I’ve decided I need one of those “I brake for garage sales” bumper stickers. And I’m blaming my husband. He made it his mission this past spring to find bicycles for our grandkids to ride when they come to visit Papa and Mimi. And he dragged me along to the garage sales and estate sales and flea markets as he searched for those treasures. He found them too! And not just bicycles, but golf clubs and Lego blocks and Tinker Toys (remember those?) and all kinds of other fun things for the kids, at prices we could easily afford.
Tagging along with Ken, I rediscovered why I used to love garage sales so much: you could redecorate your entire house with a few well-timed garage sale trips! Here are just a few of the treasures I collected for our home this spring and summer.
My biggest bargain of the summer, this little wooden box, was only ten cents! For a few extra pennies, I painted the formerly dark-brown drawers a soft aqua with paint I already had, then added pretty paper drawer liners. The Ocean Queen coffee tin in the photos was a fifty cent bargain at the same sale. Just my colors, too!
This plate stand (I added my own plates) has been on my wish list for years! I nabbed it for only $2 and it’s perfect for holding my makeup and brushes…or in the kitchen for ripening fruits and veggies.
These wicker chairs were my biggest purchase by far—but still a steal at $20 each! And like the seller said, “the cushions alone cost $30 each,” and they were like new! (If you look closely, you can see that one chair has some damage on an armrest, but it doesn’t keep the chair from being comfy and providing needed seating in a shady spot under our deck.
The most fun is when a garage sale find complements an existing collection, like the wooden box of gameboards ($3!!) that fits perfectly in our game-loving family’s collection on display in our kitchen. (Not to mention it matches my rooster!) And the P&H cigar tin that has a new home atop our refrigerator—beside the red castor oil and coffee tins my sisters nabbed for me at our dad’s farm auction.
If you’ve never caught the garage sale bug, give it a try! You may discover, as we have, that one man’s trash, truly is another man’s treasure!
Here are some tips for making the most of your excursions:
• Find out what day of the week sales in your area begin, and go as early on the first day as possible.
• Check the local newspaper for garage sale listings—especially neighborhood sales where many homes participate on one street—but be prepared to brake for the many unadvertised sales along the way. Just follow the homemade signs. And drive carefully.
• Come prepared with a list of things you actually need. But don’t be afraid to suddenly “need” something that wasn’t on your list if it’s a real “steal.” You can always resell a “mistake” in your own garage sale later.
• Stick to your budget. Decide ahead of time how much you will spend and take only that amount in cash with you. It’s fun to brag about your best bargains.
• Carry paint and fabric swatches with you, along with a list of measurements, to determine if an item will truly match your decor or fit in that empty spot.
• Don’t be afraid to bargain. It’s fine to ask, “will you take $6 for this instead of $10?” But be prepared for a “no” (especially if you’re an early bird), and be willing to compromise at $7 or $8. Or be willing to walk away without the item.
• If you’re unsure about an item, write down the address where you found it so you can come back later. You may think you’ll remember which sale your treasure was at, but you likely won’t.
• If furniture or larger items are on your wish list, empty your trunk or hatch before you set out. Or bring a pickup or trailer.
• Wear comfortable shoes and clothes, and bring along your morning coffee or bottled water and a quick snack for the car.
• Practice the golden rule. You will be “shopping” in someone else’s garage or home. Treat their property the way you’d want others to treat yours. Be thoughtful of neighbors, too.
• There’s nothing wrong with coming home empty-handed. Sometimes the joy is in the search. Garage sale-ing can be good exercise, and a great way to get to know the neighborhoods of your city.
Are you a second-hand bargain hunter? What’s the best treasure you ever found at a garage sale, flea market, estate sale, or farm auction?
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What great finds!!!! Love them all. And yes, I love find second hand treasures. Nowadays it’s hip too and called upcycling or repurposing. Tres chic, right?
My best finds were free!!! We have an earth day event in my town where people put what they don’t want at the curb. It’s all free. I got a whole bedroom set — dresser and two night stands made back when they used wood all the way through and the drawers weren’t stapled together! And a cute wicker chair and footstool which I use for my TBR pile. That was a happy day.
Another freebie was an old library card cataogue. I took it off the stand, added wheels and its a funky coffee table with oodles of drawers to stash things in. Very appropriate since I love books and work in a library! 🙂
I need PICTURES, Kav! That library card catalogue sounds SO cool! And you gave me an idea for my TBR pile! I have a little antique milk stool that’s really not sturdy enough to sit on, but a stack of books on it would discourage people from trying AND would keep my TBR pile out where I can see it! Thank you!
I love to go out and sale. 🙂 So many good finds an American Girl doll, things I was looking for just being there, clothing the right size for our kids.
Love your finds.
Becky
I don’t see how anyone raising fast-growing kids can afford NOT to garage-sale! Great, Becky!
I got some Tupperware and two cast iron pans at a farm sale 20+ years ago, and last year got a sort of footstool…all wood storage box for 2 dollars when a junque store closed last year
Oh, how I love spelling it “junque,” Andrea! Just makes it all so chic, doesn’t it? 🙂 At any rate, I LOVE junque!
I love to go to garage sales and especially estate sales. I have found quite a few things for my home that way.
Around here, we’ve found that estate sale items are roughly twice the price of garage sale finds. They’re usually arranged more appealingly and easier to sort through, but I’d rather dig through a mess and get a rock-bottom price. 🙂
Wow Deb! Old Lego and Tinker Toys! What a trip down “Memory Lane”.:)
I do enjoy browsing at garage sales and I remember the very first jumble sale that we had at our Church when I was five years old! (Eyes Rolling to match the years rolling past. LOL.)
I had always wanted a pedal car and this particular day,I was in luck. The rusty old pedal car just begged me to become it’s new owner and once Dad had paid for it, I proudly pushed it through the gate and into the Rectory grounds….
Yes, I was a “Wreckery Kid.”:)
My cousin was with me and he suggested we needed to paint it so into the garage we went and found a reasonably large tin of paint! My cousin was dab handy at this sort of thing and by the end of the day,I was sporting a very nice pedal car painted with the paint Mum had chosen for my bedroom. Strangely enough, the paint was aqua and looked much nicer on my car than on my bedroom walls…at least that’s what I tried to convince my parents.LOL. Anyway I loved that car and in time it was given a second coat of paint… becoming my sister’s prize possession! LOL
I look around my house now and think I might have a garage sale myself. I’m sure I’ll have something that some child might treasure!:)
Fun post Deb! I really enjoyed looking at your treasures but I have to ask you…Is the red phone a treasure too?
Dear Wreckery Kid, loved your post! 🙂 And “jumble sale!” I haven’t heard that in a while.
The red phone is a reproduction and until we moved, it actually worked. But something happened between our old house and here and we haven’t been able to get it to work. But it just looks too cool to pack away or toss out. 🙂
I typically only go to sales I can walk to – if something is too big to carry home a mile, then it’s too big for our dinky apartment. Being a seamstress, I love coming home with fabric that people have cleaned out – one time I got about 5 yards of denim for $3; that’s a good $50+ in the fabric store! And now I have two new pairs jeans, with fabric left for another two projects or so.
My mom used to make quilts (for her grandsons, because denim was more manly) and I think each family has one of her denim pieced quilts for a picnic blanket). We all knew to NEVER throw away an old pair of jeans because Grammy would put them into a quilt. You got a fabulous buy at $3!!
I rediscovered the joy of yard sales myself this summer. I found an awesome turtle footstool and some amazing decorations from Japan! Not to mention a nice purse, mini loaf pans (ceramic) and several great books. 🙂 Now I’m on a quest for baby-gates (for the dog we are also hunting for), curtains and shelves. The tough part is so many yardsales are held on Fridays around here and I work!
They start on THURSDAY here in Wichita! They are pretty well picked over even by Friday morning. But we did get some working people over the lunch hour and after work at our garage sale. I’d love to see your turtle footstool! That sounds like something I would have fought you for! 😉
lol – here’s the footstool. The shell flips up to reveal a 5×6 storage box underneath. It had a slipcover over the shell when I bought it – I planned to replace the fabric but when I got home, I found that lovely fabric underneath! And The best part is I got it for $5!(she was asking $10 but readily agreed when I asked if she’d take $5.) https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154465783115062&l=e2db52fcf0
Too cute!! And extra storage is always great. Don’t you love bargaining, too? Unless a purchase is already extremely reasonably priced, I always ask if they can do better. And they almost always can.
Great tips!!! I adore garage sale-ing. I think it’s the adventure that makes it so fun. I love the colors you chose for your dresser! The two-tone looks especially nice!
You’re exactly right, Heidi! It’s all about the adventure and the quest for something cool. We’ve had days we came home empty-handed, but still felt like it had been a fun, fun morning! There also always comes a point in the morning when we both know we’ve had enough and it’s time to go home…even if we still have a little money in our pockets. 🙂
I’ve got too much stuff of my own to add to my clutter by going to garage sales. By the way, I love to play Mexican Train, especially when we’re camping. Sequence is fun too!
I hear you, Gail! We made a rule that however many items we bring in from garage sales each week, that same number has to go out. We’ve done really well to stick to that, and a couple weeks ago we had our own garage sale and got rid of TONS of unneeded stuff. Everything that didn’t sell went to Goodwill.
Smart phones are handy to Google the value of something to see if you are getting a good deal. I got an eighty-five dollar Indiana Jones type hat that looked brand new at an estate sale for $9. It decorates our antique hall tree.
Good point, Vicky! Smart phones are also good for taking pictures of something you’re not sure about, so you can come back later to see if the item is still there. Or to take along photos of a spot in your house where you’re looking for furniture, etc. to fill. I have a “Park Me” app on my phone that will set a GPS link that will direct me back to a certain house, if I want to think about a purchase and come back later to see if it’s still there.
Deb! Very interested to hear you have your sales on Thursdays/Fridays.
Ours are usually held on the Weekend and I forgot to mention in my earlier post that quite often, “sausage sizzles” are a real attraction at the garage sales. The aroma is like a magnet drawing people to the sales. Not only do they procure their “treasures,” they enjoy their gourmet delights as well ! LOL
Now THAT is a great idea, Rosie! Sausage Sizzles! We often find the children of the family running lemonade stands at garage sales, so you can get an overpriced plastic cup of lukewarm lemonade while you shop. 😉
My husband went to get the oil changed in our car. In the corner of the shop he spotted a lovely solid wood door with intricate glass etching. He was told it had been in a house fire and salvaged. Being a confirmed dumpster diver, he asked how much the guy wanted for the door. “Nothing, just take it so it’s out of my way. I’ll never fix it.”
Hubby stripped that baby to the wood, scoured the soot off the window, and it’s now the gorgeous entrance to our foyer.
About two weeks ago he went to take metal to the scrap yard. Hanging on the wall was a pretty nice looking trombone. The owner sold it to him for $10, the price for scrap brass. After a $150 repair and cleaning, the music store owner told him he’d purchased a trombone that cost at least $1800 when it was new! It would now sell for $900 or more if he chose to get rid of it. He bought a 6th grade music book and is learning to play the thing. I can’t wait to hear him play at for our church Christmas program.
You seriously win the prize for the best “junk” deal stories, Melinda! How awesome! It would truly be the icing on the cake if your husband learned to play and performed at your church program. I’d say you got a keeper when you got him!
I just acquired an old typewriter for $5 and I love it’s vintage look to be from the 1930s or 1940s. It inspires me in my writing corner. I wish I could attach a photo somehow.
How cool! I have one too, Christy, that I got at a garage sale, also for $5. It’s an Underwood, probably 1940s. VERY heavy!
My finest hour at a yard sale was anxiously awaiting for one at a home that held them quite often. When I got there I spotted an incredible primitive kitchen cabinet that I absolutely loved. As i approached it I saw it had a sold sticker on it. I was so bummed out, but found some other things and as I was paying for them I mentioned how disappointed I was that I got there too late for the sold item. The home owner looked at me kind of funny and replied ” you bought that at my last yard sale and never picked it up”. My embarrassment was outweighed by excitement that the sold sticker belonged to me!
What a GREAT story, Judy! That sounds like something I would do! I’ve had the privilege of seeing some of your yard sale finds in your Kansas house. You have a true gift for turning a house into a home with reclaimed treasures! We still keep our toothpicks in that little wooden box with a sliding lid that you gave me before you moved and I think of you guys every time I see it! Thanks so much for stopping by to comment!