What things are you on the lookout for at garage sales?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Or yard sales, tag sales, whatever you call them. Estate sales are a little different, but I’ll include them in the question.

I will usually go through the books, looking for old cookbooks particularly from before 1950. Even better if they have pencilled notes in them or recipe cards stuck in them. I also look for table linens, napkins, and dish towels. And kitchen glassware, glass bowls with covers, refrigerator dishes.

I pass right by the tools, toys, electronics, furniture, which I’m sure some of y’all are combing through, right?

2

Cookbooks here too, but I’m looking for the old self-published type. Ones from boosters clubs, junior league, Ladies auxiliary etc.

3

I don’t look at going to sales like I do going to a store. Going to a store I have something specific in mind. A sale is more like an adventure, let’s see what’s out there.

4

I keep a running list of things I’m looking for along with measurements and preferences, but I’m always on the look-out for that special find I didn’t know I wanted.

5

Sheets and towels.

Kids’ clothes and baby items.

Wrestling action figures for my collection.

6

Snap On Tools.
An old Gerstner machinists chest.
Curta calculators.
Old Hot Wheels with the redline wheels.
Ace staplers.
Cast iron pans.
Le Creuset pans.
Vintage mercurochrome bottles.
Those are specific things, basically small things that can be easily undervalued.

7

I’m just a browser, but when I’ve had garage sales myself, there’s always a half-dozen or so ‘professionals’ who amble in asking if I have specific things: tools, non-working gold watches, old video-games and consoles (like Atari etc). When I answer in the negative, they just hot-foot it out the driveway to visit the next garage sale on their list.

8

Yep. Most of those books will have comfort food, not particularly healthy, but you know they’re gonna be good, because nobody wants their name on a recipe that isn’t.

The one we did at the last place I worked is my go-to cookbook for appetizers, dips, and casseroles.

9

Giant glass ashtrays with brass rims, made by Alvan Clark.

10

Old mossickle parts & stuff.

11

Briar and meerschaum pipes, tobacciana, rifles, comics, coins, and knives.

12

Books, various, or sell-able.
Furniture, especially Mid-century Modern, or bookshelves.
Nicknacks or lamps, 30s to 50s.
Anything odd or unusual, really.

13

Books! I read a lot and nothing is better than finding someone with a lot of 1970s or 1980s sci fi paperbacks that they’re unloading for cheap.

14

DVDs; most people have at least a few things for a buck apiece.

15

Old Penelton shirts, electric motors, old wood working hand tools, vintage archery equipment, flower pots, fishing equipment.

16

I usually keep an eye out for good bakeware, pie plates, that sort of thing. Old Tupperware is great, too.

17

Beads, buttons and costume jewelry.

18

I don’t usually go to garage sales (the spouse hates them, and we really don’t need any more junk in the house) but when I do go, I look for old comic books (particularly stuff that pings childhood nostalgia, like Richie Rich and Archie) and old RPG games. Occasionally furniture and cat trees.

19

Cast iron pans.

I got a great, perfectly-seasoned, fajita pan and plank for $2. It’s my grilled sandwich pan.

20

Books, old bar ware (cocktail shakers and interesting glassware), fishing equipment, pin-up art.