Set the coffee pot for 7 a.m. and grab your small bills because if you hit these garage and estate sales early this weekend, you might get a good buy!

YARD SALES

Saturday, July 26 at 8 a.m.
On Monument Avenue between Sheppard and Belmont. Retro sofa with matching
end tables, coffee table and lamps. Many other pieces of furniture and
household items. Some nice, some necessary, some goofy. All priced to sell.
Hope to see you there!

Saturday, July 26 from 8 a.m. to noon
West End YARD & ANTIQUE Sale.
COME to Emi’s House!!!! 1106 Foxcroft Rd. Corner of Foxcroft and Hillview.
1 block North of Patterson Ave. between Three Chopt Rd. and Forest Ave.
Items for sale include these and lots more:
Lots of MUSIC CDs
Hardback and Paperback Books
VHS Tapes
2 Black Canvas Lands’ End Briefcases
GENTLY USED Women’s Clothing, SIZE = Plus 1X, Misses 10-12
Round Wrought Iron Patio Umbrella Table
Modern-style Adjustable Patio Lounger
Office Supplies, Thin-line CD cases, #11 envelopes, Binder clips and more
Stationery, Note Cards, Christmas Cards
Yamaha CD Player (5 discs)
ipod accessories
Camera, PHOTO Studio Equipment, including LARGE Soft Box, Background Stands/Cross Bar
17-speed Schwinn Bicycle
Vintage Herman Miller Office Chair
Mid-century MODERN Desk Lamps
Guitar Books, On Stage Guitar Stand, 1 set Electric Guitar Strings
HUGE antique Dance Studio Mirror
Antique Barrel-top Blanket Chest
10 Blank Zip Discs

ESTATE SALES

Saturday, July 26 at 10 a.m. (Preview starts at 9 a.m.)
Dixon’s Auction will be auctioning off items from an estate at 4710 Shoremeade Road. It looks like they’ve got some art glass vases, a mid-century china hutch, a glass bullet-like planter and probably much more. You can check out some of the images here.

So get out there and grab some cool stuff!

Sometimes the old adage, “the early bird catches the worm,” can be true … especially if that worm happens to be cheap mid-century treasures at your neighborhood yard sale.

Aside from thrift stores, yard sales are my favorite places to find trinkets from the past. There’s just something about hunting for a bargain that makes me get out of bed early on a Saturday morning!

There are many people who think yard sales are wastelands for old clothing and toys. While that may be 90 percent true, there’s still a chance you could score something really special — if you’re willing to hunt for it.

Some things to keep in mind when hitting a yard sale:
1. Plan ahead. Check Craigslist and the morning paper for yard sale locations.
2. Bring cash. They don’t take plastic.
3. Get there early. If a sale starts at 8 a.m., the hardcore yard-salers will be there at 7 a.m. While I, personally, think this is rude (and don’t recommend it), it is a good idea to get there around the actual starting time. If you wait too long, you could miss a bargain!
4. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t find anything. There’s always next weekend.

Here are some of the gems I found at a couple of yard sales a few weeks ago:

A 1950s United electric sunburst clock for $1

A metal bullet desk lamp for $3

Four aluminum tumblers for $0.50

A 1961 Admiral Y-2998 “Avalon” radio for $5

So for less than $10, I scored some pretty neat stuff! If you’ve found some mid-century treasures at a yard sale, send your photos to olivia@retrorichmond.com and I’ll feature them on the site.