What type of things do you look for in a yard sale?

15 comments

1. I look for odd things

2. 25 bucks at most

   Most often will look for the same things I look for at thrift stores. Small kitchen appliances/tools, vintage clothing, vintage books/cookbooks, and possibly a trinket or something that catches my eye

   I’d say put whatever you want out. One mans trash is another mans treasure. You never know what someone is looking for. I once hunted for the 1950s Betty Crocker’s picture cookbook for a good 3 years before finding a copy at some random thrift store

3. I have no predefined list of what I want but what I avoid are things in bad condition — broken, pieces missing, colors extremely faded, stains, etc.

   If a yard sale has things in good condition, I’m more inclined to stop and look more closely.

4. Musical instruments, cassette players (I’ve got a weird cassette based live looping thing I’d like to do if I ever get enough working ones at one time), good tools, and things with cool “bones” like leather jackets, clothes made of nice material, solid well constructed furniture, etc.

5. Too many broken or damaged items and I’ll just leave

6. Books or headphones

7. Affordable, desirable items in decent shape.

8. Books and antiques. Estate sales are usually better for the latter but I have found some good ones at yard sales too.

9. People always buy second hand baby stuff, older kid stuff is a toss up.

10. Nothing, I don’t like buying stuff other people have owned lol

11. I haven’t been to a yard sale in ages. My mom banned me from the neighborhood ones after I came back one night carrying a MASSIVE (like, six by four… feet) framed photo of a KU/Mizzou football game. Paid a buck for it.

    After that just never really lived where there were a lot of them.

12. I look for things I could use as planters. I also like interesting glassware. Books are always worth a look too.

    A good rule if an item is too worn, dirty, or broken for you to use with a quick clean or fix, don’t put it out.

    Put your best stuff forward. If I see clean, interesting items I am going to want to look more at what you have. If the first things I see are trash, I’ll head to the next yard sale

13. Baseball cards 🤓

14. You can sell anything at a yard sale if you display and price it right. Try bundling small items. You can always have individual prices and offer a discount if they buy a couple similar things, like books and DVDs. If you have a bunch of odds and in, things like keys, nails, screws bolts, whatever, sort by metal or finish and fill up glass jars. Don’t ask me why but crafters cannot resist anything displayed in a mason jar. Sell them by the size of the jar. Larger items, display those like you use them. Have a coffee table? Set out some magazines, maybe set a folding chair next to it so people can gauge the height seated. It is all in the display.

15. Classic pyrex

    tools