How To Find Garage Sales Happening Near You

Despite the usefullness of resources like FreeCycle for extending the functional lives of our stuff, we think garage sales are still the kings of the hidden bargain, and a great way to find stuff you need but don't have, without buying something brand-new; they also help keep stuff out of the waste stream and are usually a great way to find gently-used stuff on the cheap. One caveat: they can be hard to find, or if you happen to stumble upon one in your neighborhood, all the good waffle irons might be gone.

To help connect the people with the sales, a new Google mash-up has been created; all you do is type in your address, and the map does the rest: all registered garage sales happening around you pop up. Get directions, add your own garage sale, and chat about your experience (and all the great stuff you saved from the landfill) in the forums.

It won't work for every city across the country just yet -- it looks like most of the action is concentrated in bigger cities -- but we expect its use to become more widespread over time. ::Garage Sale Tips & Maps via ::Apartment Therapy: Los Angeles