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Spending & Saving

Love Those Garage Sales And Flea Markets

 

A Zone For Garage Sale And Flea Market lovers

Admit it. You are  a garage sale fanatic. So am I. Spring and summer brings warm weather, gorgeous blooms and garage sales. On any given Saturday my neighborhood is a garage sale haven. Boulevards are lined with signs and balloons, welcoming all to a treasure hunt. The biggest problem is which how many to fit into your  schedule and how fast you can move between sales. So for anyone who loves the thrill of the hunt - garage sale hunt, that is. You will find useful tips and information on:

flea markets

 finding garage sales

 staging your own garage sale

 making the most your garage sale experience

using and decorating with your garage sale fiinds

making money on your garage sale

saving money at garage sales

Visit often to see some  great deals found at garage sales and other exciting features

 

GARAGE SALE TRASH TO TREASURE - Antique Roadshow Stories

 

Stoneware Vase Arts and Crafts purchased at a garage sale for 5.00 appraised at  $13,000 - $17, 000

It was a salt glazed stoneware which made it rare and was signed SF for Susan Frackelton, a china painter and pottery teacher.  See the Susan Frackelton Collection

Image from Wikipedia

A 1908 Thomas Virgil Hill Painting purchased at a garage sale for $1.00 appraised at  $5,00 - $7,000.  Read more about the painter

 

Three volumes of Mckinney and Hall Indians purchased at a garage sale for $250.00 appraised at  $70,00 - 90,000.

 

Lamp found at garage sale for $40. is an early 20th century Bradley and Hubbuard lamp appraised at $4,000.

What Is A Flea Market

A flea market is a large, traditionally open-air market where people sell a wide range of goods, typically used. Many communities have weekly flea markets which are held in large fields or conference halls during the winter, and some of these markets have been happening for decades, or centuries, in a few cases. A flea market is often a great place to find bargains on used goods in reasonably condition ranging from trucks to jewelry. READ MORE

Garage sales - tips, tricks and strategies

Call them what you will, garage sales, yard sales, rummage sales, basement sales but  they all have one thing in common - bargains. Garage sale hunting is, however, no child's play. If you really want to snag the great finds, you have to understand the tricks, and strategies to help you make the most of your garage sale experience. For more information check out the links below.

Staging a garage sale

Useful tips and how to conduct your garage salesale

Yes

by Pati Baur

I am proud to say, that although I have received many odd and strange gifts I have never been able t...More>
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No

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Gifts come in many forms and are given for many different reasons. Although sometimes gifts are give...More>
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GARAGE SALE DEFINITION

DEFINITIONS

  • A peculiarly middle-to-lower class phenomenon where the children of a household sell all their parents belongings at the weekend claiming poverty. It works well on two levels for the children as: 1) they get the proceeds of the sale and 2) they get a pocket money raise because the parents feel guilty for not giving them enough pocket money in the first place(Urbandictionary.com)

  • A garage sale, also known as a yard sale, rummage sale, tag sale, attic sale, moving sale, or junk sale, is an informal, irregularly scheduled event for the sale of  used goods by private individuals, in which "block sales" are allowed, so that sellers are not required to obtain business licences or collect sales tax. 

    Typically the goods in a garage sale are unwanted items from the household with the home owners conducting the sale. The goods are sometimes new, like-new, or just usable, offered for sale because the owner does not want or need the item, to minimize their possessions, or to raise funds. (Wikipedia)

 

 

Garage sale videos

Enjoy this funny garage sale game show

by T S Campbell

I've been on both sides of the flea market table for many years. As a teen-ager, my parents sold collectibles and costume jewelry, so I branched out into toys - not the dollar pieces of junk that fall...More>
14 articles  Write NowWrite

by Vea Terrie

Cleaning out your attic, basement, closets, and garage can be a profitable venture. After you decide what you are keeping and what is no longer useful or wanted, you have three options; the local week...More>
  Write NowWrite

Interesting Things Found at Garage Sales

Look What I found! Blog

on Jul 19, 09 at 04:19 AM

One of the more popular items at garage sales is porcelain. Most garage sales shoppers,  and particularly those of the dealer variety often make a beeline for the porcelain or ceramic collectibles. You can observe them gingerly examining the pieces for  nicks, cracks or marks and signatures. I have been lucky to find some very nice pieces at garage sales which I treasure very much, and are incorporated in my home décor.

 

Porcelain: A ceramic material that is derived from heating certain materials like clay at temperatures ranging from 1,200C (2,192F) to 1,400C(2,552F). When fired at these high temperatures, the formation of glass and mullite creates the porcelain and its characteristic of being tough, strong and translucent.

on Jun 25, 09 at 12:13 AM

 

Paper Mache dolls have a special fascination for me.  I now own over 15 of  the delightful characters that are indigenous to Mexico. Paper Mache as an art form,  is said to have originated in China where paper Mache was used to make all sorts of items including helmets. The art can be traced as far back as the Han Dynasty, (BC 202 - AD 220).

 

on Jun 14, 09 at 03:08 PM

 

Don't you just love to cuddle up with soft lucious satin pillows? Nowadays, the pillows you pay a fortune cannot compare with the great vintage pillows from yesteryear. For that reason, I cannot pass up a nice silk, embroidered, satin or other beautifully designed pillows. Recently I found a great Japanese hand embroidered silk pair of pillow covers.  Pictured is a collection of some of my favourite pillows and pillow covers found at garage sales.

Finding Garage Sales

One of the best ways to know ahead of time what garage sales are available is to check local listings. Knowing what is avaliable and where helps you to plan your strategy and be ahead of the crowd. In addition to your local listings you can find listings at various online sites. Here is a sample:

 

Garage Sale Listings

Garage sales on Craig's List

Kijiji USA

Kijiji Canada

 

 

Planning your garage sale with Microsoft Office

A garage sale can be a great way to raise some money for a charity or just to clear the clutter in your closets. But it's a big project, whether it's a small affair or a multi-family event. Help make the day a success by planning carefully: How will you advertise it? How will you price your items? How will you track sales? Read More

DECORATING WITH GARAGE SALE FINDS

So you have picked up a great retro lamp for a few bucks, what's next. Don't hide it in the basement, decorate with it. Garage sale finds can add style to your home or garden for a minimal cost. Here are some ideas.

 

For College Students

Decorating on a budget

 

Trash to Treasure

 

Inexpensive home decorating

 

Best Flea Markets

Comments (1 to 2 of 2)

Linda Ann Nickerson
Sep 18, 09 at 10:42 PM
Love the cartoon about reselling gifts.
Jaimela King
Jun 07, 09 at 03:12 PM
Welcome to my garage sale zone. Feel free to share your garage sale stories and finds here.

Zone Manager

Helium member since Jan 07, 07
Number of Zones: 13

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California's Giant 2 Day Garage Sale

Make a fashion statement with prison jeans and shirts. Yes,  you can nab these fashion items and more for a few dollars if you are lucky to visit  the world's largest garage sale. One August 28th and 29th, Govenor Arnold Schwarzenegger is banking on turning government clutter into cash at California's mega garage sale. LEARN MORE

Related Zones

    How to hold your own garage sale

    PREPARATION.  While garage sale shopping is a careefree experience, holding your own garage sale can be hard work. However, with a bit of planning, you can make it a profitable and enjjoyable experience.

    BEFORE YOU MOVE.  The key to a profitable garage sale is to operate it like any successful retail business in a competitive market. One way to do this is to advertise cleverly and aggressively. Consider coming up with a slogan to use on large signs, as well as using balloons.   

     

    TWELVE STEPS.  Planning a Garage Sale will motivate you to get rid of some of the clutter and that will make it easier for you to get your home more organized! A Win-Win Plan! 

     

    MAKING IT WORK: It is now the day of your garage sale that you have prepared for. This may be the most critical phase of  the whole experience. This link has tips about how you can make the most of selling at your garage sale.

     

     

     

    Flea Market Guide

    GARAGE SALE: TV SHOW EPISODES

    THAT 70'S SHOW SEASON 2 1999- 2000 EPISODE 26 GARAGE SALE

    Hyde makes "special brownies" for the Formans' garage sale, but things don't go the way he intends, and Red accidentally sells Eric's Vista Cruiser. Meanwhile, Fez makes a wrong move on one of the girls, which could land him in deep trouble with one of the guys. 

    WATCH THE VIDEO

    RUGRATS,  GARAGE SALE SEASON 2 EPISODE 6

    The Pickles throw a garage sale and Angelica tricks the babies by letting them help out and give out some stuff too. In the end when Didi and Stu come back inside the entire house is empty and the money they earned has to be used on their profits.

    WATCH THE EPISODE

     

    LICENSE TO GRILL, HGTV, GARAGE SALE BRUNCH, HOST ROB RAINFORD

     

    Following the neighbourhood garage sale, host Rob Rainford treats everyone to a big barbecue brunch, including Slow-Smoked Canadian Back Bacon, Toasted Fruit, Cinnamon Toast Kabobs and Pancakes

    MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE  SEASON 4 EPISODE 15 - GARAGE SALE

     A garage sale that's entrusted to Reese (yikes!) yields treasures near and dear, like Hal's old radio transmitter, which he makes operational. And a PC dating back to 1976 that Malcolm plans to sell to Craig for $1300.(TV.COM)

     

     

      

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