I am a yard sale fanatic. I go every weekend and usually hold a few each year. I just love them but have been known to make a buying mistake here or there along the way. Here are some tips on how to avoid the junk and just buy the good stuff:

Battery-operated items
Before buying check the battery compartment for old corroded batteries that may have damaged it.

Electrical appliances
Ask to plug it in to test it (most garages have an electrical outlet handy.) Since most items are sold "as is" you'll be out of luck if you get it home and it doesn't work. Make sure all the parts are there, and hopefully the instruction manual too.

Clothing
Check for missing buttons, zippers that don't zip, snaps that don't snap (or are missing altogether). When buying kid's clothes, keep in mind that the clothes may have shrunk so don't necessarily go by the tag size.

Videotapes, cassette tapes, CDs
Check to make sure what the cover says is actually what's in the case. For CDs, check for major scratches and damage.

Books
Smell them to check for a musty odor. If you are an avid book collector, or buying books for someone else, bring a list of what they already own so you don't buy duplicates (or even triplicates!)

About the Author
Christina Heiska is a stay-at-home mom who gave birth one day after having a yard sale. Check out her website for more yardsaling tips at The Yardsale Queen

Did you enjoy this article? Rate It! | Tell A Friend