Welcome to our first Stir Crazy Dad! He is a pro at finding great deals for his whole family at yard sales and wants to share his tips and expertise with everyone! So, he's going to give us the scoop on all the great sales in the area each week and give us a few tips. Enjoy!
My name is Brian, and I am a Stir Crazy Dad. I have been going to yard sales since I was in high school and I LOVE to find and make deals. I love taking people through my house and showing them the great things I have picked up at yard sales. Hey, I was even a semi-professional dumpster diver at one point in time. I am not cheap, rather I am thrifty! I will be bringing you information on the art of yard saling and highlight what I feel are going to be good sales. So please keep checking back for updated tips and sales but please don't beat me to the good sales!
There are a number of varieties of yard salers and yard sales. Some yard salers make it a relaxing Saturday activity. They don't really care what they find, they just like looking a other peoples "junk." These folks just enjoy getting out into the neighborhood. You can spot one of these yard salers easily. They are meandering through the merchandise slowly, engaging in conversation with the homeowners and sipping on a cup of coffee.They are not serious yard salers. On the other end of the spectrum there are those that have a strict Friday evening routine of mapping out their course and getting out before the sun is up. Some even go so far as to drop by the night before if an address is posted. These folks typically are reselling their purchases on craigslist or ebay with a significant mark-up. You can usually spot these people by the car that they drive (pick-up truck with or without a trailer) and by the speed at which they rummage through things, make their outrageous offers and then they are on to the next sale.
Make no mistake about it, yard saling takes preplanning, skill and patience to be successful. Otherwise you increase your risk of failure which results in frustration, junk possessions and possibly even a significant dent in your pocketbook. Furthermore, you also will likely have a yard sale of your own in an attempt to get rid of the stuff that you thought were great purchases! Don't get too crazy, though. You are not likely going to find that hidden treasure that is featured on some reality TV show.
I will focus on one aspect of yard saling per week, proving useful tips and hints that will increase your success. Things such as preplanning, bringing your kids to the sales, making a reasonable offer, what to do with the leftover "junk", knowing how to find good sales and knowing when to just drive on by. I will then post upcoming sales that I personally feel are worth the trip. I am looking forward to hearing other comments from readers.
This week I would like to focus on preplanning. Preplanning is key for a successful outing. Not only preplanning what you are looking for but know where in the Triangle you want to go. Knowing what you really need before adventuring out can help you focus on certain neighborhoods. I keep a running list on my iphone of things I need. This helps me avoid the impulse buying. Also, check online for sales. Craigslist has become the advertising media for neighborhood sales and allows for easy searches. Look under the For Sale, then Garage Sales. From there you can do a search for a particular product that may be listed, such as "double stroller." I like to search "community" and "neighborhood" to get a list of neighborhood garage sales. These are a great way to get to a lot of sales in a short period of time and may justify a longer drive (North Raleigh, for example).
This weeks sales:
1) 4823 REVERE RD. DURHAM NC 27713
EVERYTHING MUST GO. THERE IS TOO MUCH TO LIST ON HERE; COME BY AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE.
SALE IS FROM 7 A.M. - UNTIL
2) Multi-family Yard Sale (The Reserve at Southpoint)
We are having a multi-family yardsale (~5 houses participating) and would be delighted for you to stop by and shop. Items for sale include furniture, toys, and baby clothes/accessories/furniture.
Time: 7:00am - 12:00pm
The name of our neighborhood is The Reserve at Southpoint. We are located on Highway 751 across from Eagle's Point and very close to the intersection of Highway 751 and Renaissance near Super Target and Southpoint Mall.
For more specific directions, you can enter 8015 Sundance Circle, Durham NC 27713 into your GPS or favorite browser.
3) This one is in Cary but may be worth the drive. However, these apartment complex sales tend to be hyped up a bit and can be a disappointment:
Residents from upscale apartment community joining together for a large community garage sale. 442 Jefferson Towne Rd, Raleigh, NC 27606 and then follow signs (community is near Cary Towne Mall). 9 am - 1 pm on Saturday, September 18th
4) ALERT ALERT ALERT. This sale is not until 9/25/10 but this is one of the premiere neighborhood yard sales in south Durham if not all of Durham. This upper middle class neighborhood is stacked with growing kids and I always find great items here. Plan to be there.
Chancellor's Ridge Neighborhood Yard Sale (SW Durham)
SATURDAY, 9/25Neighborhood Yard Sale
8 AM - NOON, rain or shine
Chancellor's Ridge in SW Durham
Off Hwy 751 and Fayetteville Road
2 comments:
Hi stir crazy Dad. Thanks for the great yard saling tips. I never knew it could be a verb or an art. You have definitely taken it to the next level. I was a "relaxed" yard saler. However, thanks to this blog I hope to become a true professional yard saler. In fact, I have begun a fitness routine so that I may get through sales more quickly and tire less easily. Let the games begin!
I enjoyed reading your post. I'm somewhere between a relaxed yard saler and a serious yard saler. I got hooked when my husband and I hit the jackpot on nearly a hundred name brand clothes for our son right before he was born. All that for less than $10. Nothing has compared since, but I'm hooked. I map my routes all week, but I have a limit on how far I'll drive However, I have to say you're giving away all the secrets :) You've posted the places I've already planned on going tomorrow.
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