Re-Yard Saling Results

Remember the yard sale I helped with 2 Saturdays ago? Well, she had it on her own this weekend and did better. Yes, I could be a bad luck charm, but really she learned some lessons from the week before. She put up signs, she put out more and bigger items and she got a lot more traffic. She made more money and she got rid of a bunch of stuff.

She's closer to that move now!

How did your yard sale go?

Saturday's Sales: Something for all of Austin

Friends, I tried to diversify a little bit this weekend, by extending my reach beyond South Austin. Of course, this is easy for me because I'm going out of town for the weekend. I'll miss all those bargains just waiting to be found. I would love for you to share your bargains with me--drop me a line, send me some pics, etc. It's your turn...(send to misthrifty@gmail.com)

Here is a map to the yard sales that looked good to me. I've included the description on the map. You'll have to scroll out since the sales aren't concentrated in one area.

http://www.garagemaps.com/print.php?var_mapset=1500735786

Happy yard saling!

Where Dead Baby Dolls Go When They Die

Fredericksburg Trade Days Pt. 2 Here's a picture of my favorite stall/corner of the Trade Days. Everything's broken but in a wonderful way. If I had a real garden, I'd be getting everything here.



In this picture, you can see bird cages, tables, chairs, sinks, a shopping cart, and so much more. I love it.

I was on my way to Kerrville with a car full of camping gear so I couldn't get everything I wanted to buy.

This is the same store that had 3 tables of dead baby dolls pictured in an earlier post.

How'd it Go?

So, this weekend's yard sales were successes.

Back home in Pennsylvania, my grandmother, who is moving, made almost $300 and got rid of a bunch of stuff. She also sold my Buddha statue for $20.

The yard sale I was helping with went pretty well, especially for those who contributed items to the sale.

Some Lessons Learned
1. Signs do work--we were strapped for time and energy, so the signs were not a priority. Figuring that we were on a pretty main road, with signs to neigboring yard sales abundant, we didn't put up any signs at nearby intersections. This woud have helped greatly.
2. Big items sell--The host was mostly trying to get rid of small stuff she had around the house. These items don't sell for much and don't attract passersby. Friends brought over bigger items--a tv, a table, 2 fans, a bike, a stereo receiver--and these sold quickly and sold at a high price. Friends made in one sale what the host made in all of her little sales throughout the day.
3. Early birds ignore the "no early birds, please" request in your ad-- They also ignore you when they show up and at 7:15 while you're setting up and you tell them very clearly that you're not going to be ready until 8:00am. They're pros, really.
4. Friends and Neigbors rule!--it was so nice to get to meet the hosts neigbors throughout the morning. Also, friends like Bucko, Scott, and Beth brought items to sell. It was great seeing everyone bright and early on a Saturday morning.
5. People will buy anything--The item that we had the most fun with was a pair of electric sisscors. I mean, who really needs a pair of electric sisscors--I'd never even heard of such a thing. They sold, though, for $5.
6. Hosting a yard sale is a lot of work, but it's so much fun!

Baby doll parts

I'll have more on this later, but for now, check out some of the junk you could find at Fredericksburg's Trade Days. I think this is my new favorite place!

Dead baby dolls on a table...

LL Marketplace open this weekend!

In addition to the yard sales I suggested, you'll find a great selection and great prices here too. See my earlier blog on LL Marketplace.

Here's a note from LL:

Hello Everyone,

Just wanted to let you know that we will be open Saturday, August 19 at 8:00 AM at 714A Shelby. We have lots of good stuff, including the usual books, furniture, VHS tapes, exercise equipment, paintings, jewelry, dishes, stamps, comics, and much more.

Featured this week is a gate leg, drop leaf table along with 4 beautiful wooden chairs with purple seat cushions. These can be sold separately or as a set. Also new is a western painting framed to match, as well as new jewelry and books, too.

Come by early before it gets too hot. Hope to see you there.

Linda

Maps for Miss Thrifty's Picks

Here's a link to garagemaps' map of my yard sale. See you soon!

http://www.garagemaps.com/print.php?var_mapset=1278028070

Miss Thrifty's Picks, 8/19

So, I'm helping a friend with a garage sale this weekend, so I've tried to highlight some other great yard sales to compliment mine!

Plant Sale and Moving Sale: Corner of Bluebonnet and Ford.
This is the garage sale I'm helping host. Decorations, crystal stemware, never-used gifts, mountain bike, rollerblades (sz11 women's), cookware, dvds/vhs, garden pots and edging, and very unique, and cheap plants. See more here:
http://austin.craigslist.org/gms/195280676.html

BiscuitFest Benefit Bazaar: 321 Ben White BLVD
Brunch, bazaar, and rock and roll. Sale starts at 10:30am, rock starts at 4pm and goes to 1am! No link available.

7-Family Hyde Park Garage Sale: 4008 Ave. G
OK, it's not in S.Austin, but it's close. I've been meaning to check some yard sales in this area, and this one looks huge. Check it out.
http://austin.craigslist.org/gms/195370398.html

Moving Sale: 1809 Sylvan Dr
Items for sale include kitchen items, dryer, tools, lawnmower, wheel barrel, two desks, chairs, printer, bed spread, small TV, leaf blower, etc.
http://austin.craigslist.org/gms/195589612.html

(Note, even if not listed here, there are always a ton of yard sales going on in around/on Bluebonnet/the Barton Springs area. You'll find plenty of sales near us!)

See you tomorrow!

In State College, PA this weekend?

The original thrifty bitches, my mother & grandmother, are holding a moving sale. My lil' old grandma is moving out of her house after 50 years of collecting QUALITY antiques, dishes, furniture, records, etc. If you're in town, stop by! There's a yardsale at the church next door.

Details:
address--1125 William St., off Easterly Parkway between church and elementary school.
featured items--crocks, patio furniture, other furniture, dishes, crystal, records from the 80s and 90s, a garden Buddha statue, and much much more (remember, she lived in this house for 50 years!)

Tell my mother, grandma, and Aunt Sue I said hello!

Go Penn State!

How to Have a Great Yard Sale

As I prepare for this weekend's yard sale, I've tried to reflect on past yard sales I've hosted (with some success and some failures) and I've also combed through yard sale websites for yard sale tips.

Here are a few links with some great advice:
http://www.wikihow.com/Hold-a-Successful-Garage-Sale
and
http://www.yardsalequeen.com/yardsale.htm

I've tried to focus on a few areas here:

Advertising and Signage
1. We're focusing on the free advertising for this weekend. Craigslist is an invaluable resource--you can advertise for free with no word limit, and you can include pictures of featured items for sale. I'm not sure about other cities, but here in Austin, craigslist is the onestop site for bargain hunters. We're also poor and we don't want to put the ad in the Statesman.
Here's our craigslist ad: http://austin.craigslist.org/gms/195280676.html
2. Signs are sooo important. They should use big letters that say "YARD SALE" and "SATURDAY, 8AM-1PM" and "CORNER OF BLUEBONNET AND FORD" and "----->" (direction indicator). We'll be posting these at the major inersections. They will be bright and will use clear, black lettering.

Display
1. Shade: Apparently it's the hottest freakin' Austin summer since 1910. We are trying to emphasize shade this weekend. Beth is providing tables and easy-up tents for cover.
2. Cleanliness: Friday we'll be cleaning the driveway and mowing the yard, etc. to make it look pretty for Saturday. All items will be dusted and cleaned.
3. Clearly Marked Prices: All items will be priced to move this weekend, and we will mark these clearly on Friday night.
4. Have big items to sell and attract passersby.
5. Most items will be on tables, not on the ground.

Community Involvement
This is my favorite part. When I say community, I refer to my community of friends, a lot of whom are contributing items to the yard sale. This will be a multi-household yard sale and I hope to see some friends out and about (new and old).

A Heads Up: I'm Helping Host a Yard Sale this Weekend

Yes, a friend is selling her house and moving out. I'll be testing my skills as a yard sale organizer/helper for the first time in A-town.

Details: This Saturday (8/19), 8am, corner of Bluebonnet and Ford in South Austin (Go West on Bluebonnet at Artz Ribhouse and Mr. Natural). This will be a multi-household sale/plant sale. Everything will be priced to move!

More details are to come, but I just wanted to let y'all know I won't be promoting other yard sales this weekend except for those in the vacinity of this yard sale (yes, I hold the power people!).

I swear, as much as I try I can't seem to get beyond South Austin for yard sales. There's just so much going on in my own neigborhood.

Free Stuff--Hurry!

Rena passed on this craigslist ad. Sounds good--wish I could get off work to get me some leather couches!

FREE STUFF -- moved, did not fit in the truck so had to leave it. It'son the grass in front of the parking ramp on Barton Skyway / Mopac by the WINDRIDGE APARTMENTS. Come soon --- leather couch, chairs, furniture, etc. -- get it before someone else does. Directions from north: Take Mopac south and exit Barton Skyway. Make aleft and go across Mopac and as soon as you cross the stop lights --look to your LEFT and you'll see a parking ramp -- the items are rightthere on the street !! Directions from south: Take Mopac north and exit Barton Skyway. Make aright and as soon as you turn at those stop lights - look to your LEFTand you'll see a parking ramp -- the items are right there on the street

The World's Longest Yard Sale

My mother alerted me to the world's longest yard sale, which spans 450 miles and 4 states, from Alabama to Ohio.
Here's a link to a participant's article: http://newslink.nandomedia.com/NandoTimes/asap/lifestyle/v-centredaily/story/3348159p-12327793c.html

And here's the official website of the sale: http://www.127sale.com/

Looks like a great idea--I just wish I'd known about it beforehand. (It took place the first weekend in August). Maybe next year...

A Minor Yard Sale Outing, Perhaps.

Folks, it's been a rough week. The FT job, 3 gigs, and excess emotional baggage took its toll. Tomorrow I hope to sleep off the stress, wake up renewed and take a swim. So, no formal outing is planned. I have found these potentially cool yard sales for the weekend near my house, though. Maybe I'll roll out of bed and head down...

2159 S. Lamar Blvd-- Aug 12 Lots of costume & silver jewelry, Antique bed, Computer desk, collectibles. Follow signs to rear for sale. 7 - 12 noon only

2002 Kinney Ave, 78704--Very cool assortment. Tons of kids stuff, couch, vintage chair, dresser, kitchen. Everything must go. Sat 7am-Noon.

2010 Montclaire St. 78704--Vintage Furniture and Lamps, Stereo Speakers, Super 8 sound Camera, Laptop, Dishes, George Foreman Grill, Computer Monitor & much more! Cheap! 8am Sat. Aug. 12th. No early birds please!
Here's the link: http://austin.craigslist.org/gms/192824012.html

Ok, I admit these mostly look good because they're right around the corner from my place. I promise that soon I'll venture out of cozy South Austin!

Have a great, thrifty weekend y'all!

Find of the Week, Aug 5-11

This might be the one of the coolest things I've found so far in Austin--a genuine RailRoad Crossing Sign that I got for only 5 dollars. This is mounted to the only empty wall left in my apartment. The reflection from the flash caused the white wall to become black. Tres cool.

Rena's Finds

Rena scored this weekend. This all comes from the plant sale and the LL Marketplace. She later gave me the contents of the black bag--a George Foreman grill.

LL MarketPlace, South Austin

I forgive them for the false advertising on Craig's List--this was no yard sale, but I guess technically it was an "overflowing warehouse sale."

Larry and Linda Seelke recently opened the LL Marketplace on 714A Shelby Lane. They are only open every other weekend, but it's worth checking out their schedule.

I couldn't believe how much stuff they have here, and how cheap it is! I so wish it would have been open when I moved to town with no furniture. They have side tables, coffee tables, dining room tables, chairs, office chairs, paintings, books, camping equip, jewelry, and unknown items (no clothes, though).

The overflow is shown here in the picture, but the warehouse itself is very organized and stuff is well-displayed.

The price is the best thing about LL MarketPlace. Larry and Linda go to auctions to get the goods, and I have to say, they do a great job. I was on a yard sale budget, but still could have saved a bunch of money! Rena totally scored here--she got a pot and pan holder, a soccer ball, a crockpot, a painting, crayons, and more...I'll show you the pictures later.

Like I said, they're not open every weekend. They do have an email list for open weekends--email them at llmarketplace@yahoo.com to get on the list.

A Little Late but Still Great Saturday

Blooming Idiots Plant Sale
I guess I should never predict that I'll be out late drinking on Friday--it's so easy for the idea to become reality. Don't get me wrong, I was still Miss Thrifty while out on the town. I managed to come home with a hand-me-down studded black belt from a local rockstar drummer and I made a commitment to help a friend plan her upcoming yardsale (more on that later...).

It was 8:30am on Saturday when Rena, my yard saling buddy for the day, called. She'd be over by 9:30 so I had another hour to sleep, but would it help the nausea and the throbbing in the head? It had been a while since I'd abused myself so bad and I wasn't sure I still had it in me to recover so quickly.

Maybe yard saling is the answer to all your Saturday hangover woes. Once out in the sun and 100 degree weather, my headache miraculously went away--of course it could have been the red bull that Rena brought me, but the fresh, if hot, air didn't hurt either.

The late start prevented us from going to too many sales, but we managed to go to 3, even though there seemed to be a gazillion signs for sales everywhere we went.

The first one, closest to the Sunset Valley Farmer's Market, was the plant sale pictured above. I got 3 new plants, Rena got 4 new plants, and her daughter got a Hibiscus. The neigbors were also having a yardsale, but it was a little overpriced. Still, Rena's little one got some stars for her ceiling and more. Apparently, the plant sale, while in a private residence, is an ongoing thing--it's a business called "Blooming Idiots" and they are usually at the farmer's market with a much smaller selection. The plants were great and they gave me a lot of great advice for not killing them, which I really needed. Anyway--the Blooming Idiots is owned by Larry & Pat Ross, and their phone number is 512/444-2907.

Next, we went to the "Overflowing Warehouse" sale that made Friday's list. It wasn't a yardsale at all--it's a second-hand store, and one of the best I've seen. Rena and her daughter totally scored and I found my find of the week. See tomorrow's blog.

After spending about an hour at the warehouse, we had all hit a wall. We stopped for some gatorade and bathrooms and then headed to the "Free Beer" yard sale. Well, I saw plenty of vintage clothes and a fellow Kerrvert, but I didn't see any beer (not that I needed any!) or face painting. The little one got some cool earrings though. Also, I had forgotten how awesome the houses are in Travis Heights.

A great, if short, yard saling Saturday!

Map of this Week's Yard Sales

Here's a neat little thingy--garagemaps.com allows you to search a map of all posted garage sales in Austin. You can post sales here as well as view them.

Here's a link to the ones I've targeted for the weekend.

http://www.garagemaps.com/print.php?var_mapset=1282033628

The Coolest Yardsale Ever? (and other outings for the weekend)

So, here's how my ideal Saturday morning goes. I wake up without a hangover. I drink 3 cups of coffee. I go to 2 or 3 yard sales in South Austin, starting at 8am. At 9:30 I go to the Sunset Valley Farmer's Market to get my veggies and eggs for the week and eat breakfast while listening to local musicians (who I'm sure are not sleep-deprived or hungover!). Then, I might go to a few more yard sales as I work my way home.

This is my plan for tomorrow, with a few friends joining me for our first official Thrifty Bitch yard sale outing. Of course, James Hand is playing at the Broken Spoke and my friend Robyn Ludwick is playing at Threadgills, so there is a potential for craziness tonight.

Yes, a lot could happen between now and then, but here are my tentative yard sale plans tomorrow. This week I'll be in South Austin, just because it's an easy way to start.

1. The Impossibly Cool Yard Sale (1109 Woodland Ave, 78704--Noon on Saturday):
OK, I couldn't resist. A catchy name, FREE BEER, vintage clothing, and face painting. Only in Austin! Here's the link: http://austin.craigslist.org/gms/189713281.html

2. Estate Sale (815 W. Slaughter Lane,78748... Building 41, 10am-5pm):
Here's the link:http://austin.craigslist.org/gms/189613063.html. The ad has some great pictures. Looks like some real quality stuff that might be a bit more pricey than the run-of-the mill garage sale.

3. Multi-family Yard Extravaganza (3403 S. Oak Dr, 6am till it all goes):
Earlybirds might luck out at this one--looks like lots of furniture, cookware, and for me, a bedside table. Here's the ad: http://austin.craigslist.org/gms/189673731.html

4. Overflowing Warehouse Sale (714A Shelby Lane, 8am):
This promises a huge, overflowing warehouse sale with office and home furniture, dishes, comic books, "unusual books," and more. I'll be there. Here's the link: http://austin.craigslist.org/gms/189944382.html

5. Garage and Plant Sale (4514-4516 Jinx, no time specified)
OOOh--I'm in. I need more plants to kill while I hone my gardening skills in the killer Texas climate. Also advertised: a vinyl pool, a pay phone, scuba gear, wooden swing, clothes, and more. No link (from the Statesman.com).

This is my ambitious plan. We'll see how the night goes, but at the very least, I hope to make the noon free-beer, party yard sale.

See you out and about...

Bulk Collection in Austin

Almost understandably, the City of Austin does not publish the pick-up dates for bulk trash (big items that won't fit in the trash cans). They cite "illegal scavenging and dumping" as the reasons for hiding the information.

Well, I'm here to promote illegal scavenging. I've gotten some great things out of the trash, including my new ironing board (in perfect condition) that I found in a more well-to-do neighborhood near Redbud Park in A-town. I still have and use a down comforter that I grabbed from the top of a trash pile in Morgantown, West Virginia. I actually saw a woman walk the blanket, neatly folded, to the trash can and sit it on top of a pile of other non food-related objects during student move out time at WVU (one of the best times of the year for dumpster diving).

The City of Austin states that it recycles over 10% of the bulk items they collect. I'd like to look into this, but I can bet that by promoting "illegal scavenging," we can recycle more than 10%.

Obviously, the neigborhood must be notified of bulk collection times so they can get their "trash" out on the curb. The city distributes flyers advertising the date. You can also get the collection dates by calling (494-9400) or emailing (http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/connect/email_swspio.htm) Solid Waste Services and providing them with your street address.

If you live in a great neigborhood, I'd love for you to share your pick-up dates with Thrifty Bitch. Email me at missthrifty@gmail.com. In the meantime, I'll periodically check up on certain neigborhoods and fake my address. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks and good luck!



Disclaimer: Miss Thrifty does not promote illegal dumping!





My new-to-me ironing board....

Send Me Your Yard Sale Finds

I would love for you to share your yard sale finds with me. If you have some particulary interesting finds and/or bargains, send a picture and a brief description (where you found the item, how much it cost, how much it is worth, where it originated, etc.) to me at missthrifty@gmail.com.

The pictures might be republished here!

Wishlisting for You and Me

As yard salers we often fall victim to the piles and piles of unwanted junk that we bought on impulse--I mean, what will it hurt if you are only paying 10 cents for it? As someone who has moved a lot (and I mean a lot) and as someone who has severe difficulty throwing things away, I've surely done some damage to my back and knees lifting heavy boxes, spent extra gas money on cars/trucks weighted down by junk as I moved across the country, and wasted time dusting knick-knacks that only clutter the few shelves I have in my apartment.

Eventually I'll dedicate an entire post to preventing junk accumulation, but right now I'll focus on one method of preventing it. I've heard the advice given to mall frequenters/shopaholics, MAKE A LIST OF WHAT YOU NEED AND STICK TO IT.

Miss Thrifty's Wishlist
I'll start with my original wishlist. I've found some of these items by now.

Dresser (found: $10)
Tent (found: $10)
Ice Chest (found $4)
End Tables (2)
Coffee Table
Ironing Board (found: FREE, out of curb trash in rich neigborhood)
Paint for dresser
Entertainment Center
Blender
Drawer knobs for dresser

Ongoing items:

Coffee mugs (found 2 so far, totalling .2o)
DVDs
Books (found 2 so fare, totalling $1)
Decorations (found 1, totalling $1)
Flower pots/gardening supplies (found a 2 pots, one decoration totalling $2)
Jewelry
Workout clothes
Clothing

Introducing Miss Thrifty: Your Personal Yard Sale Shopper
As my wishlist gets fulfilled, I can still fulfill my yard saling needs by buying for other people. Sometimes, these are gifts, or sometimes I can just act as a personal yard sale shopper. For instance, my roommate collects campy coffee mugs. She also needs an end table and a light for her desk. My work friend needs some bookshelves, some interesting lights, and some small, comfy living room chairs, so I'll be on the lookout for him, too.

Yes, There are Things I Didn't Know I Needed!
I admit it. I have little self control. I love to shop--I think it must be a gene passed down from my Mother. Still, I've managed to keep it practical. Here's what I've found in the last two weeks (pictures of me using them are coming soon...)

Ikea Long green throw rug ($0.25--now at use in our itsy-bitsy kitchen)
Fossil Satchel/purse ($0.25--now my primary purse. I love it and use it every day!)
Wine Rack ($0.50--a gift for the roommie who's just taken up drinking cheap red wine. The perfect size for our little table.)
Stetson Straw hat ($0.50--Y'all, I'm in Texas. It's about time I got my first Stetson.)
Hoola-hoop ($0.75--OK, maybe I didn't need this, but I'm learning to move my hips in ways I never have before...)

Weekly Wishlist Updates to Come!