GARAGE SALE TIPS: How to cut out the middleman and find awesome deals on authentic vintage

Sure, you can pick up a cool old ladderback chair at your local thrift store, or buy a pretty pair of vintage brass candle holders online at Ruby Lane. There's definitely satisfaction in choosing well, especially when there are so many choices. But nothing — absolutely nothing — compares to the thrill of discovering an unexpected vintage find out in the wild. The good news is it's totally do-able if you know where to look.

ESTATE SALE TIPS: Search these three rooms first in 2024

After standing in line for seemingly an eternity, you're finally inside the doors of the Estate Sale you have been waiting for all week. Your adrenaline is pumping. You have no idea where things will be. Everyone is rushing around you in different directions. The treasure hunt is on... but where should you look first?

Garage Sale tips and a handy price guide to help you buy and sell seasonal items like a pro!

Heads up!  Saturday is the best day of the year to buy and sell seasonal items and I have a free Yard Sale Pricing Guide for you!

"Knowing what to buy is only half your job as a consumer. The rest is knowing when to buy it." - Kelly Hancock, Faithful Provisions.

Everyone knows to shop on Black Friday for the best deals on new Flat Screen TVs and most bargain hunters wouldn't dream of buying a new mattress on any day except President's Day or Labor Day. But that's retail. For garage salers, the best days of the year to buy and sell second hand seasonal items are

TIP: How changing course can take you from Garage Sale Zero to Hero

"Try this next time you go to a garage sale. I guarantee you'll get better results because I've proven it myself!"

~ Kristi Kirk Trent, Craigslist Garage Sales

Which is worse? Seeing another garage saler make a beeline for the check-out table clutching a contemporary oil painting you almost bought?

YARD SALE TIP: Do this if you can't take it with you

What do you do if your Yard Sale find is too big to take with you and you have to come back later with a truck to pick it up?

Don't Be Fooled! 21 Garage Sale Finds that Aren't Really Bargains

21 things to think twice about buying at Garage Sales

Cheap? Yes. But seldom are they bargains! These twenty-one items commonly sold at Garage Sales are often damaged, unsanitary or unsafe — and that could really cost you.

GARAGE SALE TIPS: That awkward moment when there's no dressing room

No dressing room? No Problem!

Don't pass up a pair of killer jeans just because you can't try them on at a garage sale. Use this clever trick to figure out whether those boot cut Seven7s will fit without ever seeing them on!

GARAGE SALE TIP: How to Test Pottery for Hairline Cracks

Let's say you find a piece of Fiestaware pottery at a garage sale that looks good except for one tiny flaw. It's probably just a little crazing, but you could be looking at a hairline crack. 

GARAGE SALE TIP: How to buy used battery operated devices without getting burned

Any time you buy used toys or other battery operated devices at a Garage Sale, there's a chance you'll come across corroded battery terminals which can be dangerous to handle. 

GARAGE SALE TIPS: Claim It If You Like It!

Don't let another Garage Sale shopper swoop in behind you and buy something you really love just because you're trying to get a better price by pretending that you don't want it!

GARAGE SALE TIP: Quickly spot chipped dishes

Garage Sale Shopping Tip: Catch chips or nicks that your eyes and fingers missed on vintage dishes or glassware before you buy them.

TIP: What's it worth? Use eBay tool to find a fair price

 Search Ebay's Completed Listings to Get an Idea of an Item's Current Market Value

(OKC-Craigslist.Blogspot.com) - Using Ebay's search feature to peruse completed listings (listings for Ebay auctions that have already ended) you can see what an item sold for on Ebay, or look at eBay listings that didn't sell to see why. Ebay's Completed Listings is a key feature that benefits both buyers and sellers, alike.

GARAGE SALE TIP: Turn Garage Saling into a Treasure Hunt for Kids

What can you do to make Garage Sale shopping more fun for the kids and less stressful for you if you have to drag them with you because they don't want to go on a full day of Garage Saling? 

TIP: Where to Find Really Cool Vintage Stuff

Love vintage? Knowing where to look is the key to finding cool vintage jewelry, books, clothes, retro toys, MCM furniture and vintage collectibles.

GARAGE SALE TIP: Use 'This' to Identify Antique Glass

While it's not the end all answer in antique glass authentication and dating, it is a good place to start.