Garage Sale Articles

Finding Living Room Stuff In Garage Sales

As soon as spring comes, it brings the aura of “a new change.” Most of the time, people conduct their spring cleaning. After spring cleaning, garage sales are conducted. Items that are no longer of use for a particular household are gathered outside the house and onlookers are welcome to check out the merchandise.

A person’s trash can be another person’s treasure. That proves true in garage sales. Consider those on the look-out for living room stuff. You see, some appliances like chairs and lamps that have a little chip on the side can be all new and sparkly with just a little paint. There are those thrifty and practical people who seize the garage sale opportunity to get new living room appliances.

If you are the one who is selling living room appliances at a garage sale, make sure that you no longer need the item. For example, picture frames, paintings, vases and centerpiece decorations can be sold.

Before displaying them in front of your house or in your rented stall, make sure that they are polished clean and appealing to the buyers’ eyes. Second-hand items are still a catch – as long as they are presented in a decent manner.

If you are the buyer who happens to pass by a garage sale that is being conducted by a home-owner, meticulously check out the items on sale. There’s a thin line separating treasure and trash when it comes to a garage sale.
Take in to consideration a vase. Make sure that there’s no chips on the sides, corners and edges. As for couches and throw pillows, make sure there’s no stains. As for tables or TV stands, make sure that the edges are still appealing and most importantly, strong enough to carry weight.

If you are the one who is in charge of pricing the items that are for sale, be practical and considerate at the same time. Naturally, since the items are second-hand, possible buyers would be turned off if the prices are too steep. But then again, you as the pioneer of this “business” should also consider what your monetary gain is from this garage sale.

The number one rule to a garage sale is keep most things under $5. Compare the price of how much it can normally be bought. Like a picture frame costs $7.99 to $12.99 at your local Target. If you are selling a picture frame, sell it at around $5 or even lower.

Think of it this way, by having a garage sale, you’re earning and at the same time allowing more space in your basement or attic.

A mistake most sellers do when they’re holding garage sales is they prioritize sentimentality over practicality. These items only mean something to the previous owner. For the potential buyer, a chair is simply a chair, and he will only buy it from the seller if he finds the price to be reasonable for a living room appliance that was previously owned.

Examples of these are CDs, books and magazines. It is also ironic that these are the items taking up the most space. These also include toys such as video games and stuffed animals and dolls. If these are really sentimental to you (if you are the seller), then give them to relatives or friends.

However, a number of potential customers usually dig in the CD and book box of the garage sale. If you are the buyer, you have to take your time in browsing through CDs, books and magazines. With the CDs, if you are positive that you will be buying one, have it tested first. Yes, it may be a garage sale but at least you’re getting your money’s worth. If it is a book, make sure that there are no torn pages or else while you’re reading it, you’d be left hanging.

Items such as old dish towels or appliance covers must be rid of as quickly as possible. The seller can provide a bin somewhere in the garage sale and call it a “freebie box.” Here, potential buyers will feel that they get more than their money and their time’s worth by getting more than they hoped for.

If the seller is in a rush to get rid of the items he no longer needs, he sometimes doesn't care about pricing. Now that’s an advantage to the buyer.

A good garage sale when conducted like this gives both the buyer and the seller a perfect and done deal.