Garage sales, or "yard sales" if a person doesn't actually have a garage, lol, are kind of like modern treasure hunts. Someone (like me, for instance) can head out on a Friday or Saturday morning, early, you know, for that is the best way to snag the "good stuff" that has been offered for sale by other people who have too much stuff in their house, or by folks who are moving and wish to get rid of everything that is doesn't make sense to pack up and move.
I LOVE yard sales. There is a thrill to the hunt and excitement over rare finds. Today, I picked up my mom and headed to New Braunfels, a nice-sized town about 15 miles away from Seguin, where I live.
The first thing to do is to pick a housing area and start to look for hand-made signs pointing the way to a sale.
Next, you find the sale and park along side the yard of the house having the sale. If there are a lot of other shoppers already there, you may have to park farther away, like I did at this sale. Yard sale etiquitte dictates that you do not park in other people's driveways, also that you do not block any one's driveway.
Sometimes, the host of the yard sale also offers the buyer refreshments for a price. You might find baked goods, soft drinks or "l i m o n a d" for sale.
Old tins and used holiday supplies are often sold for next to nothing. Why pay full price for an Easter basket when you can buy one at a yard sale for a quarter? By the way, most items at successful yard sales are either a quarter or a dollar.
There are pricier items, though. People sell old appliances, like this 1950's sewing machine which I purchased for $20. Many folks sell couches, beds, end tables and dining room sets for pennies or for way too much, but the buyer always has the option of bargaining with the seller.
Then, there are the odd-ball and offbeat items for sale, like this bright yellow bra….
Here are three vintage dining room chairs, beat up but still proud, for only $10.
Quite a few yard sales have lots and lots of clothes. Here, you can purchase any of the t-shirts hanging on the fence for $1.
As you can probably tell, I like old sewing machines. This one comes with a very nice cabinet for $225.
I met lots of friendly people while yard "sailing" this morning. This lady told me about a diary she has that was written in the mid-1800's by a Texas lady that sounded very interesting.
If you have never been to a yard sale, you have missed one of the more amusing ways to spend a buck or two. You never know what you will find when you start your search and you get an opportunity to see how well you bargain when you think an item is priced too high. There are no rules, and lots of courtesy and fine manners from the sellers and other shoppers, so it can be a wonderful way to spend a morning on a fine September Saturday.
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