Garage sales are so much fun. I remember as a child going across the road to our neighbors when they were having a garage sale.
There was some small trinket there that I liked – maybe a small fan. I think it was a fan, and I kept opening and closing it. You know, the handheld fans that fold up when not in use.
My Mom asked if I wanted it and for some reason I wouldn’t say anything, I just kept playing with it. I was a bit shy of the neighbor lady I think.
vintage ticking pieces – 25 cents each
As a young Mom I loved finding cute clothes and toys at garage sales – especially those fun outdoor toys. In particular the little red and yellow cars. I looked for quite a while before I found one but I eventually did. Best toy ever!
I didn’t love antique stores or malls as a kid – that has drastically changed today – but I did always like garage sales. My girls like them ok if they can buy stuff. They think if it’s a garage sale then stuff is cheap so they should get something at every single sale we stop at. I try to impress upon them the idea that you don’t have to buy something just to be getting something. Save your money for the really good stuff 😀
I typically leave them all at home if I want to go garage saleing these days. My teenager sometimes decides she wants to go along though. Sometimes I let her, but when she starts telling me I don’t need stuff and that I already have enough of something then it’s time to take her home!
cute old chair – $3.50 – I may keep this one!
Last week on Wednesday I announced that I would be going to the citywide garage sales in our little town. Villagewide sales rather, we live in a ‘village’ not a ‘city’. Emma immediately said she was going too. And don’t you know, that gal was up earlier than I was! She came over saying ‘Mom, I thought you were going to garage sales!’ I retorted that I was and I would get up when I was ready to. It was just garage sales after all – no need to take hours getting ready to go 😉
Says Germany on the back – 25 cents. I think it’s rather lovely.
We headed out before 8 and by 9:15 I had my car full and we headed back home. To unload and check on the other two girls. We had left them sleeping. I unloaded the car, talked to the girls a bit and we headed back out. By noon we had another carload and I was ready to leave the Teenager at home and go back by myself.
Lamp – $2.00 Letters 25 cents each aluminum handled tray $1.00 Green Table $2.00
I ended up hauling home 3 carloads and going back for a dining room table till I called it a day. Now by carload I mean that I had my back seat down and the back of the car was pretty full – but several things were big and filled the car quickly. Plus when garage saleing I don’t necessarily take the time to pack it in the most space-saving way.
Another rocking, swivel chair to slipcover! $5.00
I went out again on Friday midmorning – I hadn’t planned to but I just couldn’t help myself. There were some sales that hadn’t been open on Thursday, I had changed my mind about a chair and messaged a friend that I’d come by and get it, and another friend had text me about a footstool that I needed to buy. I ended up with 3/4 a carload till I headed home.
Saturday I didn’t even give a thought to going out – I had enough loot to find a spot to store. But then I had to get out and pick up Emma from a car wash she helped with so I decided to swing by a huge sale and see if anything were left that was worth bringing home. Everything was half off – we spent $3.25 and both of us had an armload.
Now, before you think I am totally insane, let me inform you that I have a space in the Vintage Marketplace at the Springfield flea in September. A rather large space. I am super excited about it. But excitement alone won’t fill that space so I needed to shop 🙂 A few things I bought were just for me (for now anyway) but most of it is stuff that will get a makeover and be offered for sale in September.
It is so fun to be able to stock up on all kinds of cool vintage stuff that is prices as junk at a garage sale, clean it up, give it a makeover, and make a bit of extra cash reselling it. I’m not getting rich, but I am having fun and I am helping build that fund we have going for our a/c unit. No more financing if I can help it!
Storage is a bit of an issue – I did manage to stuff most of it in my back porch for now. Except the dining room table and a couple of chairs. The chairs are sitting in my living room making it look like a furniture store. A furniture store for old, vintage furniture. The dining room table is in the back of the old van we are trying to sell for my Dad! You would think putting the table in there would make the van sell in a hurry.
The back porch won’t work once I start doing furniture makeovers. And I know from experience that I can’t handle it all piled in our living space for the summer. I’m thinking through my options but if anyone has any brilliant suggestions for me I’d love to hear them!
Forgot about this chair already! Oh it’s going to be like Christmas when I pull it all back out of the back room!
My husband wanted to know what in the world I got the skates for. They were 50 cents and they are cute. That’s what I got them for.
There are a couple more things but this is the bulk of it. What do you think? Is it just a bunch of junk to you or can you see the ‘treasure’ in it?
Sew a Fine Seam
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I sure hope you will be posting the “after” pictures as I already own some of that awesome “junque” and want to see what you do with it. I buy and sell a lot of things on local facebook sites and I ended up having to create a fake FB name because my son from Colorado (I live in Delaware) called and said “Mom, why are you buying stuff on Facebook? I thought you were trying to get rid of stuff.” I didn’t want anyone seeing my addiction to purchasing “treasures” to refurbish, so I made up a Facebook account that didn’t have any friends. Now no one knows the extent of my addiction except me. Okay, I think my husband has it figures out too, but he already knew it anyway. 🙂
How funny! And I will definitely be sharing!
I am insanely jealous of your finds! Treasures galore!
I know JUST how you feel – seriously. I have seen friends of mine do this in years past – when I was home taking care of my babies 😀 And now here I am getting some really great stuff myself. And let me tell you it is totally fun to be the one out there getting it!
I love the old chair metal that you bought. My Mamo had several of them a long time ago and seeing that chair brought back a lot of memories. I would love to see pics of it if you redo it. If you were close to me I would make you an offer on it. I also love the chair with the wicker seat, if you redo it would love to see pics of it too. Thank you for sharing your finds, keep showing us your finds.
I will do my best to get photos of everything I redo and share! I have some more fun finds to share soon too.
Great finds! You have to keep that chair, it’s so adorable. Can you imagine it in pink?
LOL! My hubby won’t want to read that comment – you should see my overabundance of chairs right now!
I think it sounds fun what you’re planning to do with everything. It would be fun to see before and after’s of your purchases before you sell them.
Thanks Kelly! I’m excited about giving it all a new life!
I am sure that once you put your hand to all of those things they will be treasures!
-b.
I hope they turn into treasures someone wants to take home with them so I can continue to pay for my kids braces and schooling!
I can definitely see the “possibilites” in each piece. I’m glad you go ahead and actually do the makeovers. I haven’t always done that to stuff I used to drag home. Guess that’s one reason I don’t drag it home anymore. Love seeing what you do with all of it.
Wouldn’t my Grandpa be proud of me dragging all this great ‘junk’ home?!
Jill — seriously?? My husband keeps trying to get me to move to OH. Won’t he be surprised when I start packing? Your finds are amazing! LEAPS AND BOUNDS above what I find here. I just tried to buy a metal chair from a site on FB and they wanted $65 a chair …. not to mention it was neon green. Hubby said buy it and paint it and I passed. We are planning a trip to Fairfield in Sept to watch some football. WHEN IS YOUR SALE?
Nic
Girl you are too funny! I just pass over that stuff and you turn it around into amazing stuff! But where is the pic of the dining room table??!! that’s what I wanted to see =)
The dining room table is stored in the back of my dad’s old van we are trying to sell for him – LOL! I will get a pic of it soon
Dying over the vintage ticking. You lucky girl!
Ann, I totally thought of you when I saw the stack of ticking! I’m in the process of washing it – I soaked it in my washer and you would not believe how black the water got!
Oh, Jill, that’s some REALLY GOOD ‘junk’!! How exciting that you’re going to be at Springfield! I hope to make it-if I do, I’ll definitely look you up!
Susan
Oh Susan! That would be SO GREAT! I would love to meet you – maybe we could sneak away and shop together for a bit too 😀
WOW. You found so many wonderful things. You are going to be a busy little bee making over some of your fun finds. I can’t wait to see the afters.
I can’t wait to work on making all this stuff into ‘afters’! Got to get the wedding sewing done first though!
Holy cow I wish I could have gone to those sales too!
You got some incredible stuff. I can’t believe you have sales on Thursdays! Mine are mostly Saturday only with a few starting on Friday.
It used to be more just Saturday with a few starting on Friday but gradually it grew to Friday and Saturday and then people started opening up on Thursday too – it’s great!
You found some GOOD junk, my friend!!!! 🙂
🙂 I think it’s good junk – even if others don’t get it!
I love the loot!!! I’ve been planning a trip to Springfield. I guess now I need to make plans definitely for September. I am certainly amazed (jealous) of your great finds. LOVE garage sales!!!
🙂 Thanks so much Darlene – and yes you need to come to Springfield – and make sure to introduce yourself! I love meeting blog readers!
I wasn’t going to go out tomorrow morning. But I feel all pumped up for a treasure and a bargain! Great stuff!
🙂 Yay! Get out there and get some great bargain ‘junk’! Then turn it into real treasures!
Such fun looking through your treasures. Have fun with all of it!!! Love itall!
Thank you Sylvia! I’m so glad you enjoyed seeing what all I found!
Omg the skates. Of course you had to buy them . .50 cents, they’re already an adorable table decoration and you haven’t even begun. Can’t wait to see your next pics! Chairs are my fave thing IN THE WORLD. Glad you don’t live close, or my car would then be full, after your sale❤ Mimi
🙂 I hope I have some shoppers that want to fill their car up 🙂 I love the skates too – who cares if my hubby doesn’t ‘get’ it!! LOL!
Jill, what fun to shop through all the goods! You hauled it in for sure. At the beginning of the post, I was thinking for some reason that you were having a garage sale and I’m thinking…why are you selling all that cool stuff so cheap!!! Ha! Amazing junk finds and I hear ya about storage problems while you wait to sell. I wish I had answers…but I only have junk dilemmas. When someone comes up with a brilliant idea for what to do with it in the meantime, I’ll be eager to hear too.
Liz
LOL! That’s funny! yeah, I’m losing it totally now I’m selling cool stuff dirt cheep 😀 heehee! I helped my hubby begin the cleanout of his garage Saturday. I know we can utilize all the space we have better and make it work for awhile! I’m also working on a space to put my stuff – should know for sure by the end of the month!
A space as in a space to sell stuff not just store it! I’m rather excited!
you really got a bunch of stuff!! wonderful finds for sure
Thanks Daniela – I was over-the-moon excited by all the loot I drug home!