Garage Sale is Recycling, Re-Purposing, Money Saving & Fun

Tips on How to get the Bargains and Remodeling Ideas!!!

I could out write the book, “War and Peace” on my garage sale finds for little or even no money.  This only a quarter, that a dollar, etc.  I have a whole house practically decorated in unique, retro, antique, groovy and sometimes classy finds.  

Drum Table:
base: flat round table  $1.00
real drum: ( partly torn bottom & dirty) 50 cents,
shelf liner: covering the top of drum (top intact but damaged) 50 cents,
can of used black spray paint: (2/3 full) $1.00.

Total cost: $3.00 for an original Drum Table.

Re-purposing Ideas-Home Decor, Quilts, Coffee Tables &More!

Here’s a few re-purposing ideas:  Over-sized clothes with cool patterns can be made into aprons, or smaller size clothes.  Any heavy, pretty fabric (cloth tablecloths, clothes, etc.) can be used for quilts. Turn awesome graphic t-shirts into pillows. I even got a huge unopened bag of pillow stuffing for a dollar. Oh, I promise I wouldn't start....

Anything can be a table (above drum table) : I'm sure you've already seen the door as a table or porch swing on the internet.  I have a stack of books that is either by all women author or books about women and I turned that into a small table. It’s a decorative table not for your coffee cup, but cute and steady enough to hold knick-knack.  There are all kinds of trunks being sold at garage sales and cedar chests. They make great coffee tables as well. I bought a R2-D2 cooler about 3' high, and I am considering converting it into a table.  Use your imagination!

 

Spray-Paint, Hot Glue Guns and Fabric Make Unique One Of A Kind Furniture and Art!

Buying at Garage Sales is Recycling:

Now you see the treasure in something that may be thrown away after the sale is over.  You are not going into the store and buying a new lamp. You are taking someone else’s lamp base whose shade is missing and you are getting it for a dollar. (Make sure they plug it in to see if works.) And then you can find a lamp shade at another sale or you can make your own.  Because you are queen or king of the hot glue gun. (I could do a blog on hot glue guns that could go on for days, but I will spare you!)  The lamp base will not end up in the dumpster. You will not be buying new. And with some spray-paint and imagination, you will have a one of a kind artistic and groovy lamp for only a couple of dollars!

Garage Sales are a form of recycling which is groovy!

Mathematical Equation:

Recycling is for the groovy--Buying at a garage sale is a form of recycling--Therefore, Those who garage sale are groovy!

Tips for Garage Sales:

Important Notice!!!--Not for Indiana residence. If you reside or plan on visiting Indiana, please skip down to the end of this blog immediately!

*No wonder how cute the kid is, skip the lemonade stand!  While you are making the inevitable lemonade induced pit stop, I'll be getting the bargain of the day at the next garage sale.

*8 out of 10 times-if you ask for a lower price, you'll get a lower price.  9 out of 10 times-if you show some leg!

*Go early:  You can actually go before the advertised sale time.  It is rare that someone denies you a sale.  Beat the mass rush for the primo items!  

*Stay late: It’s bargains, bargains, bargains at the end of the day.  No one after working all day in the hot sun wants to carry all their stuff back in the house or drop if off at the Goodwill.  Their purse is fat and they are tired.  About six times a year at the end of the day, I have stopped and the seller announced take anything you want for free. Yippy! 

*Good stuff is in the free box.  You really can take as much of it as you want too.  I have gotten: serving platters, decorations, brackets, really you name it, from the free box.  Even a kitten once, but that’s another story.

*Don’t drink Starbucks (not just a bathroom issue) or dress too nice.  I’ve never got a bargain with a Starbuck in hand.  They think I have money.  When in reality, I just have a gift card from a birthday present.  I am cheap and poor. I promise.

*If an item is two dollars and you want to pay one, go up there and stretch the item out with one hand and stretch your one dollar bill out in the other hand. Ask nicely, “will you take a dollar for this.”  8 out of  10 times or 9 out of 10 times (see above) they will.

End Table made with just stacked books (no assembly or glue needed-stack them right and the table is steady).  Majority of these books were found in garage sales. No book cost me over a dollar.  My table is made from either woman authors or about great women.

Other ideas: Antique books only, poetry books, books on fishing and outdoors would look cute in a cabin, sewing books in your craft room, etc.  Just personalize to your taste or topical to the room.






The Finale: Well, while you are reading this blog, I beat you to three garage sales! My evil plan is working BA-HA-HA-HA!  So grab your change bucket and give me a run for my money!  Save the planet, be artistic and have the most unique, fun living space of all!

See the inspirational crafts page of our website for more ideas of what to do with your garage sale finds.

And don't forget to show a little leg!
-Poems & Quotes Finder