Whether you’re moving to a new home or just cleaning out your old one, it’s the time of year when a lot of old items seem to end up on the curb.
But instead of setting those items out for weekly garbage pickup, why not see if anyone will pay you to take your junk off your hands through a garage sale?
“Some things I don’t think are worth anything, and yet somebody wants it,” Ed Authier, a vendor at a recent community garage sale in New Hamburg.
At that community garage sale, shoppers gave CTV a wide variety of reasons why they like to browse the sales, ranging from love of antiques to enjoyment of the unexpected.
“It’s always the thought you might find something really interesting,” said Dan Cohoe.
Others said they don’t walk into a garage sale expecting to find great deals, but simply enjoy the social aspect of it.
“It’s a nice way for the community to come together, talk to people and usually find cool bargains,” said Aimee Bender.
To find those cool bargains, though, Bender recommended keeping an old proverb in mind – the early bird gets the worm.
“A lot of the time, the good stuff goes early,” she said.
“If you want to find it, you’ve got to get there early. But … you’re going to get a better deal later because they just want to get rid of it.”
Experts recommend that garage sale customers go in with a strategy of what they want and what they’re willing to pay, while vendors should make sure they haven’t priced their items unreasonably – and shouldn’t be afraid to accept a lower price.
“The price is negotiable, usually,” admitted Authier.
Another tip for prospective garage sale shoppers, this one from Cohoe – neighbourhoods with older residents preparing to leave their houses and children growing out of clothes and toys are likely your best bet for finding lots of sales in a small area.
CTV’s David Imrie is showing you ways to turn trash into cash this week on CTV News.
