Today I’m reviving a post from eight years ago but giving it a total overhaul. If you’ve followed Inspired by Life…and Fiction very long, you’ll recognize the topic as one dear to my heart (and you’ll know a big reason that I’m longing for spring).
As many of you know, my husband and I have made garage sales into a destination date over the past decade. It all started when Ken wanted to find bicycles for our grandkids to ride when they come to visit Papa and Mimi at the new house we’d just bought in Wichita, Kansas. Ken dragged me along to the garage sales, estate sales, and flea markets as he searched for those treasures. We found them too! And so much more—at prices we could easily afford (at a time when our budget was pretty slim).
Tagging along with Ken, I rediscovered why I used to love garage sales so much: a person could redecorate an entire house with a few well-timed garage sale trips! So we turned our garage sale outings into our weekly Friday morning date, and almost ten years later, we still haven’t grown tired of the hunt. Here is a sampling of favorite treasures we’ve collected since moving to our home in Missouri.
My biggest (and heaviest) purchase by far—but still a steal at $10, was this gorgeous old urn planter, but it is SO heavy Ken and I could barely lift it until we dumped out the wet soil. When we got home with it and opened the back of the van to unload it, it rolled out onto the driveway! I thought it would break into a gazillion pieces, but only a chunk of the pedestal broke off. (We were just grateful it didn’t land on one of us!) I still love it and think it’s worth well over $10. I can’t wait to plant some lantana in it this spring.
One of my best bargains in Missouri (so far) was this vintage French Arc glass ice bucket in perfect condition for only a dollar! (There’s one on eBay exactly like it for $28) I like the way it echoes the polka dot FireKing mixing bowls that belonged to my grandmother.
Floral shop vases are a dime a dozen at garage sales, and I certainly don’t need any more vases, but I found a couple of extra pretty ones that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed using. The tall one with the birds was $2.50. The shorter aqua and gold one was only $1 and they both make cheap grocery store bouquets look like a million bucks!
During the winter months when there aren’t many garage sales, we have a nice selection of thrift shops and antique stores to explore in this part of the state. This soup tureen was in the 75% off bargain basement of my favorite antique store, Annie Laurie’s in Cape Girardeau, MO. It has a lid and a ceramic ladle too, but I prefer to use it as a planter.
This round mirror always makes me think of this favorite memory: Our three oldest grandsons were garage sale-ing with us one day, and I saw a round mirror at one sale but decided it was too much. Ken and the boys were waiting in the car and I told them, “Man, they had a mirror I really love, but it’s $5.” The boys said, “But Mimi, didn’t you see the sign? It said ‘Everything must go! Make us an offer!’” That did it! I jumped out of the car and went back to buy the mirror for $4. It looks perfect in this guest room.
Garage sale season will be here SOON! If you’ve never caught the bug, give it a try! You may discover, as we have, that one man’s trash, truly is another man’s treasure! And a garage sale date is cheaper by far than dinner and a movie.
Here are some tips for making the most of your treasure hunting:
• Find out what day of the week sales in your area begin, and go as early as possible on the first day.
• Check the local newspaper or website for garage sale listings—especially church rummage sales and 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. You can always resell a “mistake” in your own garage sale later or donate it to Goodwill.
• Stick to your budget. Decide ahead of time how much you will spend and take only that amount in cash with you. We find it a fun challenge to stay within a preset limit. We usually set out with $20-40 in our pocket and probably spend, on average, $8-12 each week.
• Carry paint chips 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 strike a bargain. It’s perfectly acceptable to ask, “will you take $6 for this instead of $10?” But be prepared for a “no” (especially if you’re an early bird) or for a counteroffer of $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 if you’re really serious, 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’ll 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, and don’t traipse across other yards if you have to park a distance away.
• 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, and those are worthy pursuits in themselves.
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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I love garage sale-ing. And thrift shopping. I still have a blanket chest that I bought at a farm sale in 1968. I also bought a set of pink crystal goblets that I used to store in it. Sadly I had to sell the goblets when we moved. But I kept one set of fostoria goblets.
I once bought an antique nutmeg grater from a store and when I got it home, my mother said: “That was mine! You could have had it for free!” – it was only $2! Mother was an Antique Dealer who sometimes put things in stores on consignment.
I have a pair of mosaic earrings that I bought in an Antique store that were supposedly worn to Lincolin’s funeral.
My house is peppered with garage sale finds.
I’m going thrift shopping tomorrow with a friend.
Happy hunting!
Haha! I love that you bought something that was your mom’s! I’ve actually done that a couple of times. Once not taking something from my mother-in-law’s house that I later paid a pretty penny for on auction. And another time, buying back something I’d donated to our church garage sale and then changed my mind about. Fun stories!
I was on the hunt for a Mrs. Tea for a long time. Mr. Coffee was nice, but I’m a tea drinker. I searched high and low but couldn’t find one (it seemed they stopped making them). I went to a yard sale one day and found one brand new, still in the box for $10! I didn’t even bargain, I was willing to pay full price! The couple that was selling it had received it as a wedding gift and never used it. I still have it to this day (it’s probably nearing 20 years old at this point).
That’s awesome, Joy! I especially love when I find something that is new in the box. And then to have it last almost 20 years is icing on the cake!
Although I don’t normally shop garage sales, I have found bargains at the garage sales in which I have participated. I bought a large, wonderful pressure cooker for $5 one time and used it for years, just replacing the rubber gasket once. I admire your frugal ways and clever purchases.
I’ve done the same, Suzanne. My sisters and I used to joke that when we had a garage sale together, we were just trading junk. But hey, it worked and we all came away happy!
I frequent thrift stores more than garage sales as I am usually on the hunt for discounted Christian books for our church library. (Garage sales around here are on Friday & Saturdays, so due to my work schedule I usually miss out on the good stuff on Fridays.) Back when I taught school, I would pick up games/toys for my classroom for indoor recess days.
I always enjoy seeing what you & Ken find at your weekly garage sales and how you find new life in these discarded things. You have such a knack for decorating!
Thanks, Jennifer! We love the challenge! We like thrift stores too, and sometimes go there during late fall and winter when garage sales are scarce or nonexistent.
Those tips are so sensible and I was fun to admire the treasures you shared in these photos!
Thanks, Becky. We’ve learned a lot since we first started all those years ago.
I enjoyed your post so much. I love finding a bargain and usually go to thrift stores. Books are my greatest find, as some I’ve found would have been quite expensive if purchased new. I also found a great rocking chair at a Habitat store for $25. All it needed were cushions, which I made for $0.
I love finding furniture that can be cleaned up or made over. Ken kind of has to keep a tight rein on me where furniture is concerned because we already have a house full of chairs and desks, etc. that are family heirlooms. But I can’t resist a great piece of furniture, especially if it’s cheap!
Oh, man. How sweet is it that you do this with your husband every week? I love hitting the antique malls and barn sales, but not too often. (Already enough stuff in this house that I am trying to get RID of!) I usually seek out Depression-era glass to fill gaps in my collection. One of my best bargains was a 1940s cobalt blue Newport cup and saucer at $4 – a $28 value – that I immediately scooped up for a writer friend who writes in the WW2 era. Aside from that, used books. I never can pass up a library used book room or a bring-one-take-one, and I love all the used book sites.
That does sound like a bargain, Janice! And I love cobalt blue!