Organizing Tip Thursday - an organized approach to garage saling

I picked up this great desk for my mom during this past week's garage sale Friday excursion...for $5! I am so glad she was looking for one, because I would have had a hard time passing it up, even though there wasn't any space for it at our house...

Garage sales can be a great way to find deals on gently used items with a lot of life yet in them, or they can be a great way to find additional clutter to take up space in your home… As someone who lives in a small space and is about to add another little body to the mix, I think I’m reasonably good at differentiating which category my purchases fall into. There are a few strategies I definitely recommend for garage salers, especially if you’re like me and you don’t have a lot of extra space.

- Know specifically what you’re looking for. There might be some items you’re “always” looking for (my coworker always has Legos on this list) and other specific items you might need.
- Know the value of the items you’re looking for in order to tell if you’re getting a good deal. Likewise, try to determine your target price ahead of time so as to not get caught up in the moment.
- Don’t be afraid to bargain - the worst thing a seller can say is no. If you are hesitant to ask the seller to come down on the price of one item but are interested in several, try negotiating a lower price for the total sale.
- If you are tempted to make an impulse purchase, determine what you are going to use the item for and where exactly it is going to go before going through with the sale.
- Bring along a buddy for company and to use as a sounding board, just make sure that buddy isn’t talking you into things you wouldn’t buy on a solo trip!
- Consider the neighborhood and proximity of other sales when determining your route for the day. We found after a few outings last year that there were several “professionals” that would frequently have sales with much of the same merchandise. We learned to weed out these locations. You’re also more likely to encounter good finds if there are several sales in close proximity.

What are your garage sale or thrifting strategies, do you have any tips to add? If you've written about organizing or work/life balance this week, won't you link up and join the fun? I love reading your tips!