller indicates that they’re willing to make a deal, then you can respectfully offer a lower price. But be polite and be reasonable. For example, don’t ask if they’ll take $1 for something marked $10. If you’re nervous about insulting the seller, you could always say something like, “What’s the lowest price you’ll take for this?”
If you’re at a sale early and a seller doesn’t want to part with an item for a lower price, ask them if they’ll take your number and call or text you if it’s still there toward the end of the sale. A lot of times, sellers are hoping to get a decent price for an item, but later in the day, they just want to get rid of it. If you’re unwilling to give out your phone number, you could also just swing back around toward the end of the sale and see if it’s still there.
Tip #7: Have some imagination
Look past the chipped paint, ugly upholstery or layers of dirt and try to imagine what a piece would look like with a bit of work. If you need some inspiration, head over to Pinterest or Google and do a search for “furniture makeovers” or “thrift flips”. You would be shocked at the power of spray paint.
So there you have it: my best garage sale tips. Hopefully you have learned some things that will help you get some amazing deals the next time you go to a garage sale or flea market!
This post was all about garage sale tips.
While my husband is a veteran garage saler of a garage saling family, I didn’t grow up that way. My mom hates them. I, however, am getting pretty good at the whole thing. I don’t know why having a wish list if stuff I’d like to find for various projects has never occurred to me. Thanks for the good idea! Starting a list now!
What a great idea! I often get overwhelmed when I go to garage sales or flea markets. If I had a list it would be much easier! Happy SITS Day!