Today’s yard sale outing scored me some extra fun home decor Trash to Treasure finds. Our daughters’ bedroom is a slowly evolving Pottery Barn Inspired room. In fact, I have all the pictures loaded for a post addressing this, and it makes it even more of a God thing when I set my eyes on this next “one in a million” treasure.
As soon as I saw this rug, my memories went to the years of scouring the Pottery Barn Kids catalogs and drooling over their high quality rugs. And that’s where dreaming stops, since the price point on these rugs would never interest me, even at 50% off. But when I saw that this yard sale find would be more than 90% off, I pondered the purchase for about ten minutes.
I didn’t jump on it because even at $30 it’s still an investment for me. (Yes, I tried to get her to come down on the price, but she wouldn’t budge, and I do respect that.) I knew that I would regret passing on it. A quality rug, in like new shape, doesn’t come around very often at yard sales, and now that I am home, and have it in their room, I’m thrilled I didn’t pass it up. My daughters just love it, and it warms the room up so much.
My second find was this green metal chair for $5. It has such fun lines, and the wonderful thing is that for now, I don’t even have to repaint it, but when I do want to change it up, this metal will be so easy to spray paint and then recover the seat.
This wooden stool is a bit beat up, but again, the lines are great, and the seat easily screws off in about 30 seconds making this a DIY project that will take less than an hour. I’m still trying to figure out where I want to put it, but I know it will be adorable any where.
My last splurge was on these letters. All these treasures were found in a very nice upscale neighborhood, and this woman invests in quality pieces. She wanted $4/letter, and honestly, I was hoping for $5 for all four of them.
When I found out these letters were ordered from Ballard Designs, I understood the high yard sale price, but still…it is a yard sale, so I offered $2/piece. She went on to explain just how expensive these were and agreed to $10 for the four. This is way past my flinch price, and last year I would have walked away, but I decided this would be another treasure in which I would regret not snatching up after the fact. I have never seen multiple letters like this at a yard sale (sometimes I’ll find one here or there), and the fact that it spelled our our family motto (minus one letter since these are the first initials of 4/5 children), it slowly became a no brainer.
So, those are my treasures for this Saturday. It was definitely a Home Decor week, and I am trying to filter out some of my old household decor and upgrade it, so I am happy with these fun finds.
What treasures did you find this week? I can’t wait to hear and do the happy thrifting dance with you. 🙂
(linked up to Rhoda’s Thrifty Treasures)
You did good, really good!
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99.245679% of the items in my home are from yard sales/thrift stores or the flea market- and I think you got some phenomenal deals!
Especially the rug!
$30 to us die hard deal makers is a bit much, true, but consider if you’d found it on Craigslist- it would be twice as much +++ Right?
Maybe you can sell something else on Craigslist to make up what you spend?
I have a perpetual pile by our front door of stuff I’ve listed on Craigslist, waiting for someone to come buy/pick up.
Anyway, just think you did a fantastic job finding pretties and I love when the Lord puts home making items in our path, simply because He knows we desire them, and He knows us so well and loves us so!
Be blessed and have joy in knowing you are doing the best with the means entrusted to you!
HUG!
~me
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I love your finds!
I scored some design books, shower curtain rings for some diy, old locker room baskets, and a surveyor’s tripod. It was a good week.
Please visit me at http://www.theoldblockhouse.blogspot.com
Following.
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I didn’t score Home decor, but I sure did scroe some amazing deals on clothes! I have 3 boys and I was able to buy more than 200 pieces of clothes shirts, pants, shorts, pj’s, in a range of sizes that I need (and some I can save for next year) all for $45.00. All the items were Old Navy, Gymboree, or Kohl’s Jumping Bean. Some still had the tags on them. Our trick is to buy the whole lot. People had items priced .50-1.00 each and we would just ask how much then wanted for the whole thing! It was great! Now I don’t need clothes for a while and whatever we don’t use I will sell and make some money back! I LOVE YARD SALES!
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Nicki Reply:
May 8th, 2011 at 4:23 pm
@Nikki, I did the same thing at a yard sale last year! This woman had the most gorgeous clothes, most in my size, but I couldn’t afford to buy everything I wanted. I picked out a few key pieces and bought those, and then told her that if she wanted, at the end of the day I would buy whatever she had left at a single price for all of it. I came home with a car trunk and two laundry baskets FULL of clothes for $50 (plus the $25 I had already spent, so $75 total). All the clothes were name brands, were very fashionable, and in great shape (many pieces with tags still attached!). I spent about 4hrs. trying stuff on, kept what I wanted, and sold the rest. Made back all the money I spent, and still had a fabulous new wardrobe!
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Great scores!! I am in love with the rug!! What a steal!
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What great finds! Yesterday was yard sale city around the neighborhoods here…and I took your advice and went to some nicer ones, which paid off! I purchased a full length wool coat, pricey name brand that retails for $300 for a mere FIVE dollars! In beautiful shape, my size, and a welcome addition to my coat closet this coming winter. Then, at a different spot, I got a car playcarpet (with roads, little town buildings, etc for driving around cars) that is at least a 5×7 size (I haven’t measured it yet) for, again, $5! Pricing those things for my kiddos had made me sad, because I couldn’t find one for less than $30, and that was for a small one! It was a successful day for us! Love reading about your treasure hunting on here…great tips and much inspiration for me that the deals are out there…patience pays off!
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Jen Reply:
May 8th, 2011 at 3:07 pm
Yay! So glad you found some great treasures. 🙂
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We had huge neighborhood garage sales around here this week. People even came from out-of-state and from Canada. It was actually overload and way too crowded. I didn’t get much though because I need to declutter before I bring more treasures home. I did, however, buy a cute little white wire cupcake stand for $2 (my boys birthdays are coming up in the next few weeks). I also bought a cute little iron scroll work wall hanging that has distressed wood picture frames that hang down from it for $2 and a dusty rose colored vintage-inspired short blazer NWT for $2 (says large but it’s a little snug on me right now). Also bought my boys a bunch of Lego and Pokemon book for $.25 each. Some are hardcover.
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Jen Reply:
May 8th, 2011 at 3:06 pm
A wire cup cake stand is a great find. I would have snatched that up in a second, since you don’t see something like very often. 🙂 Yes, at the beginning of yard sale season, some of those neighborhood sales can be crazy busy.
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I found my son several “Arthur” books and paid 6 for a $1 and I also found my husband a rototiller which we had been debating on buying, renting, borrowing. It retails for over $300( the seller had the recent internet print out with all of the info) and I got it for $125!
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I only went to a few yesterday, but was very happy with my scores. I found 4 cobalt blue wine glasses for $1.50 for all 4, and the best part is they match the 4 I already have at home (another yard sale find years ago). I also found the word signs I have been wanting – got IMAGINE, BELIEVE, and LAUGH – for $1 each! I was nearly ready to bite the bullet and buy these at Marshall’s for $10. Also got a pair of Liz Claiborne jeans for $1, in perfect shape – I am wearing them now 🙂
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What great treasures! I bought a white ceramic pitcher that I sat on top of my fridge (and my mother in law complimented as she was here for Mother’s Day). Also bought a lovely pin that was a gold basket with a bouquet of jeweled flowers of various colors ….Both of these for a whole $1. I only had one hour to go shop but these finds coupled with some shirts/shoes for my 3 year old made for a happy Saturday!
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Jen, way to go on the rug!! I too have drooled over the girls pottery barn rugs and have always dreamed of finding one at a garage sale or craigs list. Did find a small one on Craigslist a couple of years ago and just love it, but it’s getting rather worn and would love to replace it. Thanks for the inspiration to keep hunting. Love your blog!
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