Time to Recycle

The garage sale��aka the yard sale, tag sale, or white elephant sale��is a warm-weather tradition. Successful sellers don��t just toss their rusty skis and busted lamps onto their lawn. They devise strategies to sort, price, and display items; advertise and run the sale; and then donate or dispose of unsold goods.

Quick tips for buyers and sellers alike can be had, gratis, via The Yardsale Queen [yardsalequeen.com], Garage Sale Susan [garagesalesusan.com], and How to Operate a Successful Garage Sale [ifg-inc.com/Consumer_Reports/GarageSale.shtml].

Why would anyone want to paw through someone else��s old shoes and knickknacks, much less fork over cash for them? ��It��s the thrill of the hunt,�� Yardsale Queen Chris Heiska says. ��You hear stories about finding something for 50 cents that��s worth thousands. It��s a never-ending search.�� At Heiska��s site, avid bargain hunters share hair-raising tales of their victories and defeats. Those with an eye for suburban kitsch may appreciate the ��vomitously overdecorated�� T-shirts and other goodies at Cate��s Garage Sale Finds [catesgarage.com].

Heiska has taken her hobby to the next level: She sells her garage-sale finds online. ��I bought a ceramic Japanese sake bottle��a fertility totem in the shape of a penis��for $2�� at one sale, she reports. ��I put it on eBay, and it sold for $70.��

Copyright © 2002 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in Yahoo! Internet Life.