Cabin fever took its toll on you this winter. You’ve spent enough time in the house to know that you can no longer stand the sight of that hideous green and orange lamp in the corner. You vow that as soon as you can afford to get a lamp to replace it, you will repeatedly run the old one over with the car. So do it! Do it this weekend! Because this weekend you are going to find that perfect lamp at none other than a neighborhood yard sale. You may call it yard saleing, garage saleing, or junkin’. No matter if you are on a tight budget or rolling in the dough, yard sales offer more than just a bargain, they offer us the opportunity to reuse (which is better for the environment), and we can find that one of a kind item that cannot be found anywhere else. Even if you are already a skilled huntress who possesses an eagle eye for handwritten neon signs while driving 60mph with a double macchiato in one hand, and a newspaper in the other, you may find some helpful new tips in the art of finding, and loving, all the junk you want to put in your trunk.
LISTS, NEWSPAPERS, AND MAPS
Preparation such as time management and organization is key in yard saleing. Here are some tips to help you score big: • At the start of your yard sale season, make a list of all the items you would like to find. Be sure to write the list on something you
will be able to keep in your purse, like a notepad, or make the list on your phone. If you don’t find everything on your list the first time out, you will need to refer back to it throughout the summer. • Check your local newspaper for sales, but don’t forget to check online too. Websites like www.craigslist.com or www.yardsalesearch.com are other ways people will post their ads. • Once you have determined which sales to hit (narrow this down by location, items being sold, and time of sale), it’s time to map out your route. Even if you have a GPS device, you will still want to map out your route the night before. This will help you figure out which yard sale you need to be at first and how much time you have to spend there before going on to the next. Also, it is helpful if you have the ability to preprogram the addresses into your GPS the night before.