This Guy Makes a Living Flipping Stuff at Garage Sales – How You Can Too

Meet Matt Groll, a Sioux Falls man known online as Thrifter Sifter, who went from working long hours at a cleaning business to self-employed all thanks to one thing - garage sales.

He says he got the idea when he was walking his dog past a garage sale in his neighborhood and saw a "like new" Callaway golf bag priced at $3.50. He knew it was worth way more, so he bought it, listed it on Facebook Marketplace, and 2 hours later he sold it for $60!

“That was the first time I realized this was something I could do to make some real money on the side.”

 

And it quickly became more than that. He started finding garage sales all over Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, where he quickly learned what sells best. He was inspired by YouTubers who made videos flipping things on eBay that they found at garage sales, and he thought he could do it, too, just in a new way.

“I started wishing I’d known about this side hustle sooner, so I started a TikTok page to help other people make some money this way. I wanted them to know that it’s not as hard to flip things as they think.”

He was able to turn his side hustle into a career, and he wants to help you flip stuff, too. He gave us the scoop on the top five items to look for at garage sales if you want to flip them for a quick buck.

#1: Video Games
This is the best-selling item for him and many other resellers because they sell so quickly, and for so much more than people give them away for at garage sales. Often, people just want them gone, and they don’t think reselling them is worth the effort. Boy, are they wrong.

#2: Glass
Whether it’s a vase, serving bowl, or sculpture, glass is often overlooked for reselling because it’s difficult to ship. But if you use Facebook Marketplace or eBay under "local pickup" and find a local buyer, you can make a big profit. Matt found a McKee milk glass bowl for 25 cents and found that it was a rare pattern that had sold on eBay for $295!

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#3: Clothes
This is a great one because everyone has clothes they’re getting rid of, and some brands are really good in value. Orvis, L.L. Bean, and Ralph Lauren are a few that Matt has been able to flip for some serious cash. And if they're silk, wool, or cashmere, we're talking big bucks. And a bonus, they’re not breakable in shipping!

#4: Furniture
This is a harder one to do, but it’s where the real money is. Matt found a peacock wicker chair for $10 and resold it for $375! You just have to find the right buyer, and a friend who will let you borrow their pickup truck.

#5: Collectibles
This one might sound obvious, but collectibles are worth nothing to some people and everything to others! Matt found a case of Star Wars books for $10 and a superfan bought them for $140. Other popular collectibles include nostalgic, vintage games and gaming consoles. Many can only be played on old boxed TV’s, so some gamers are back in the market for a big old box CRT TV.

So next time you see a sign for a garage sale a few streets over, it might just be worth the drive. Keep your eyes peeled for these secret gems!