7 Tips for Great Garage Sale Shopping

7 Tips for Great Garage Sale Shopping

 

Find yard sale gold without losing your mind!

Hope you don’t mind, but I, Lisa, needed a change of pace. We are happy to provide great painting info, but I needed a break. “Please, call us to paint your home.” There, now I can continue.

I was never much of a garage sale shopper until I was pregnant with our first child. I avoided garage sales like the plague. I absolutely hated the idea of pawing through grandma’s old drapes, chipped casserole pans, and porcelain cat figurines to maybe find something good. It seemed like a tedious waste of a Saturday and a test of my sanity.

My perspective changed when I saw the price tags on new baby gear. I couldn’t believe it! My sister, by this time, was a seasoned garage sale diva who offered to go with me to find deals to deck out our home. Reluctantly I joined her. Over that summer we bought a full year of baby clothes and 75% of our “necessary” baby gear at garage sales for under $300. I was hooked. We became experts…fast. I have hit garage sales every year since to find things for my kids.

Garage sales can be dangerous. If you are easily distracted or unspecific you could wind up taking stuff home that isn’t needed, that cool, or something you end up giving to the thrift store. It may only have cost you a few dollars, but that’s still a waste of money.

I don’t dilly-dally. I strategize and hit each sale with a purpose. Here are my tips for finding garage sale gold without losing your mind.

TIP #1: The early bird gets the worm…or at least the good stuff.

Going early in the day will give you greater chances of finding the items you want before someone else does. Most garage sales start between 7-8 am. I usually plan to leave my house by 6:30 or 7 am depending on the sales I plan to hit. Great furniture and baby stuff in great condition go first!

 

Tip #2: Get an app on your smart phone or comb Craigslist to find sales.

I use an app called Yard Sale Mapper. It is free on iTunes. This app combs Craigslist posts, local papers, and other print promotion for sales and pins them on a map. Most people who are really looking to sell stuff will promote their sale. And, looking for closely grouped pins will help you find community garage sales. (More on community sales next.) Taking a little time to find sales that list items you want will save you time and frustration.

Tip #3: Always shop community sales. But pick your neighborhoods carefully.

Community sales are wonderful! I love driving down streets with lots of sales happening at once. It’s a huge time saver. In fact, unless I research a stand-alone sale that seems to have a lot of great items, I will ONLY shop community sales. And choose your neighborhoods carefully. Stick to the nicer neighborhoods for nicer stuff. Disposable income makes for some pretty great merchandise.

Tip #4: Make a specific list of the items you’re looking to buy.

People don’t always put junk or valuable antiques out. Lots are moving, downsizing, done having babies, have kids outgrowing things, etc. You can find some pretty good stuff. Staying specific will keep you from feeling pressure to buy something you don’t love just because it’s available. Or it will help you know what items you need to snag immediately if your search has been tough so far. Items I usually find in good condition are:

• baby clothes
• toddler clothes up to 5T (at least for boys—they wear stuff out!)
• newborn gear like swings, boppy, bumbos, cradles, changing tables, blankets, unopened pacifiers, strollers, car seats (just be careful here), pack-n-plays, kid dishes, toys, kid chairs…the list goes on and on.
• Lawn care items like grass seed, fertilizer, lawn mowers, weed whackers, etc.
• Furniture
• Sports and exercise equipment
• Camping equipment
• Mirrors, lamps, and décor

Tip #5: Make a budget. Plan to pay about 30% or less than retail for each item.

This will gently encourage you to stick to your list or make decisions about what you really want. And it will help you negotiate. If you want the cow hide rug that is marked for $100 FIRM and you only have $80 left you can do your best to make a deal. If they don’t budge, it wasn’t meant to be.

Tip #6: Gather your supplies no later than the evening before.

You will be getting up early so the less you have to do the better.

1. Fill up the car with fuel
2. Empty the car and lay flat seats in the back
3. Get CASH. Nobody in their right mind will take your check. And those $50 bills are cute and all, but will tick off your garage sale person who may kick you off their driveway. So pull out cash in small bills so you can give exact change whenever possible.
4. Gather bags (several trash bags and lots of grocery bags). It’s also helpful to have a couple empty boxes so you can put oddly shaped or breakable things in a safe place.
5. Have water, sunscreen, a hat, and appropriate clothing ready to go.
6. Pack a snack and water so you can power through the whole morning.

Tip #7: If you have small kids, leave them at home with someone you trust. If you have a fun friend, bring them along.

I am all for having kids. I think older kids can be help with decision making and can learn the value of buying used versus new. But with little ones I find I can’t move as fast. They have pressing needs and need constant supervision. I enjoy shopping more when they are at home with Dad. I love going shopping with friends. They are great to laugh with when you find weird items, they can be spotters so you don’t have to stop at every sale, and they can help you load the car.

So, get out there and give garage and yard sales a shot! You might be surprised how well you do.

Do you have any helpful garage sale shopping tips?

 

Must Know Painting Tips for Home Sellers

Everyone selling a residential property needs to know this!

Don’t put your home on the market without reading these tips.

Selling your home can be a large undertaking. Usually sellers are looking to put the home on the market investing the least amount of money while selling it for top dollar. Painting is on of the least expensive ways to improve buyer impression of your home.

We strongly recommend following the advice of a Realtor® when selling your home. Follow their advice over ours. That being said, we work with a lot of Realtors and their advice resonates with what we share.

1. Selling is about giving the buyer what THEY want. Not standing up for what you like. They need to be able to envision their stuff in your home. Remember, if all goes well, their stuff WILL be in your home and don’t expect them to keep the color on the walls as a shrine to you and your design savvy.
2. Smart color choices can loosen the pocket books of people in a competitive market. While we in no way promise increased profits or recouped costs when painting your home to sell, we’ve seen buyers lower their offers because they expect to have to paint over a poor paint job. We’ve also seen buyers swoon over a freshly painted home.

These paint DO’s and DON’Ts are essential to attracting buyers!

DON’T be emotionally attached to your personal color choices. If you painted a wall bright orange or even a bright purple like I have, don’t expect others to be as in love with it as you are. Your neon green bathroom with stenciled lizards may have worked for you, but will likely lower your sale price.

DO find inspiration and look through photos of upscale homes that use neutral paint colors. Neutral paint colors include tan, gray, beige, and sage/olive green. Notice how light or dark they go in each color. It’s unlikely there will be very light or dark extremes. And notice how they bring color in through accessories. Imitate as much as possible.

DON’T use white paint on your walls. It is cold and sterile and shows dirt. The house we bought was painted white inside. We started painting the interior a couple days before closing and the sellers stopped by. The walls were now a gray/beige color and we had done some accent walls. Their comment: “Wow! We should have painted these colors and asked $10,000 more!” Paint your walls a tan, beige, or gray color to warm things up.

DO leave your trim and doors white or stained. Again unless they are in bad shape and you’re replacing things, stick with what you have and save some money. Use a Magic Eraser to remove scuff marks. Use a 1:1 vinegar and water solution and a soft cloth to clean the doors and trim.

DON’T forget to look at your cabinetry. If it’s really outdated or cheap looking, consider painting and adding fresh hardware. People gravitate toward white cabinets or espresso (dark brown) finishes. It’s very popular among designers to paint the top cabinets white and the lower ones an espresso color.

DO paint closets. Scuff marks and other wear and tear look cheap. Clean and fresh is the name of the game here. (Bonus: You can use inexpensive paint here and get away with it.)

DO consider painting your front door an inviting color. A front door can be a focal point for the whole exterior. Colors like red or black can give a good impression.

As a professional painter we can help your home look crisp and fresh for home buyers. If your property is in the Colorado Springs area contact us and get your FREE estimate.

Quick DIY Inspection Can Save BIG on Exterior Painting

The BIGGEST budget-buster for exterior paint jobs is the prep work.

 

Untreated damage can lead to costly repair.

While proper prep makes or breaks the duration of your exterior paint job, what makes or breaks how much you spend on it is how much damage the painter must repair!

SECRET PRO SAVINGS TIP

The less time a painter spends repairing damage, the less money it costs you.

A simple annual check for these four common types of damage can save you big money on repainting costs. That is, of course, if you get your home repainted when the damage is minimal.

It’s super simple, too! Simply walk around your home and look for these four types of damage: peeling paint, trim and siding board damage, fading paint, and cracks between boards where they meet or overlap. (Photo examples are provided below.) Don’t forget to check your deck and fencing as well for signs of wear and tear!

When you notice one of these types of damage on your home call a local painter. Start gathering bids.

When you take care of your home’s exterior before damage gets out of hand, you save money year after year. When you choose a painter that does great prep and applies two coats of paint you will provide your home the best protection paint offers.

 

 

Disclaimer: This article assumes normal wear and tear for the Colorado Springs area and weather patterns. Massive weather events like hail, tornadoes, blizzards, etc. can accelerate and cause major damage. For more extreme weather events that cause damage, we suggest you check with your homeowner’s insurance carrier to see if they cover repairing the damage.

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