Garage Sales

What is the best thing you have ever found at garage sales and flea markets?
The best thing I ever found was a beautiful hand made crocheted full
bedspread I paid 4$ for. This lady had all kind of things just piled on the
ground. \Everything was filthy dirty and I saw the corner of the bedspread
peeking out from underneath this pile and rescued it. Al wasn't happy
saying,"What do you want that filthy old thing for?". I took it home and
washed and dried it. Then I showed it to Al and he couldn't believe his
eyes. It really is gorgeous
Janie

Marilee...

I have nothing gorgeous, but I got a huge aluminum colander with a long
handle at one, once, and two kind of hokey rough-framed prints of vegetables
that are hanging in my kitchen.

The Presbyterian Women have a "Thrift Store" right across the street from
the office. Every now and then I walk over to check out the merchandise,
hoping to find a treasure.

Jean B....

What a great find! I almost never go to yard or estate sales.
I did go to a street-long one a few months ago, because it
mentioned antiques. I bought an old butter churn for $5 and a
very cheap old cheese press. But my real finds were some
enameled pieces made by friends of my mom and dad. I told
myself I should REALLY go to more sales, because I might find
some other treasures by folks who were at our arts & crafts
center, but I haven't yet done that.

mmj1...

**Dalin**...

LOLOL!!!!!
Dalin

Garage sales are not my thing so I'll have to say nothing. I understand that
there are some real 'finds' out there though and it sounds like you found
one.

**Dalin**...

I've never gone to one either. Actually that's not true, once I went
with a girlfriend who liked to go to them all. We went to a house and
walked in the garage and no one was there. She pressed what she
thought was the doorbell as she wanted to buy something and the garage
door closed. There we were in a strange garage with a couple of dogs
barking their heads off on the other side of the door and clothes that
had been hanging on the bottom of the garage door were all crushed on
the ground. We hit that button again and when that door opened we
high tailed it out of there, into the car and sped away. I never went
to another garage sale.

Norma...

Guffaw! That is one of the funniest things I've heard in ages !!
Norma

Chakolate...

LOL! I can see where that would put you off. :-)

I love garage sales, although I've never scored particularly well. I
used to go alley-picking with a friend in a reasonably affluent suburb of
Chicago, and found some fabulous stuff, all for free. That sort of made
actually buying stuff at garage sales seem spendy. :-p

mmj1...

Jean B....

Egad. For some reason that reminds me of when I was a kid and
strayed far afield on Halloween, and ended up getting very
scared by a woman who had things set up like she was a witch! :-)

Beth...

LOL...great story....never been to a garage sale either, and not too
interested after your story..
Beth

That is hysterical. I've never had any bad experiences they just don't
appeal to me. I've been to some with friends who love it and do them
frequently but I have yet to buy anything. I've tried to convince myself I
should find something I'd like but alas not yet.

**Dalin**...

I'm the kind of person who, if I were pawing around in someone's
personal posessions they were selling, would feel out of politeness I
would have to buy something even if I didn't see anything I wanted.

Joy...

You're right about that. Early mornings are out, as far as I'm concerned.
A down side to having one is that people often arrive as much as an hour
before you start, hoping to get the best stuff before anybody else gets
there.

I've see folks running garage sales who sit there, watching the cars
go buy, waiting for a customer. I'm the same way in the mall when I
see a salesperson standing at the entrance to a store waiting for a
customer. Even if I wanted to go in and look around I wouldn't. But
a garage sale is even worse since the person is selling personal
things.

Jean B....

But sometimes, I think it isn't personal stuff. Rather, some
folks get items at yard sales (etc.?) and then have their own
sales. I suspect that MUST be the case with the folks who
live diagonally across from me. They have big yard sales at
least once a year!

Chakolate...

Unless they're alley-pickers, too. Hey, it's not a life commitment, you
just keep your eyes open when you're out and about.

Chakolate...

Jean B....

Watching for moving vans--and their departures sounds the most

Joy...

Yes, I've used freecycle on more than one occasion. I got a microwave that
was much better than my old one. I also got rid of a vacuum cleaner that
was too loud for me and a bunch of photography equipment I don't use any
more. I also got rid of a lot of Christmas decorations through freecycle.

promising. Hey! I am up. I should look to see if there are
any interesting yard sales....

But see, a lot of people feel that way. So they don't stop, either.
It's actually a kindness to stop and look around. If other people are
going by and see someone already there, they are more likely to stop and
have a look, too. My alley-picking friend has frequent yard sales (as
you might imagine) and she had me come to stand around examining things
during the sale. It worked!

Also, it's very boring to sit all day like that, so if someone stops by
you at least get to shoot the breeze for a bit.

Dalin