Ultimate Guide to Shopping the 2024 Route 11 Yard Crawl
Curious about those famous yard sales you've heard of? Well, let me share the details! If you've been following me for some time, you're aware of my enthusiasm for extensive sales spanning over a mile. You can catch up on my previous experiences here and here.
This year, I was eager to explore a different location. The Route 11 Yard Crawl caught my attention. I mean, who wouldn't enjoy 43 miles of yard sale paradise?! Despite the fact that it was a 3.5-hour journey each way from my home, I am always up for discovering new shopping spots.
Mr. Thrifty and I decided to take a day off on Friday and set off on a trip down south, with thrifting as our main activity! We visited several thrift stores in Thurmont and Hagerstown, MD before checking into our hotel located right off I-81 in Winchester. Although the official start of the sale was in Stephens City, VA, we were advised to stay in Winchester due to its size, presence of chain restaurants, and abundance of shopping options, including thrift stores.
After settling Mr. Thrifty into the room, I wasted no time and eagerly went out to explore the town. Among my preferred stores in the area were the WASCPA and Blue Ridge Hospice thrift shops. Not only did they contribute to important causes, but they were also well-organized, clean, and visually appealing. WASCPA had its own unique charm as well – check out my Facebook page to discover why!🐶🐈⬛🐇
Sticking to our frugal lifestyle, instead of dining out, we discovered a nearby Martin's grocery store that offered freshly prepared Chinese dishes. Each platter, which included two portions of a meat dish and a generous serving of pork fried rice, cost less than $10, which we were able to stretch over two meals. Our accommodations provided complimentary breakfast, as well as coffee and ice water around the clock, helping us save even more money. I treated myself to one restaurant meal during our trip, while Mr. Thrifty purchased some snacks. In the end, our total food expenses for the entire weekend, for two people, amounted to around $50! That's what I call being thrifty!
Returning to the sale, on Saturday morning we traveled south to the starting point at around 7:30 am. The journey took about 30 minutes, passing by a few scattered yard sales until we reached a significant concentration of sales in Stephens City. The town was bustling with yard sales on both sides of the streets and many businesses had set up stands as well. Along the way, we came across several pop-up flea markets in grassy areas, parking lots, schools, and even a drive-in movie theater. In addition to the abundance of sales at these locations, which were predominantly resellers , there were usually food vendors and portable toilets available.
🌟PRO TIP: Make sure to have tissues and hand sanitizer with you, as the day progresses the supplies in the portable toilets decrease and some may run out completely.
🌟PRO TIP: Even with an escort you'll need to walk a good bit, so having a cart to hold your loot is a must! While I was lucky enough to score mine at the bins years ago, this similiar rolling cart is a must for massive sales! I often take mine camping to lug my gear to the pool. It has so many uses beyond thrifting!
🌟SIDENOTE: While cash is king at yard sales, many folks did accept cash apps!
Although we didn't complete the entire sale, we wrapped up around 4pm in Woodstock, taking an hour's break for lunch at the Old Dominion Doggery & Burger Shoppe in Strasburg. Before heading back, we visited a Goodwill in Woodstock and an amazing consignment/thrift store called On Second Thought Consign and Thrift. It stood out for offering the choice of consigning or donating, with a fantastic selection and incredibly friendly staff. They were also running various color tag sales, which seemed to be a daily occurrence!
What is our overall thoughts on our initial yard crawl? It's a bit of a mixed bag. Mr. Thrifty was happy about the concentration of sales. While, I also appreciated the number of sales, I spent under $20 in total. This amount covered items I bought for resale, two pairs of jeans and a jacket from a yard sale, discounted jeans from one of the Goodwill stores, and a vase from the WASCPA thrift store.
Despite the convenience of having numerous sales close by, I had difficulty finding vintage items at the family yard sales. Although vintage pieces were plentiful, they were offered by professional resellers and antique dealers with prices that didn't leave room for profit. Even though the items I acquired won't offset the costs of a two-night hotel stay, food (albeit cheap), and gas, I'm grateful for the experience. I did feel a bit like my normal hussle seemed hurried compared to the locals, who operate on a more relaxed "southern time" pace. This served as a valuable reminder that it's not just about hitting up as many sales as possible in a day, but also about pausing to appreciate the experience.
🌟Wanna see my haul? Click here.
I wish I had a use for these stools. They were the perfect gold color!
I regret not picking up this set for only $15!
But it required handwashing 😔
Would I attend this sale again? I might consider it if I were searching for personal items rather than for resale purposes. There is a wide selection of clothing, children's toys, and new pallets containing items from Target, Walmart, and Dollar General. The charming small towns and the welcoming locals made it a positive experience overall.
Here's some pics from the sale, do you see anything you would buy? Comment below!
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