fdivBuying yard sale items instead of shopping at a store has some pretty cool advantages that you might not have considered. The most successful yard sale sellers are aware of these advantages, and now it’s your turn to get in the know.
Today in the Yard Sale Radar Blog, we’re looking at our top 5 reasons to buy yard sale items instead of new items at the store.
1. Older Items Often Have Better Quality
One of the sad truths about our modern society is that we’re cheap. Saving money is often the most important motivating factor both for consumers and manufacturers. On top of that, we also have a culture of disposable goods, meaning that many goods are produced even more cheaply.
Yard sale items often come from an earlier time, when quality was more important to the American consumer and manufacturer alike. Some of the most successful yard sales depend on the quality of the items up for sale.
This is particularly true with certain types of items. Clothes, furniture, small appliances, electronics, hardware, and jewelry are just a few of the categories of yard sale items that were often built with a higher quality in the past.
2. A Great Place to Look For Real Value
Okay, so we just ragged on being cheap, but there’s nothing wrong with being smart with your dollars. In fact, there’s a huge difference between recognizing real value and simply going for the cheapest price at any cost.
You’re going to save a lot of money when you buy yard sale items instead of shopping at a store. The key to converting “saving money” into having a successful yard sale experience is knowing how to recognize value.
Consider practical items like lamps or dishes. When you find these kinds of items in good condition at a yard sale, you are straight-up saving money. A bowl from 40 years ago works just as well as a bowl from today. Maybe the pattern isn’t the latest trend this year, but that’s a small price to pay for paying such a small price. Besides, some vintage patterns are highly sought-after and have accrued value over time, like fine china. And you know not everyone will have one! If you’re looking for something a little more unique, a yard sale is a great place to get such items inexpensively.
3. The Nostalgia Factor: Beloved Items You Can’t Buy Anymore
Yard sale items are often one of the only sources for old, nostalgic goods and styles that were once commonplace but aren’t made anymore. And this is good news for a surprising number of people! One quirk of American culture is that many fashions have a second life decades after their heyday. Specifically, once something fades from popularity, it often has a revival a generation or two later. That’s why you may notice that successful yard sales often have a lot of items that are 15 to 30 years old.
There are many reasons for this, but perhaps the biggest one is nostalgia. Young adults, who are experiencing for the first time that the world is always changing, often become nostalgic about the way things used to be when they were growing up. Now in their 20s and 30s, these folks have disposable income and are still accumulating possessions to fill up their homes, making them the perfect yard sale customers.
If this describes you, then you’re in good company! Lots of people buy yard sale items such as old clothing or toys because these things are so familiar and comfortable.
4. Get Ahead of The Fashion Curve by Looking to The Past
Here’s a secret about buying trendy things at the store: By the time trendy goods are mass-produced and available to anyone who wants to buy them, they’re already on their way out of popularity. That’s how trends work. It’s not popular anymore once everyone starts doing it.
So, where can you find trends that are truly ahead of the curve? Well, some of them haven’t been invented yet…but most of them have! All you have to do is look to the past, in places like a yard sale. Items at yard sales are often little pieces of history that tell stories of the trends of yesterday, but many of the aesthetic qualities that define a trendy product are timeless:
- Colors
- Textures
- Surfaces
- Materials
- Sizing & Fit
These underlying qualities mean that many old fashions will rise again someday. That’s why vintage is such a big cultural phenomenon. That’s why mid-century modern and industrial chic are such popular styles. In fact, some fashion trends are downright cyclical, like the alternation between low-rise and high-rise jeans, or between big eyeglasses and small ones.
In the world of fashion, there is always a strong potential for rebirth, and you may be surprised at how trendy some random old yard sale items really are!
5. Help Protect The Environment
Last but certainly not least, reusing old items helps slow down the resource depletion and environmental degradation that are hallmarks of our disposable culture. Manufacturing new items requires massive amounts of raw materials, fuel, power, and water.
Why do that to the Earth when there are beautiful items from yesteryear that are destined to go to the landfill if they can’t find a new home?
Find Yard Sales Near You With Yard Sale Radar
These are some great reasons to buy yard sale items instead of shopping for new ones. At Yard Sale Radar, we want you to have a successful yard sale experience!
Our website is a great place to find local yard sales or post your own sales. Get started right away, or contact us with any questions.
Be sure to check out our Yard Sale Radar Blog for more helpful articles on how to have a great yard sale experience.