How to shop at garage sales.

If you're a regular visitor to my blog you would know I'm a bit of a garage sale addict. I just love the thrill of finding something amazing super cheap or finding a new project. I thought I'd share a few tips for how to shop successfully at a garage sale. Sometimes it just comes down to being the right place at the right time but a few things have helped me to be a bit more successful.

Firstly be prepared. 
Make a list of things you’re on the lookout for.
Here is an example of what my list looks like today: 
 - vintage bike  
- rug
 -small desk
-scrabble game
-wooden crates 
- dining table +chairs
-pretty frames
-clothes (dresses,skirts or summer tops)
-kitchen table +chairs
-tea cups
-hooks and handles.
-globe

Know the starting times.

It is best to turn up at a garage sale when it first starts, so this can sometimes mean a bit of an early saturday morning. Most start about 8 or 830. I try to get there when it starts or just a little bit before to ensure I don't miss out on some quality gear. However sometimes there are a few that start at the same time so I usually go to the one that's furthest away and work my way back home. Living in a country town means that all garage sales are within a 10 minute radius of my home and it's pretty easy to map out a route to take that is dependent on starting times.

 Bring a friend.

Isn't everything more fun to do with a friend? They can offer advice on whether the thing you love is actually awesome and well priced. They can also help ensure you don't come home with useless junk. But be warned although friends are fantastic they may have similar taste to you and end up buying something you wished you found first.

Take your time.

It is really important to not just take in everything at first glance. Look through the bags and boxes and you never know what treasures you’ll discover. There's no need to rush but if you do see something you love, pick it up and hold it before someone else grabs it.

And then of course there’s the items that aren’t quite perfect yet but you can see immense potential in. I try to limit the number of projects I have going at once (though my shed is currently a sea of bermuda blue projects for the kitchen) but sometimes there are amazing pieces of furniture for ridiculously cheap prices and these are impossible to pass by.

These are my tips for not coming home with too much junk and enjoying my saturday morning garage sale experiences. 
Then once it's over there's nothing like a big breakfast with a friend and a coffee to start the day off swell.

Happy thrifting!

Lisa x