Recycled Treasures

It’s a sale, it’s a party, it’s a chance to clean out your attic or stock up on gently-used baby gear—it’s a garage sale. And starting this month, you can expect to enjoy a series of neighbourhood-wide sales, where you will find more than you likely bargained for.
Garage sales are particularly good opportunities for laying claim to amazingly inexpensive kid gear, often in excellent condition. Whether you’re in the market for a vintage Fisher Price garage, a Little Tykes play structure or a double Chariot bike stroller in good shape, a neighbourhood garage sale is a promising hunting ground.

The Great Glebe Garage Sale, arguably Ottawa’s most anticipated sale, is coming up on Saturday, May 23, from 9 am to 3 pm. As experienced shoppers, we can tell you that the best advice is to arrive early—and we mean early—especially if you’re hoping to snag some great kids’ stuff. Ignore the 9 am start time, because a lot of the best loot is gone by 8 am (and as we like to remind our readers, you’re up anyway!).

Look for sidewalk sales along Bank Street courtesy of merchants. If your little ones are stroller-bound, bring the lightest, skinniest set of wheels you have so you can easily navigate crowded streets and sidewalks. A backpack or stroller basket is a great way to store your findings. Give older children a small allowance to up the fun potential, and see what kinds of bargains they can strike.

You don’t need to live in the Glebe to sell—just rent a table and set yourself up where the traffic is busy. For more info, contact Sabrina Quraeshi at (613) 737-6746 or e-mail [email protected].