* Craigslist, eBay and Etsy are three great places to find deals on housewares and furniture. You can set up eBay alerts <http://www.backgarage.com/?p=71> so you'll never miss a sweet deal, you can also harness the power of the Craigslist RSS feed <http://www.backgarage.com/?p=1535>.
* Antique malls and vintage stores are feeling the economic hit. This means they're more willing to bargain. So negotiate price tags when shopping for big ticket items these days, especially at second hand stores. Also -- sign up for store mailing lists so you'll be the first to get news on storewide sales or discounts.
* There's an increase in the estate sale business now with the number of foreclosures. People are liquidating the contents of their home. So spend a weekend visiting some of the sales you can find on EstateSales.net and you can score some pretty nice -- and cheap -- furniture, housewares, even houseplants and office supplies.
* I'm a big fan of dumpster diving, so around the 1st of each month it's fun to troll alleys looking for "new to you" free furniture. With the help of blogs like Fine Diving in Chicago you can really spruce up tossed-off items. Same goes for the scratch and dent section of Ikea and the blog Ikea Hacker.
For more info visit backgarage.com
ABOUT BACK GARAGE:
Design First. Second Hand.
"Like Apartment Therapy for the Great Depression." BackGarage is about the aesthetics of everyday living on a thrift store budget. Not because we can't afford nice things, but when you've got an eye for design and like getting your hands dirty, you can cultivate stylish surroundings without cracking the piggy bank. And it's a lot more fun. BackGarage is a virtual museum dedicated to all things beautiful on a budget. With occasional splurges. Selected by the Tribune as one of Chicago's best blogs.
Why BackGarage?
BackGarage is named after the extra carport behind my house when I was growing up. My dad, a weekend refinisher, stored antiques and furniture he bought from garage sales and flea markets. In his spare time he would fix them up and resell them. My dad thought if you had a good eye, you could find garage sale gold.
Garage Sale Hotlist
If you live in Chicago and you love garage sales, estate sales, rummage sales, flea markets, sign up for my weekly emails with links to my best picks for sales every weekend - with a focus on jam-packed households and great deals on mid-century. backgarage.com
