The signs of spring are finally showing around here. Last weekend’s sunshine spurred the turnaround from winter, collapsed part of the ice tree, melted away massive snow banks and prompted the growth of new tulip shoots in a friend’s garden.

But the other signs I’m most excited about are those sprouting from telephone poles and street corners around the area which read “Garage Sale.”

I’m a sucker for garage sales. Unless I’m on my way to the Emergency Room, it’s rare I’ll let a garage sale pass. Even then, I just might ask the ambulance driver if they “see anything cool” as we pass by, my dangling IV bag swinging from its hook as the paramedic brakes to scope it out.

I picture garage sales as little specialty stores, holding treasures collected during the seller’s world travels or in generations of hand-me-downs. You never know what you’ll find: the 5-foot tall stuffed Domino’s “Noid” which I bought for 50 cents is a case in point.

There are the items I’m always on the lookout for: vintage Nintendo games, used guns, beer glasses, fishing lures, CDs and camping equipment.

There’s also the stuff I didn’t even know I needed but must have: Jarts (also known as Lawn Darts), ping-pong tables, hats and refurbished golf balls.

Then there are the things I will never buy at a garage sale: used underwear, old store-bought canned/boxed/gift food, “blank” VHS tapes (for fear of what could be on them), eight-tracks or McDonald’s toys. Certain things just need to be thrown away.

As a connoisseur of garage sales I can offer a few tips to both sellers and buyers to max out their garage saleing experience.

For sellers:

• Clothing racks and tables should be in the back of the garage rather than out front. Use them to separate the items for sale from the rest of the stuff in the garage you don’t want to sell.

• Put interesting, easily-recognizable items out front, such as yard tools, sports equipment, big toys and electronics to draw in your prospective buyers.

• If it’s junk, throw it away.

• Keep prices low and be willing to bargain. Garage sales are more about getting rid of stuff than making money. As a side note, put price tags on a part of the item where it can easily be removed without leaving adhesive glue behind.

For buyers:

• Start early, usually around 8 a.m., if you want to find the best items.

• Be courteous. Say “hi,” “thanks” and “goodbye,” and handle items with care.

• Don’t be afraid to barter. All prices are negotiable. Group items together and suggest one price to make your buck go further. This is even more effective in the final hours of the sale.

• Keep your significant other in mind. Will your wife really want that “Billy Bass” on the mantle? Probably not, but she’d definitely like the stuffed moose for the dining room.

Actually, on second thought, you might want to be sure of that purchase, unless you want to hit garage sales from the back of an ambulance.

— Chris Engle is a staff writer. Contact him at cengle@gaylord

heraldtimes.com or 748-4517.

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