Bruce Littlefield's Life 101 » Garage Sales

Garage Sale – Find of the week!

Bruce Littlefield — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:24:51 +0000

$200 million return on $45 garage sale grab.

Rick Norsigian is my kind of garage sale shopper. He bought a collection of 65 glass negatives at a garage sale for $45. Today, his find–a never before seen collection of photographs by Ansel Adams–will go on display in California. They are estimated to be worth $200 million!!! Pardon me while I run out to follow the arrows. Surely someone has something way underpriced. I’m finding it before someone else does.

Garage Sale – Real Housewife foreclosure style

Bruce Littlefield — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:30:33 +0000

New Jersey Garage Sale (aka Teresa's foreclosure)

Teresa Giudice, the Real Housewife of NJ foreclosure princess who is $11 million in debt, is selling the overblown monstrosity of a house for a few dollars shy of $4 million. But if that’s out of your budget, can I interest you in her grill, her boat, her tractor, or her wedding ring? Gawker has the photos and is saying all of these items and more (aka, everything the bank now owns) are being sold in a giant foreclosure garage sale. I must remind you: Buyer beware.

Garage Sale – Find of the Week!

Bruce Littlefield — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:55:52 +0000

LeBron James pendant - Paid $5, worth $10,000

Yard saler Vaneisha Robinson thought she was buying costume jewelry when she paid $5 for this diamond studded pendant. When she had it appraised, she discovered it is worth almost $10,000. According to the AP, 20 year old Vaneisha said she used to wear the jersey-shaped pendant to high school until gemologist Jerry Ehrenwald appraised the 14-karat white gold pendant sports more than 2 carats of diamonds for a small fortune. The # 23 jersey says ‘King’ on the front and ‘James’ on the back. Maybe Lebron wants to buy it off Vaneisha as a good luck charm as he heads to Miami. Or… go to ebay and buy a tinfoil one.

Garage Sales – Bruce on Home Wizards

Bruce Littlefield — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 13:33:24 +0000

Last weekend, I was back on the fabulous Cindy Dole’s radio show, Home Wizards, to talk about my summer passion: garage sailing! Tis the season, and I’m trying to head out every weekend this summer to hunt for treasure. Cindy’s helpful show also features other handy home hits, like these great moving tips and guides to buying the perfect grill. I always have such a good time talking with her! Check out clips from our chat here.

Life 101 – Mastering the Garage Sale

Bruce Littlefield — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:01:39 +0000

Canada’s Globe and Mail did a feature on me for their weekly “Guide to Your Life.” Writer Dakshana Bascaramurty (try saying that three times fast!) interviewed me and wrote what I think is the best synopsis of my greatest garage sale tactics for both buyers and sellers. Whether you’re buying or selling, here’s how you can stretch your dollar at the weekend yard sale. And grab a copy of my book, Garage Sale America (on sale at Amazon for $7.58!) It’s an adventure across America to see what $1000 can buy and it’s a truck full of fun.

American Fun – Shrek McRecall

Bruce Littlefield — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 15:46:50 +0000

Collectors around the country are scratching their heads this morning. McDonald’s has recalled 12 million of its “Shrek”-themed drinking glasses because the toxic metal cadmium has been discovered in the painted design. So if people return them, don’t use them, will 25 years from now we be in ebay bidding wars for the things? All I’m sure of is I’m holding on tight to my Grimace, Hamburglar, Captain Crook, and Ronald set. They make the perfect cadmium-free container for a weekend cocktail.

Life 101 – Garage Sale Season Opens

Bruce Littlefield — Thu, 27 May 2010 15:32:16 +0000

The season is upon us. This weekend I’ve already got a mapped out list of my garage sale stop and shops. Refer to Facebook for Jay Blotcher’s “off-beat yard sale,” (a pop-culture smorgasbord), Ken Greene’s “Yarden Sale,” (includes delights for the garden), Stephen Gilman’s “UlsterCorp Barn Sale” (amazing stuff all for charity) and Hilton Purvis’s “Estate Sale” (from Eames to Limoges). Maybe I’ll even sneak over to my favorite Hudson Valley flea market, Stormville. One thing’s for sure, I’ve been inspired by Jailbreak.com’s list of the 100 best vintage lunchboxes to add these pop culture icons to my hunting list.

Life 101 – How to Get a Good Deal

Bruce Littlefield — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:32:28 +0000

I’ve found that the technique I use at a garage sale to get a good deal, can apply to any purchase, even as big as a house. Here are 7 steps in the art:
1) Build a relationship with the seller. A little humor while shopping goes a long way. It’s hard for them to say no, once you’ve got ‘em laughing.
2) Make a reasonable offer based on what you know you can pay. (Offering $1 on an item priced $20 is insulting and will probably breed ill will.)
3) Keep your poker face on, and by all means don’t start drooling.
4) Decide what you can live without before you negotiate. (You don’t need the seat warmers or the over-the-top chandelier.)
5) Ask for them to give you their “best price.”
6) Immediately say that you were thinking less, but “want to negotiate a compromise.” Name your much lower price.
7) Meet in the middle -markedly lower than their initial price- or be prepared to walk away. Especially in this economy, they’ll agree to a lower price or soon chase after you.
Got it? What are you buying these days?

Life 101 – Good Deeds

Bruce Littlefield — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 22:09:17 +0000

OLD SIGNS are one of my favorite garage sale finds. Was cleaning out the cottage this weekend and thought I’d share this vintage Pepsi sign I scored and remind you to vote for The Rosendale Theater Collective to receive the $50,000 grant. Pepsi had the good idea that rather than spending all their dough on Superbowl ads to give it as grants to local community pet projects. Results are this Friday and we’re in the Top 10! We need 3000 votes a day, but the Rosendale Theater (operating since 1949!) will be preserved with this grant money. Please take a minute and vote.

Garage Sales-Hunting Season Opens

Bruce Littlefield — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 11:21:35 +0000

GOOD(S) FRIDAY! If there was an official opening to “garage sale season,” it would be Easter Weekend. So, put on your bonnet and get out there! As I point out in my book Garage Sale America, the first of the season sales see lots of bargain and the best prices (people have been dying to get rid of this stuff all winter). If you need some of my advice for having a garage sale, check out my ideas from this Today Show segment. And if you want to know how to spot a treasure, check out my hints from this Today Show segment. And here’s some extra tips from my guest spot on NorthJersey.com. Get out there and find some treasure!