Jenn and I just hosted a garage sale this weekend. The weather was fantastic, the crowds were pretty decent and the takeaway was... well less than we hoped.
But it also reminded me that Garage Sales are magical places where people can get some pretty swanky stuff for LARP.
With it still being fairly early in the LARP season, you may have a few weekends open where you can hit some sales to see what you can find. While most of these sales are filled with crap that isn't a lot of use to people in their day-to-day lives, you can get some really great stuff on account that everything is priced to move.
Some things I look for include:
Anything Fabric
Table cloths, drapes, tapestries, whatever. If it's something that can be used for LARP, then great. If not, the fabric itself might make it worthwhile. And while I'm creeped out at the idea of wearing someone else's close from a garage sale, there may be something you can do with the fabric, since clothing normally goes for next to nothing.
Dining Sets
I'm not talking full ceramic plateware, but sets of glasses, bowls, etc. That stuff is amazing at increasing the IG atmosphere, but most of us would balk at the prospect of buying a set for $100. You might have a chance to get something great at a low cost!
Knick-Knacks
This is pretty much the cornerstone of the garage sale. People have way too many trinkets and stuff filling up their house, and when they say "Enough is enough," these babies make their way to the table. A lot of them are junk, but you can also find some real gems (not literally) that could be used as props or items at your game. And again, for a low, low price.
What do you think? Do you hit up garage sales in hopes of finding LARP treasures? If so, what's the best treasure you've ever found?
But it also reminded me that Garage Sales are magical places where people can get some pretty swanky stuff for LARP.
With it still being fairly early in the LARP season, you may have a few weekends open where you can hit some sales to see what you can find. While most of these sales are filled with crap that isn't a lot of use to people in their day-to-day lives, you can get some really great stuff on account that everything is priced to move.
Some things I look for include:
Anything Fabric
Table cloths, drapes, tapestries, whatever. If it's something that can be used for LARP, then great. If not, the fabric itself might make it worthwhile. And while I'm creeped out at the idea of wearing someone else's close from a garage sale, there may be something you can do with the fabric, since clothing normally goes for next to nothing.
Dining Sets
I'm not talking full ceramic plateware, but sets of glasses, bowls, etc. That stuff is amazing at increasing the IG atmosphere, but most of us would balk at the prospect of buying a set for $100. You might have a chance to get something great at a low cost!
Knick-Knacks
This is pretty much the cornerstone of the garage sale. People have way too many trinkets and stuff filling up their house, and when they say "Enough is enough," these babies make their way to the table. A lot of them are junk, but you can also find some real gems (not literally) that could be used as props or items at your game. And again, for a low, low price.
What do you think? Do you hit up garage sales in hopes of finding LARP treasures? If so, what's the best treasure you've ever found?
Boxes, lanterns, jewelry are most of my garage sale staples. My pewter drinking mug came from there, about half my calligraphy tips, a embossed copper belt....
ReplyDeleteI don't get to hit the garage sales that often, but Goodwill is also a great place. There is always a lot of stemware, silver trays, curtains/sheets, and strange clothing that can be used for costumes. Lots of belts and bags as well.
ReplyDelete