Found these at a big school sale. Got the pair for $15!
When the air turns crisp, all I can think about are Saturday mornings. I love fall Saturday mornings in Atlanta. The air is crisp, the sky the perfect shade of blue, and Atlantans are out and about, enjoying it all.
I suffer from the disease of wanting to do everything on my weekend “To-Do” list on Saturday morning. But not too early, and before I get hungry for lunch. Hence, I end up with a mile-long to do list I want to accomplish between 8:30 and 11:30am on a given Saturday. I’m obviously left disappointed week after week.
As often as I can, I forgo the chores and either enjoy my coffee on the front porch as I watch the park wake up, or hop in the car and head around town to check out the area garage sales. The fall is a touch and go season for garage sales; sometimes you luck out with people trying to clean house before winter hits, other times you just enjoy your coffee for the day on the road. Either way, its a great way to be outdoors. As we all try to savor the last few weeks of
Tell me you don't love these. Each about a quarter a piece.
fabulous weather (at least Atlanta and northbound), I’ve compiled a few tips and photos of my favorite finds to prove that sometimes one man’s junk truly is another man’s treasure. Enjoy!
1. Make a Master List of stuff you want to buy at garage sales/thrift stores. What do you look for at Garage Sales and Thrift Stores anyway? If you don’t go with a list, or at least a mental one, all you will see is junk. This keeps you focused and on the hunt. Here are things I always look for:
– Linens (cloth napkins, tablecloths, placemats, or sheets and blankets that could double as a table cloth.
Adorable plates. 8 for $2 bucks.
– Tea cups, coffee cups, and cute dessert plates. I love unique pieces or anything plain white. But a short list keeps me from overwhelming my cupboards.
– Storage opportunities. Living intown, my closet space is non-existent. I am always looking for trunks or furniture that can also double as storage.
– Old Mason jars. Obsession. I put everything in jars, and love saving the old-time clip ones for Christmas and birthday gifts. They’re never out of style.
One of my many projects. Great tray, waiting to be painted. Ugh!
2. Don’t buy a “project” if you have an incomplete one at home. Trust me, I have projects all over my house… it always seems like a good idea at the time, but pretty soon, all you’ve got are projects piling up, waiting to be put in a garage sale of your own.
3. Find the big sales. I intentionally research the private schools in Atlanta for annual yard sale fundraisers. Most of them have them, and they are GREAT. Charity yard sales are great because you find lots of parents/church goers who love the idea of giving their junk away to raise money for a great cause. They people who run them usually want to get rid of it all, too, so bargaining is also
Fabulous trunk I'd never have found in a store. $15 bucks.
a bonus.
4. When buying clothes: I love to buy clothes at thrift stores. However, it’s so easy to feel overwhelmed when you walk into your local Goodwill. I only look for certain clothing items second hand. Here they are:
– Blazers and jackets.
– Pants and Jeans
– Dress shirts
I only shop name brand items. I’ll flip through a rack in about 30 seconds looking for the name brand tags (I’ve found Gap, Banana Republic, and Ann Taylor before!). Then, I’ll assess whether or not it’s something I like. When shopping pants, only shop stores that sort them by size. It’s not worth it to look through a rack that has everything from 2 to 20.
4. Finally, have fun and pick up something cheap and hokey every now and then! But also be willing to walk away. Don’t overpay. Its at that garage sale or thrift store for a reason.