Is there anyone who ISN’T on a budget these days? If you’re all about stretching design dollars like we are, we have two words for you:
YARD SALE!

With summer coming, the season of low cost ‘stuff’ is upon us. Yard sales can be great—vintage finds, ‘must sell nows’ and even bizarre items so ugly, “only a mother could love” ‘em.
We recommend a few ‘yard rules’ to make sure your treasure hunting excursion is successful.

1. Check your local listings. Craigslist is generally king when it comes to yard sale listings. Check it out on Friday evenings- you’ll see what’s going down the next morning and might even get a sneak peek at some of the items online. Some cities have local yard sale sites, too. Our host city of Wilmington, NC, is home to wilmingtonyardsales.com, for example. Don’t forget the newspaper. A little old fashioned, yes, but we recommend scouring the classifieds Saturday morning before you head out. Then, take the paper with you and use it to wrap any precious or breakable items you buy!

2. Make a plan. Decide what items you’re looking for ahead of time. Make a list and keep it on your person! Next, if you’ve already found listings of sales you’re going to check out, map it so you can get the most out of your time (and your gas tank). And for goodness sake, bring a tape measure.

3. Go with friends! Everything’s more fun with friends (including loading large items you might buy!) Plus, you can keep your eyes open for each other. They might show you that perfect vase you overlooked. A word of caution: if you’re doing serious searching, make sure everyone’s on the same page—no lollygaggers when you’re on a mission.

4. The early (and pennywise) bird gets the worm. Get up early. Get coffee. Go.  Oh, and when you get there, remember- you don’t have to pay full price. Try bargaining first. But be careful—don’t lose out on the perfect piece over a few dollars.

So brave the gorgeous, sunny weather and see what might await you out there in someone else’s yard!

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