These are just some of the garage sale items to avoid!

Garage sales are something that always appeals to us since we can find some amazing items at great prices! However, there are some garage sale items to avoid, and some of them may be surprising, given that they are not only everywhere at a garage sale but are also popular with customers of these sales.

It may seem unintuitive to have some garage sale items to avoid since most of the time these sales are about getting items for really low prices, so you would not be losing a lot of money even if the item is not what you expected, but at times it is not about the monetary value of the item. When we talk about these garage sale items to avoid, we are looking at both why these items are not a good investment, no matter how small they are, and why some of them may not be hygienic choices to make!

To discover the garage sale items you definitely need to steer clear of and the reasoning behind them, keep reading!

Have you ever regretted a purchase made at a garage sale? Share your experience in the comments!

1. Pots and pans

If there is one thing that is plentiful at garage sales, it has to be the pots and pans that seem to be everywhere you turn your head. If you are lucky, they will all be stacked in one area, but it can also be the case that you will find one in a box somewhere on the lawn, and most of the time they will not be much over the price tag of $2. While it may be tempting to get a brand-name pot or pan for that small price, this is, unfortunately, one of the garage sale items to avoid!

It is surprising, and as tempting as it may be, you have to resist the urge to get these pots or pans. Generally, unless you find a brand new set or just a random one that seems to be virtually unused, most of these have been used for years, and the small price is because they want to get rid of them. Why is it that the owner wants to get rid of it? Chances are that it is not a good one, and you will end up buying a used, bad pan or pot that is going to be full of germs.

2. Food

Another one of the garage sale items to avoid is food! And while they are not that often seen at these types of yard sales, you will find an item or two, and you may be tempted to get in on the deal. A tin of biscuits for a few pennies? Sign us up! Yet, you would be wrong to do it!

This is because you do not know how these food items have been stored, and if they are opened, you may not be the first one to touch them. Better not risk anything like that! The same goes for cans and preserves, especially if you cannot find an ingredient list or expiration date on them. Not worth the potential for food poisoning!

Some food items are safe, like fruits and veggies, if you find them, but we generally advise you to use them as soon as possible to avoid them going bad. Remember that everything has to go for a reason, and those pounds of potatoes have one too!

If you are looking for a great deal, it is better to keep an eye on your local grocery store’s deals of the week or even check for deals online if you find them to be more convenient!

3. Electrical objects

With the advances in technology, it is normal that people will end up with more and more things to get rid of as they update their electronics. This means that, compared to a few years ago, electrical objects are going to be more and more often seen at yard sales. And this is one of the reasons why they make our list of garage sale items to avoid!

The reason why these electrical items should not be purchased, no matter how tempting that small price tag may be, is that sometimes the deal is too good to be true. When it comes to kitchen items, you cannot know if the items you purchase are actually going to work properly or if they are going to lead to you having to rewire your home due to an accident.

Unless you like to pick these up apart or you are lucky enough to find a brand new item, we recommend you keep away from these items!

4. Mattresses

Unless you are in an ultimate pinch and you think that this is just a last-minute solution, you should always avoid mattresses, as they are one of the biggest red flags when it comes to garage sale items to avoid! It may not seem like there is anything wrong with that mattress; it looks clean, and the friendly seller is saying it has only been used a few times; even then, you should not buy this item!

Mattresses, even when they have been used a few times, are a prime spot for dust, bed bugs, other types of insects, and dead skin cells from the person who has used them before you. You can attempt to clean it, but do you really want to risk accidentally getting your home infested with fleas or bed bugs?

We didn’t think so either, so no matter how cheap it is or if they give it out for free, avoid it!

5. Intimate objects (yes, we mean it)

It may seem like an obvious entry on our garage sale items to avoid list; however, not everyone is careful enough when it comes to all these items. Of course, you would know that you should avoid lingerie and other similar types of intimate garments. There are a few that people think are safe to purchase when in reality they are definitely not safe. Let’s examine them now:

• Shoes: while you can buy these at thrift shops and other second-hand places, the ones you find at garage sales are not washed, and you may not even see what is wrong with them before buying them, and you can lose money;
• Socks: Yes, people are buying used socks. And even if they are washed and clean, you should not buy them as they are not hygienic;
• Swimwear: do we have to explain this one? Besides not being the most hygienic, it means that you have a high chance of the material being old and not living past another wash cycle.

6. Beauty items

The last entry on our garage sale items to avoid list includes beauty items, and we are not talking about face creams, cleansers, and other face-related products, since it should be obvious that you should not get them unless they are still sealed and not expired.

We are talking about other beauty items, which include hair curlers, ribbons, shaving kits, hair pins, hairbands, and even eyelash curlers! Believe us, people do sell these at yard sales, and you should be avoiding these items and not even considering them! They are most probably disinfected; they have been used, and the closer they are to your eye, the faster you should ignore the great price.

They carry a lot of germs, and unless you see them in their original packages, do not try any sign that says they have never been used! It’s not worth it.

However, just because these garage sale items are not a good idea, it doesn’t mean that you should forget all about buying items second-hand! Here is a list of all the items that are worth your time if buying second-hand, be it at a garage sale or thrift shop!