garage sale safari

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• Jul 20, 2022

GARAGE-YARD-TAG SALE SAFARI SEASON

Updated: Jul 23, 2022

It’s time to don your safari jacket and scour the suburbs for valuable treasure. We’ve got four prime targets for you and your wallet.

* * * * * * *

Late-stage Baby Boomers (b. 1956-1964) are presently entering their mid-sixties, which, for our purposes here, means two significant things–

ONE, now that their children are (finally) out of the house, they no longer need quite so much living space and thus they are ready to downsize into cozier living quarters. And TWO, they’ve learned some hard lessons from their own aging parents– the “Greatest Generation,” who, having survived Depression-era childhoods and the concomitant deprivations, then devoted much of their sudden post-WWII financial comfort to becoming borderline hoarders and accumulating whole house-fuls of crap that had to be abruptly disappeared when they finally transitioned to assisted living. And nobody wants to be like their parents.

And so this final wave of the Baby Boom Generation is rapidly ridding itself of its own surplus possessions, which is one reason why tag sales (or garage sales, or yard sales) are better than ever. Another reason is that they simply don’t make quality stuff like they used to. Taken together, we have a tremendous opportunity to get some great things at great prices. Seasoned hunters always set out with specific quarry in mind, so here are four things worthy of a dedicated search:

Garden Tools

As discussed in an earlier rant, they’ve ruined the f-ing shovel. This is a fairly recent change, which means that there are still plenty of sturdy shovels (and rakes, etc.) in circulation that have outlived their original owners and are crying out for adoption. I recently forked over $50 for a brand-new old-school shovel… I’m guessing that one can obtain something similar at a tag sale for one-fifth that amount. Should you find an apparent treasure, be sure to check the wooden handle for cracks and confirm that it is securely connected to the blade. Most importantly of all, perhaps– for a proper frame of reference before hitting the tag sales, consider stopping by a big box hardware store to examine for yourself the comically flimsy excuses for shovels they now offer.

Iron Skillets

Behold– the greatest pan EVER, as it combines vintage cast-iron wonderfulness with sloping, flip-friendly sides, making it the ultimate omelet device. No, I won’t sell it for any price.

Iron skillet cookery has been a hip “thing” for a couple of decades now, and for good reason– there is simply no better way to cook your steak indoors, and it works well with a number of other dishes as well. It is therefore utterly perplexing to me that the new iron skillets we currently see in stores are pretty much unusable as sold– because they have a coarse finish (evidently from sand-casting) that defeats their purpose. You see, a proper iron skillet has a perfectly smooth finish of black “seasoning” (multiple layers of chemically inert polymerized lipids) that, coupled with the heat-retentive properties of the thick iron beneath it, make for a non-stick surface that fosters delicious browning like none other. And just such a surface is what we find on old pans at tag sales. Twenty bucks should get you a good one– just give it a good scrub, dry it, and then wipe it with grapeseed oil and bake it for a while. Repeat the oil-and-bake a few times. After a few layers of this, you’ll have a great pan that will last for generations. OR– you can buy one of those new iron pans for twice the money and painstakingly hand-grind it to smoothness.

Vintage 10-Speed Bikes

My ultimate dream machine– a 1975 Austro-Daimler "Vent Noir" in

Lotus John Player Special Black & Gold trim

Americans didn’t always go out of their way to exercise. Hell, back in the sixties, joggers were considered masochistic geeks, and sports coaches commonly forbade weightlifting because it supposedly made their players “muscle-bound.” But as the 1970’s dawned, the masses suddenly discovered the joys and health benefits of recreational running, weight training, and tennis… and also of riding a European-built 10-Speed Bike.

Peugeot, Austro-Daimler, Bianchi, Raleigh, Batavus, Motobecane… their names sound like the line-up at a 1960’s Monaco Grand Prix. These were the 10-speed bikes that joined the American-made Schwinns on America’s country roads as millions (myself included) took novel delight in shifting the Campagnolo derailleurs and engaging the Weinmann center-pull brakes as we gleefully glided for dozens of miles in a single day. It felt so healthy and so, well, European … which was cool then, just like those fabulous Adidas soccer shirts we wore around campus that screamed, “Hip Jock.”

(Don’t even bother looking… you’ll NEVER find one of these anywhere unless it’s a fake.)

Twenty-three pounds was a light bike in 1971. Since then, wider yet lighter aluminum tubing replaced the sleek and lively Reynolds 531 steel frames, and then carbon fiber replaced aluminum, at least in the upper price brackets and among racers. The current top road bikes weigh half as much as the originals and sell for about ten times the price.

Meanwhile, we 10-speed road warriors of the pre-disco ‘70’s are now forty-something years older and maybe that much heavier, and those steel-framed masterpieces with the contrasting gussets have been hanging from our garage rafters since Bill Clinton left office… and finding their way into GYT sales, making it a buyer’s market.

Keep in mind that you are essentially buying the frame, so make sure that it is your size AND that it is rust-free and undamaged. Removing the seat-post will give you a glimpse inside. If the front and back derailleurs both work, big bonus. You’ll probably need fresh brake cables and shoes, and perhaps new wheels and especially new tires. Don’t forget to consult your local bike shop for a butt-friendly seat that doesn’t feel like it’s slicing you in half. Vintage parts available HERE . Properly matching the components to your bike requires expertise, so bringing the frame to your local bike shop and having them completely outfit it for you would be well worth the investment.

Sturdy shovels… real frying pans… European bikes… great stuff indeed; but as GYT sale safaris go, those are merely small game. Wanna go after the suburban equivalent of an African “Big 5” dangerous beast ? Something that, like a charging African cape buffalo or bull elephant, could actually kill you in a momentary spell of inattention? You’re gonna need a pickup truck and an able-bodied helper, because we’re loading up our magnum double-barrels for the ultimate trophy, the great White Whale, the Holy Grail of the GYT sale…

Vintage Troy-Bilt “Horse” Rototiller

Make no mistake– vintage Troy-Bilt rototillers are constructed like Russian tanks and are accordingly heavy, ugly, and unwieldy. Electric start? HA! You’ll be sore in new places for a week after pulling the starter rope on this sucker. And yet, if you feel the need to transform a compacted expanse of rocks and roots into your personal agricultural bounty, you could spend $400 no more wisely than this. (Great video HERE . However, I do NOT recommend off-loading it from a truck like this because you might die.)

The reason that the 1970's models of the "Horse" are widely available is that they NEVER wear out. And trust me-- $400 for equipment this solid and useful is a steal. For comparison, the current new, state-of-the-art tillers are the Honda FRC800 (~ $3,000) and the Italian-made BCS , essentially the Lamborghini of rototillers and what they intriguingly call a “two-wheeled tractor.” It comes in models priced at up to $9,000… and you might as well purchase two, because that’s probably the only way you’ll ever get genuine replacement parts in your working lifetime.

If I owned a large piece of personal farmland (say, five acres) then I would certainly consider buying a new Honda. However, most of us suburbanites tend to require rototillers only for specific projects rather than continuous use. Renting one for a day is an option (not really viable if you don’t own a pickup truck) but 4-5 rentals will cost the same as a vintage Troy-Bilt. After just a few uses, I feel that mine has paid for itself twice already and has plenty of life remaining.

Just a quick buying guide– aside from the sturdiness of build, the important variables associated with rototillers are the location of the tines (front or rear) and the direction of their rotation (forward or reverse.) I cannot delineate the intricacies of this any more succinctly than the pros, so click HERE for an expert explanation.

Good luck and happy hunting as you hit your local Garage/Yard/Tag Sales. One last pro tip:

I was kidding about the safari jacket…don’t actually dress like this in public, or they might charge you double. But if you fancy these campy yet cool jackets as I do, check out the selection at Tag Safari , where your purchase will not only drape you in retro Hollywood chic but also benefit families in Zimbabwe and elsewhere.

• Survival in Style

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1 commentaire

As providence would have it, I was shopping for a cheap emergency t-shirt at a MARSHALLS store this past weekend when I stumbled upon a current edition of the legendary ADIDAS SOCCER SHIRT that I had mentioned in this essay. What did my $9 get me? The good news is that it made me publicly presentable for another day on the road. In other news, it was made in Jordan out of recycled plastic garbage spun into a sumptuously soft yet gossamer-thin, nearly see-through fabric that doesn't breathe. It certainly looks like the classic version, but certainly doesn't perform like it. I give it about three washings before I'm picking its remains out of the lint screen.

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Throwing a Garage Sale? Use This Handy Pricing Guide

Sell your stuff—and maybe even earn a little money.

Sure, you can sell your stuff on Facebook marketplace . Or, you could just drag it outside and tack up a few signs. A garage sale can be a great way to meet your neighbors , and hopefully, you'll accomplish two goals while you're at it: Get rid of unneeded possessions and earn a little money. The key to doing both is following garage sale pricing best practices! There's a fine line between pricing items too high (which deters shoppers from buying them) and pricing them too low (which means you won't earn any money).

If your goal is to simply empty your home for an upcoming move or to make space for new furniture, price everything to sell (read: dirt-cheap). But if you want to make money, take care to walk that fine line. Beyond good advertising—the digital kind on social media and the old-fashioned, neon poster board kind you put up around town—garage sale pricing is the factor that can make or break your event. The cost of living varies by region, so research first by browsing local thrift shops and other sales in your area.

Garage Sale Pricing Suggestions

The 10% rule.

Sometimes, math is simple. For an easy pricing guide, try the 10% rule where you price whatever item it is that you're selling for 10% of its original cost. So, if you bought that lamp for $20 at Target five years ago, try to sell it for $2. If you know something is worth more, say it's handmade or from a luxury brand, feel free to fiddle with the price and go up to 20% of the OG cost. But overall, the 10% rule gets things done, sold, and out of your house.

Quanity Over Quality!

Garage sales are not the time to get into the finer details about a piece's quality, you're just trying to sell as much as possible as fast as possible. If you have some higher quality items, they may be better off online or through private selling. For your garage sale, you'll make the most and attract the most attention when you have a lot of items out for cheap.

Check for Tags

If you have any items that still have their price tag on them, like a dress you never wore, or a lamp with the tag hiddle on the base, feel free to up the price and try using a 30-40% rule. The price tag makes them seem more authentic and new, so you can get away with it!

Watch Your Cents

Garage sales are one of those old-fashioned spots where cash still reigns king. Sure, you might have Venmo, PayPal, or Apple Pay going on, but it's always good to have a stack of cash (get lots of $1s!) and coins on hand so you can make change when people (inevitably) barter with you. Also, remember to price your items in increments of 5, like $0.5, $0.10, and $0.25 so you don't have to deal with pennies.

Do Your Research

A quick browse about the thrift shops and other garage sales will help a ton as you get ready for your own. You can check what's selling, what's not, and what the best price ranges are. But if you've got something you think is actually worth something or a limited edition, say a rare CD, signed book, or autograph, check online first before you just add it to the heap for the sale. Some things may surprise you on eBay, you never know!

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The 5 Best Garage Sale Apps to Buy and Sell

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Local garage sales are the best way to find great deals on useful items. That whole "One man's trash is another man's treasure" idiom is actually true sometimes. But how do you go about finding one in your area if you don't see a physical yard sign advertising it?

Well nowadays, you can actually find online garage sale apps. One app on our list acts as a virtual garage sale, while the others can help you find local in-person sales and even estate sales in your area.

1. VarageSale

VarageSale helps you connect with local sellers trying to get rid of their "garage sale" items without actually having a garage sale. A lot of items will be listed individually on VarageSale so you can find exactly what you're looking for, connect with the seller, and snag your item.

However, you can find local garage sales as well by simply searching for the term in the app. This will show times and dates of garage sales near you that you can physically show up to and shop at.

And what's unique about VarageSale is that everyone who joins the app goes through a manual review process before they're ever allowed to buy or sell an item. This ensures maximum safety on both the seller's end and the buyer's end.

Download: VarageSale for Android | iOS (Free)

2. CPlus for Craigslist

Craigslist has always been a great way to find garage sales online. While the Craigslist website has always been easy to navigate, it's also been home to a few sketchy or just plain weird postings.

The CPlus app makes Craigslist even easier to use and navigate classified ads. If you want to look for garage sales in only your city, you can; but you can also look for garage sales in multiple cities nearby and then save this search to your home page.

Related: Top Tips for Selling More on eBay

Then, whenever you're feeling the need to hit up a garage sale, you can just open the app and instantly see search results for garage sales or yard sales near you. And if your goal is to set up a virtual garage sale posting, you can easily do that through CPlus too!

Download: CPlus for Craigslist for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

3. Nextdoor

If you live in a housing development, you've surely heard of the Nextdoor app. Nextdoor allows you to connect with your neighbors and find out who's having a garage sale or just selling one or two items.

You can browse through the home page to see what your neighbors are up to or just get right to it and search for garage sales. With each posting, you'll usually find details about what sort of items will be included as well as, of course, the address of the garage sale.

Download: Nextdoor for Android | iOS (Free)

4. Facebook Marketplace

Facebook's Marketplace section is a great way to find garage sales online. Similar to the other apps, all you need to do is search up the term garage sale or yard sale and you'll find a lot of options nearby. Or, if you're looking for a particular item, you can search specifically for that item and not have to go sorting through a ton of garage sale items.

If you do end up meeting someone for a sale of a particular item, make sure you take the proper precautions. Unlike members of VarageSale, Facebook members are not manually reviewed. So be cautious of where you meet someone for an in-person sale and maybe consider taking someone else with you, whether you're buying or selling .

Download: Facebook for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

5. Estate Sales

While estate sales are generally a lot larger than your traditional neighborhood garage sale, it's still a great way to find awesome products at a lower price . And if you've never shopped at an estate sale, you're missing out. It's so easy to find a beautiful piece of furniture or home décor; sometimes even easier than at a traditional yard sale.

You can look at a map view of your area and see all scheduled estate sales. When you click on one, it'll give you a ton of information. You'll often see a picture for every item being sold as well as necessary info like the date, time, and place the estate sale will take place. Some estate sales are even fully online.

Download: Estate Sales for Android | iOS (Free)

Score Some Awesome Online Garage Sale Deals

Now that you know the best ways to find garage sales online in your area, it's time to get out there.

With estate sales, you'll often see pictures of the exact items for sale; if this is more up your alley, try out the Estate Sales app. With a garage sale or yard sale app, you may get a brief description of categories for the sale, but you won't know what's there until you get there. There's always a nice air of mystery when going to garage sales.

And if you need to sell your items, you can host a garage sale yourself and promote it on one of these apps. Or, you can also sell your items online through a few different website.

• Buying Tips

Garage Sales Tracker

GarageSalesTracker.com offers individuals the ability to advertise garage sales on the internet. We strive to make advertising yard sales as effective and efficient as possible. By featuring tools that allow prospective buyers to more easily find garage sales , our site will give you great exposure for your yard sale. Below are a list of features that makes this site effective.

• FREE to use. Find garage sales using either the search or browse sales tools.
• Filter results. Find sales based on your zip code, your state, and your city.
• Embedded driving directions. Driving directions to the garage sale are provided on the site. No more copying and pasting addresses to get driving directions.
• Find More Sales. We are partnered with other popular sites to bring you more sales in one location.
• Additional exposure for FREE! Advertise a garage sale on Garage Sale Tracker and get additional exposure for your garage sale.
• More time . Get up to two months exposure for your garage sale . More time means more potential buyers.
• Add images to your listing for FREE .
• Unlimited word count. No limit on the number of words you can use to describe items in your yard sale.

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