Yard sales are great places to start shopping for baby stuff, and yard sale season is fast approaching. Here are some yard sale shopping pointers for you pregnant folks (and the non-preggo, too):
When I was in my second and third trimester, I loved going to yard sales on gorgeous springtime Saturday mornings with my baby daddy–okay, cloudy mornings, too. People would often see me waddle up and fall all over themselves to tell me about their baby stuff, reduce prices on it, or just plain give it to me for free. We picked up a waterproof mattress pad, umbrella stroller, toys, board books, clothing and tons more for 50% or less than retail. We also picked up a bunch of helpful strategies for finding sales, being prepared, and making the most of sale day:
Finding Sales Near You:
Find local yard sales listed on Craigslist, or in your local paper’s classifieds section. If you Google the name of your town and “yard sale” and/or “garage sale” many of the Craigslist sales will pop right up. Add the word “baby” to your search or the name of a particular item you’re looking for and you’ll really be ready to go. You can also use the “find” feature (control F, maybe) on your browser to search for particular items in a page full of results. Try using Google Maps or Mapquest to create a personalized road map with all the sales on it and to get driving directions.
Friday Night:
- Pack some stuff to take along: A few drinks and snacks. Some cash–small bills, please. A road atlas (unless you’re one of those fancy GPS-owing types) so you can find your way around winding neighborhood streets. A bag full of batteries–AA, C, D, and AAA–so you can try out those battery-powered items before you buy (but trust me, kids really do like toys even if all the lights and sounds don’t work. I know I like them better that way!).
- If you’re shopping for baby clothing, jot down what sizes you’ll need for winter and summer clothing. Adorable 0-3 months sweaters, for example, will do you absolutely no good if your baby is born in July.
- Search for yard sales with baby and kids stuff in neighborhoods where you know young families live. Look for neighborhood-wide sales and sales clustered in the same area. You can create and print a Google Map with all your sales right on it.
- If you’re looking for a particular item, know the retail price on the item so you know whether you’re getting a good deal. If you’ve got a few months to shop, know that you can usually find new items on sale at stores for 30% off. Yard sale items should be priced 40% or more off the lowest regular retail price you can find.
- If you’ve already decorated or painted your nursery, take along paint chips and/or fabric samples in case you find cute stuff. If you’re tight on space, take along a tape measure.
Saturday Morning:
- Get there when the sale starts (8 or 9 a.m. usually) if you’re looking for something in particular so you’ll get the best selection. Many sales say “no earlybirds,” so don’t arrive before the posted hours. Get there late for the best bargains, but don’t be surprised if some sellers have closed up shop early, especially if the weather’s not great.
- Don’t be shy about asking sellers for their best deal. I usually say, “What’s the best you can do on this.” They’re usually willing to take at least 10%. The belly will work to your advantage in this area. Striking the pregnant woman’s “oh my aching back” pose works well too.
- If you see an item you may want to buy, pick it up and carry it with you. If you definitely plan to buy it, but it’s big or heavy, ask the seller to move it aside or put a “sold” sign on it. It’s really disappointing when somebody snaps up your bargain while you’re still looking around.
- Look over items carefully to make sure all the parts are there and that they’re in good condition. If you don’t know how something works, ask the seller. Avoid buying used car seats and crib mattresses for safety reasons. Check for recalls and other safety information at Consumer Product Safety Commission and Recalls.gov (Recall and safety info).
What are your best yard sale shopping tips?
photo by supa-pedro via Flickr
I’ve also found that it’s helpful if you lawn sale shop a lot for little items (clothes in particular) that it’s helpful to make note of what you need in advance. That way, if I’ve already got plenty of spring jackets in size 2, but no size 6 winter boots or size 18 month PJs, I can keep my eye out for them and not overbuy what I already have enough of. And, since pregnancy brain made me a little forgetful, this was very helpful!
For local sales, I also give the sellers my contact info and ask them to let me know when they’re having their next sale. I now have three families with a child a year or two ahead of mine who call me and let me shop first. You won’t get the best price this way, but you will get first pick of all the merchandise.