Garage sale cheat sheet: How to find treasure, not trash

Welcome to garage sale season, when one man's trash is another man's treasure.

It's serious business — some community garage sales attract hundreds, if not thousands, of shoppers. In the east metro, some 600 garage sales are registered in the annual Woodbury Lions Community Garage Sale. It draws approximately 5,000 shoppers from around the metro, outstate Minnesota and neighboring states. Some groups arrive in tour buses.

Ready to go treasure hunting? Two experts share their tips on how to score big deals, the art of negotiating and what you really shouldn't buy at a garage sale.

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General shopping strategies

Bruce Littlefield, author of "Garage Sale America," and Lynda Hammond, the Garage Sale Gal and author of "The Garage Sale Gal's Guide to Making Money Off Your Stuff," said to always keep the following in mind:

• If you're looking for the best selection, hit sales early. If price is the most important factor, go toward the end of the day near the end of the sale.

• An early indication that it's not a good garage sale is when you see people walking away empty-handed.

• Look beyond the dust and dirt. "Think about repurposing the item, cleaning it up," Littlefield said. "Don't get so distraught that something is dirty."

• Don't buy something just because it's cheap.

• If an item has multiple pieces, don't assume you're getting the complete set.

• Don't assume something is authentic unless you're an expert.

• If you see something you like, pick it up and hang onto it. "Some people may try to play it cool and not pick up an item," Hammond said. "Lo and behold, someone behind them might take it."

• Don't wear expensive jewelry or shoes. Sellers judge whether you can afford to pay full price by what you're wearing, Littlefield said.

• Bring cash — and remember that all sales are final.

Buy this...

Mirrors, furniture in good condition (sometimes it hasn't even been used) and items that are brand-new.

"You can turn around and give them as gifts," Hammond said. "As long as the box is in good condition, why not?"

Littlefield recommends going out with a list of things you need and buying things that are useful, for both yourself and those in your life.

Shoppers at a garage sale — Shoppers looked at items for sale at a garage sale in Woodbury Thursday.
Nancy Yang | MPR News

...Not that

Be wary of infant and children's items, because those items could have been recalled.

But if you do happen to buy a recalled item, it may not be a lost cause. Contact the company — it may send you a fix kit or replace that item completely.

"I know one lady who bought a crib at a garage sale for $50, and found it had been recalled," Hammond said. "Instead of it turning out to be a terrible waste of $50, the company sent her a brand new one."

Another item to avoid? Mattresses. Just think of the hygiene (or lack thereof).

Littlefield suggests avoiding broken items that you don't know how to fix and items you already have a lot of.

And finally: "Don't buy things that are gross," Littlefield said.

Come again?

He means things like toiletry items, used lotions and medications because yes, that apparently is a thing.

"I once saw a half-used tube of Preparation H. It was a quarter. People will sell anything," he said.

The right way to negotiate

Don't insult the seller. Just don't.

"Don't say something like, 'Oh, that cookie jar, that's not even worth a dollar,' " Hammond said. "People definitely don't want to hear that."

Instead, Littlefield said, start by building a relationship with the seller the moment you arrive. Say hi when you walk up and chat about things that catch your eye.

"People once cherished these things," he said. "They want to sell these things to somebody that they like."

After you've established a rapport, ask if you can start a pile — it signals that you may buy multiple items. Once you've finished browsing, ask for a group price on all the items. If you can't reach a deal right away, pull some things out until you settle on a reasonable price.

If you're willing to wait, leave your number and ask the seller to contact you at the end of the sale if the item doesn't go for its original asking price.

But be prepared to walk away if you can't strike a deal.