Recently recognized by the Chicago Tribune and Chicago magazine, BackGarage is a blog for those treasure hunters whose terrain includes backyards, driveways, attics, flea markets and beyond. BackGarage is lovingly curated by Katherine Raz, a long-time sale aficionado who uses technology -- Twitter, Flickr, Facebook, etc. -- to share her conquests with like-minded seekers of high-quality second-hand goods.
The obsessively organized site makes sense of the oftentimes ramshackle world of garage sales, rummage sales, estate sales, flea markets, thrift stores and more. Raz visits them all so you don't have to, reporting on covetable merch like Phillipe Starck Ghost chairs for $200 and how to find exactly what you want on Craigslist (use that mysterious RSS button to keep a tab on recent entries). She also sends out a weekly newsletter highlighting the area's best sales, auctions, liquidations and other heart-racing bargains -- you can sign up here.
Raz goes beyond just listing sales a la the classifieds and actually comments thoughtfully on good design on a budget, whether it comes from Ikea, Target or someone's attic. Really, what's not to love here, from forums on favorite film interiors and color combinations to Inspiration Folders to eBay Finds. Oh, and her writing style is conversational and co-conspiratorial, just what you'd want from a treasure hunting guide/new BFF.
