Ready, set, shop!
After talking to many yard sale attendees, it’s clear that
the best bargain hunters prepare almost as much as the sellers
do. Their experiences have taught them how to separate
treasures from junk, quickly identify overpriced items and
even haggle. Less experienced yard salers can learn these
same skills.
Marcelina Unold, 11, lives in Forest Glade where she
recently attended her first yard sale in July. While showing off
her newly purchased items, she explained how knowing the
hosts of the sale ahead of time helped her feel comfortable
enough to take her time and ask lots of questions. Her advice
for other first-timers is to always be polite to the organizers of
the sale and respect their efforts by not throwing around or
dirtying their merchandise.
Sydney Markle, 16, who attended the same yard sale, said
she has attended more than a dozen local yard sales in recent
years.
“I like going to yard sales because things are cheaper, they
usually have a good selection,” said Markle.
Yard salers can usually negotiate prices by simply being
more pleasant. At past yard sales Markle has haggled with
organizers to sell their items at less than half the sticker price.
As an organizer at her own yard sale last summer she sold
some items for a few dollars to the nicer customers.
“Haggling is a skill,” said Markle. “Everyone should learn
how to do it.”
Still, attending a yard sale can be very intimidating for
some people, and can stop them from interacting with hosts
and trying to barter. Asking a family member or friend to tag
along for support can make a difference.
The Roberts family in Tecumseh is a great example of how
working as a team can improve your odds of being successful.
They have attended hundreds of yard sales over many years
through Canada and the U.S., and they always do plenty of
research beforehand. As a result, they have collected valuable
treasures through the years, saved thousands of dollars in the
process and learned how to properly host their own yard sale
every year in August.
“Finding great deals together is actually really exciting,”
said Alex Roberts. “If you’re a bargain hunter like me and my
family then it’s the perfect thing to do for fun.”
The key to the Roberts family’s success is making an
event of it each weekend by dedicating a minimum of one
whole day to yard saleing. Though this may sound extreme to
inexperienced yard salers, Roberts insists it is worth it to get
store quality items at dirt cheap prices.
“There are days that are more unlucky than others but we
usually end up finding at least one good item,” said Roberts.
To learn how to better prepare for your next yard sale,
learn from those who’ve done it. And remember, whether you
make yard saling a hobby or lifestyle, you can still enjoy the
benefits of being outdoors with the people you care about.
Hosting Your Own Sale
Throwing a yard sale, especially if it involves more than
one home, can seem like a daunting task. However,
experienced sellers say as long as preparations begin more
than 24 hours before the sale, it can be successful.
Jason (last name withheld) has been coordinating the
annual Chandler Road Street Sale in Windsor for the past 12
years. The sale, which began in the early 80s, inspires around
150 households to participate each year and attracts
thousands of shoppers from as far away as Oshawa. Jason said
it usually takes about two months to prepare for the sale each
year and make everything run smoothly.
First he works with his team to choose a date around the
last weekend in May. Then he makes flyers and distributes
them to all homes on the street to inform them of the dates
and any important information about the sale. He also collects
money from the participating households and uses it to
advertise the sale on radio stations and local websites. Finally,
Sydney Markle searches for her big find
Placing like items together will boost sales
August 2014 - The HUB 29