Preparing to Shop at Garage Sales + FREE Printables

Garage sales are one of THE best sources of vintage and antiques. Today I want to talk about preparing to shop at garage sales. I’ll walk you through the steps I take when I’m planning a day of garage sales.

It’s not rocket science, but I take for granted that everyone knows all of the ins and outs of optimizing their experience, but I realize that it just doesn’t come naturally to everyone.

Related: How to Haggle Like a Rockstar & 5 Vintage Items I’m Looking for at Garage Sales [2018]

I have a freebie at the end of the post, two actually, to help you get the most out of your day of garage sales.

One freebie contains a check list of all the things you need to bring with you, along with all of the tasks you need to accomplish in order to make your day successful. The second freebie helps you plan out the route you’ll be taking to hit all of those fabulous sales.

PREPARATION THE DAY BEFORE YOU GARAGE SALE

Prepare Your Vehicle

I can’t tell you how many times, early on in my garage saling career, I woke up early, readied myself quickly–with time to hit a great looking garage sale a few minutes early–only to discover that my car was full of junk.

Not an auspicious beginning to the day.

Guys, we need to empty our cars the night before! We want to have plenty of room for all the amazing vintage stuff we’re going to buy.

Along the same lines, have you ever gotten into your car, just raring to get to that first sale, only to see that your tank is on empty? Yeah, me too.

Fill your tank the night before so you don’t have to waste time at the gas station. And on the subject of cars, throw in a couple of cardboard boxes or plastic bins and some old newspaper for containing and protecting your finds. Now your car is really ready to go!

Have Plenty of Moolah

There’s nothing worse than arriving at a sale, finding a 50¢ item you’d like to buy, and realizing your smallest bill is a twenty. That seller will NOT be happy with you. Load up on ones, fives, and quarters before you leave the house.

I highly recommend putting your money inside something, other than just your pocket. I can’t tell you how much money I’ve lost that way. I now use a small cross-body bag that works great. 

Charge Your Phone

Charge your phone the night before (unless you  have a phone charger in your car, then don’t worry about it).

You’ll likely need its GPS function to find your sales, you might need the flashlight, and you may want to search eBay’s sold listings to help you decide whether a particular item is a good buy.

Plan Your Route

The night before is the best time to sit down at your computer and start checking out the sales. I look on Craigslist, estatesales.net, yardsales.net, Facebook Marketplace, and my local newspaper online.

At the height of the season, I know the towns/areas I want to focus on, so that’s how I’ll track the sales.

One of the FREE printables I have for you–a Garage Sale Planner–let’s you organize by town/area. There are places to keep track of the type of sale and its hours of operation.

You can get access to this and other printables in my Member Library when you subscribe to my weekly newsletter.

PREPARATION THE MORNING OF

Dress for the Weather

I basically dress in layers so I can add or subtract depending on which way the weather goes. In cooler weather I bring extras like a scarf and gloves, just in case

I’ve been known to throw a pair of shorts in the car, and if necessary, change into them quickly as we’re driving along. When it comes to garage sales, I have NO SHAME.

Bring Food/Water

Bring some food and water. You need to stay energized and hydrated. You don’t want to have to stop for water or snacks–you’ve got a job to do and you need to keep at it.

No time to slow down for things you should have brought with you. [BTW, go to the bathroom before you leave the house. There’s no time for bathroom breaks when you garage sale with me!]

Optional But Recommended Prep

If you’re eyes are sensitive to the sun, like mine, then make sure you have your sunglasses. Additionally, you may want to carry a small measuring tape in your pocket, particularly if you are looking for items to fit a certain space in your home.

Wet wipes are good to have on hand because you’ll be touching a lot of stuff that has been touched by who knows who. You’ll also probably be pawing through some dirty stuff like tools and things that have been gathering dust in the basement. You’ll at least want to wipe before eating your snack.

Put on Your Smile

I’m a firm believer in being as friendly as you can be while attending garage sales. Mostly because life is just so much nicer, not only for you, but for the people you’re interacting with.

Yes, I’m on a mission, and attending garage sales is actually a job for me, but I’m going to be true to myself and be friendly all along the way.

Eventually, you’ll notice the law of reaping and sowing kicking in, and you’ll have some amazing interactions with sellers, as well as other buyers.

A seller is much more likely to respond positively to your offer if you’ve smiled and been friendly. Don’t do it for that reason alone, but it’s a lovely blessing flowing from good behavior.

Thanks so much for stopping by-

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Bye for now,

 

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