Driving with my mom, I have learned the frustation of yard sales. The biggest problem I have found, is after finding a yard sale sign (which takes forever), we cruise around the subdivision six times, than finally realize that the yard sale was held two weeks ago. Aside from the fact that they are littering, they just don't realize the confusion that they are causing. My solution: Balloons. They would get more attention than signs, in the first place, with them blowing around. They could be made a neon color so they could be easily seen. Also, they could be designed so that after a day of exposure, they would turn a special color; then the next day, another color; until you get one final color (maybe white or black) that everyone should avoid.
-- ghillie, Sep 08 2003

Garage Sale Hunter http://www.garagesalehunter.com/index.asp
As per [Eugene]'s request [Cedar Park, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

Baked. http://www.partynov...&Category_Code=MBGS
Garage Sale Balloon - mylar [Cedar Park, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

Garage Sale http://www.garagesalestracker.com
Garage sale listed with indivdual who said look for the balloons [Flea Market, Aug 04 2009]

Maybe they could be biodegradable balloons so if people let them go, they would disentigrate.
-- ghillie, Sep 08 2003


Please be a sport and fill them up with nitrous oxide too.
-- DeathNinja, Sep 08 2003


A large tethered balloon would work great
-- FloridaManatee, Sep 08 2003


Perhaps a website listing time and place crossreferenced with yahoo maps would do the trick.
-- Eugene, Sep 08 2003


I'll give you 50 cents for that wrinkled black balloon there.
-- wombat, Sep 09 2003


I imagine those balloons would have to be huge in order to make the sign readable: if they're filled with helium they'd go way too high before anyone can read them. Still, I like the idea. Just make 'em really big.
-- Pericles, Sep 09 2003


I will second [FloridaManatee]'s suggestion and croissant it. Please create large, tethered balloon with sign that wandering junkyard magi can see for blocks around and follow to the location of the sale. There will not be a significant increase in balloon refuse and the balloon will not last longer than the two or three days necessary. That is a brilliant idea. +
-- k_sra, Sep 09 2003


Standard balloons filled with helium will gradually fall as the helium seeps out through the material. With a little careful design, the balloon will fall on the ground by the time the sale is over. I like it. WTAGIPBAN.
-- krelnik, Sep 10 2003


I think people should just write dates on their signs. Sorry, but if people aren't going to take that simple step they won't pay for balloons. Fishy...
-- blindingphil, Jul 21 2004


Nice concept. But, people who run garage sales often spend 15 minutes haggling for an extra 25 cents, so I don't see them buying a customized balloon. This might work if you could get them to register (for free) on a website that would provide the balloon (for free) and would list their garage sale on the internet for searchers to find. (With ads or the local gov't to pay for it...)
-- sophocles, Jul 21 2004


Must be really frustrating
-- Flea Market, Aug 04 2009



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