Spring is finally in the air and
that’s got me thinking about rummage sales. I’m sick of being cooped up inside.
I’m getting tired of not finding anything of note at the thrift stores lately
either. I’m ready to get my sneakers on and do some power walking from rummage
sale to rummage sale. Like many people I have my rummage sale strategies. I've
never shared them because, truthfully, I'm a little protective of them. I don't
want people to know my "secrets". They might get to the good sales
before me! Really, I only have three rules I follow when I go to rummage sales:
- I
don't have a mapped out plan.
I used to scan the newspaper for the best rummage sale ads, circle them,
then wander around town trying to find a specific address. No more. I
found that when I wandered around aimlessly I had more success. Ads are
often misleading and if I went to a sale for one thing mentioned in the
ad, half of the time I was too late to get it. I love going to a sale with
no misconceptions of what I might find. And isn't that the best part of
junking? Never knowing what you'll find.
- Stick
to older neighborhoods. When
it comes to finding junk I stay in older neighborhoods. To me, it seems
like newer neighborhoods with newer homes means young families. I want to
find the older couples who no longer want their "old useless
junk". I found one exception to this rule last summer. I found that
condos, even in new neighborhoods, are great sources for junk. Many of
these condos are home to older couples looking to downsize.
- Who's
holding the sale? Nothing
gets me more excited than seeing an older person sitting outside a rummage
sale. Once in a while I'll get a little old lady who thinks all of her
things are worth a lot and is trying to sell them at antique store prices,
but more often than not an older person means good cheap junk. Usually, an
older person just wants to get rid of their stuff and that means marking
it low. Older sellers can be chatty too, so who knows, you may hear a good
story to go with the item you are purchasing.
If you have some tried and true rummage sale tips, I would love
to hear them!
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