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Post by wendylou on Mar 7, 2015 11:46:18 GMT -5
Do you like to shop at things like rummage/yard sales or second-hand shops and flea markets. I've never been really big on it but I've started getting more into mid-century design and more rustic stuff and they seem like a good place to find stuff like that. Plus, I just don't want my home to look like everyone else's or like it all came from one place. I also love to watch that show Flea Market Flip on HGTV with Lara Spencer.
If you shop at them how often do you go? Is there something particular you look for?
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Post by heroicmuse on Mar 7, 2015 11:49:16 GMT -5
I haven't been in a while, but when I was in North Carolina I used to go to flea markets and thrift shops all the time. There was a flea market in Raleigh that was open every weekend and I'd go about once a month just to look around. I once found a suit vest for $10 there. I used to do a lot of clothing shopping at Goodwill too, because it was so much cheaper. But my favorite things to look for at these kinds of places are old record albums or books.
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Post by UhSir on Mar 7, 2015 12:46:05 GMT -5
I love rummage sales. It's like treasure hunting. I like to look for old, hardcover books.
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Post by fluffysmom on Mar 7, 2015 13:05:40 GMT -5
I shop rummage sales and thrift stores. I look for books and school uniforms and assorted items that catch my eye. I like shopping the kids consignment sales. There are usually two of the consignment sales every year. I've found ice skating dresses and great deals on clothes.
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Post by unavitasegreta on Mar 7, 2015 19:22:24 GMT -5
My mother loves them. I'm not a fan. But I'd imagine it'd be fun with a gal pal or someone to go with.
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Post by fluffysmom on Mar 7, 2015 20:02:41 GMT -5
My mother loves them. I'm not a fan. But I'd imagine it'd be fun with a gal pal or someone to go with. It's definitely more fun with a friend. |
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Post by stickywicket on Mar 8, 2015 8:01:26 GMT -5
We used to, it was very cool to look through other people's treasure, but have not done it in quite awhile.
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Post by wendylou on Mar 8, 2015 9:44:17 GMT -5
I like to find old books too. Last year I found a Better Homes and Gardens decorating book from the 60's for $1. It wasn't in the best shape but I still love it.
I love decorating and it's so fun to look at and compare with today's decorating advice.
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Post by UhSir on Mar 8, 2015 15:37:32 GMT -5
My mom had a Betty Crocker cookbook that she got as a wedding gift in 1952. My sisters and I "argued" over who would get it. Mom and one of her good friends settled it by finding cookbooks at sales.
There's a section called "Short Cuts" with one page on how to "Make work easy." It's not bad advice but one is kind of hilarious: "If you feel tired, lie down on the floor on your back, put your hands above your head, close your eyes, and relax for 3 to 5 min." The funniest part about it is the hand-drawn illustration: Betty in her dress and apron, laying on a tile floor as described and "zzzzzzzzZZ" waving above her.
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Post by jenjen101 on Nov 11, 2015 4:03:16 GMT -5
Believe it or not, I've turned other people's give aways into a some what "business" of my own. I can't believe I'm going to share w/people other than my absolute closest friends!
I took some clothes of mine to a local consignment store, & as I left them for the "inspection" process, I overheard a lady talking about a Goodwill store nearby that charges by the pound. I then heard the woman who owned the store stating she had been to the store multiple times & was completely overwhelmed by the amazing clothing & household items she had found. I left the consignment store, & didn't think again about the discussion until over a year later.
Driving home from a Drs appointment 2 cities away I noticed the freeway was really getting backed up, & being I am not a normal freeway driver, decided to exit & explore a neighboring town I am not exactly familiar with. But boy I am now!
I found myself in an area I kind of knew. Gas station on a seedy corner in a crime ridden area? Sure, I might as well! Filled up & only a mile ahead saw a big blue GoodWill Industries sign. But this wasn't a normal GoodWill store front-this was a HUGE cement building that looked as if it housed a factory. I drove around the block & noticed s few cars & people in the parking lot & decided to take a chance. That day changed my entire life.
This GoodWill is unlike anything I had ever seen, & I had been in just about every kind of thrift store, flea market, rummage sale, swap meet, etc. It housed bin after bin lined up in row after row of everything you can think of under the sun. No real rhyme or reason to what was in these bins, except they were divided by I guess you could call them categories. I did not find this out until probably my 3rd or 4th visit.
These categories included shoes-boys, girls, men's, women's, any kind for every kind of shoe you can imagine. Most are rubber banded together, but some-usually the best are NOT paired. I've looked hours in the many long bins for a match only to be disgusted & huck it back. Then I'll go up to the cashier only to find the match sitting in a display w/ picture frames. Grr! Did I mention these shoes, whether it be a pair of $.99 flip flops or a pair of $100 Ugg's are $2.99? Follow me-
The next category of these bins are what the regulars call "hardlines". This includes kitchen items, bathroom items, office items, you name it. I've seen everything from home speakers, vacuum cleaners, fax machines, & normally things a gal like me could in no way get down the aisle & grab before another big guy could. Oh did I forget to mention the employees rotate these bins in & out & bring back new bins full of items as the previous ones are depleted? Oh it gets better!
Then we get to where for me it all began. The clothes. The bins of clothes are heaped up sometimes as high as 5ft tall. Anything for adults, kids, babies, clean, dirty, down right almost stomach turning you may find while digging through these bins. Some wear gloves, but I do not. I need to be able to feel the fabric to know what I'm after. I've seen people get into confrontations over items they've both globbed onto at the same time, I've seen people almost in tears of joy over hundreds of dollars worth of vintage concert shirts, & I've also seen clothing items which are so dirty nasty I'm surprised the employees put them into the bins. Yes sometimes it smells, yes sometimes I've felt like taking a bath in bleach, but the thrill I've found in this store brings my back usually once a week, from the time the line up starts around 8:45am, until usually 3:00-4:00pm.
The idea became clear to me. With the items I already had in my closet & the amazing things I was finding at what I began calling the, "LB" store, because yes they actually do weigh the pounds of clothing/items you purchase. I could put my items on the Internet on the different clothing/handbag/shoes sites to bring in some extra income. I do not work due to medical issues, & going to the "LB" once a week or twice a month I was able to do at my own pace. If I needed to sit down, I sat. If I needed to use the restroom I went-w/of course plenty of hand sanitizer at all times. It was just what I needed.
I've brought home items for just about every family member, all my friends, & have clothes/handbags/shoes/household items, that I could never have dreamt of having before this journey began. I cannot go into a mall & justify paying hundreds of dollars for clothing I can find myself, yes it will take time, & it will involve work, but to me I have much more time than I do money. No I cannot go into the "LB" for a pair of Miss Me jeans in my size today & expect to find them. But I may find a good old pair of nicely broken in Levi's that look & feel better than the Miss Me's & instead of $125, I spent $25 & bought myself 12+LB's of clothing. Do you know how much your clothing actually weighs? Not much! Clothing is I believe $1.29 per POUND!! And if you buy more than 25lbs of clothing-the price then drops to $1.09, & at 50lbs-$0.99 per pound!!
Other items people go nuts about in the LB include when they bring in all the records, DVD's, CD's, purses/belts/backpacks/etc are all in divided bins as well. They'll roll in the 4 big bins of DVD's & it's complete mayhem for at minimum a half an hour as the regulars grab as many as they can & put them into carts. Because anything you can toss into your cart you then go through prior to purchase & some of the DVD's & records these regulars then sell to buyers. I am not into these items & strictly go thru the clothing, shoes, handbags, ' some of the house hold items for myself, family, & friends.
Everyone needs to find in their area one of these amazing locations & make the most of it. For me the Goodwill opened up my eyes to the fact of exactly how much excess is out in the world that could easily be used by others. Finding a $200 Coach bag, a $100 pair of jeans or a $250 concert T-shirt means just the same to me as finding the exact same Barbie I had gotten for Christmas the year my folks divorced. Or seeing the same TV trays my grandpa used to eat his lunches on. It's an amazing experience just about every time I go, & I treasure the time. I've met wonderful people-both the customers like me as well as cashiers & employees. I was able to fund my husband & my 10yr wedding Anniversary trip to Cabo on the amount of sales I made in about 6-8mos, & the feeling was amazing! I have memories to fill my mind for a lifetime & it's all because of the amazing things the "LB" has had to offer. Thank you GoodWill!!
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Post by Kpatch on Nov 11, 2015 14:30:09 GMT -5
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Post by fluffysmom on Nov 11, 2015 20:40:13 GMT -5
That sounds like a very interesting place jenjen101. |
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Post by doolfan4life on Nov 19, 2015 11:23:17 GMT -5
sounds cool jenjen101 I never needed to do stuff like this simply because my mothers side of the family are hoarders and the amount of brand new stuff that they don't even know they have are crazy my grandmother is likely the worst so when she goes on vacation we end up going through everything before it takes over her house if you do it in front of her she goes nuts even over a piece of actual garbage  my aunt is almost as bad as my grandma difference is if she knows you are looking for it she will gladly give it up, so long as you are willing to fish it out of her house lol we call her house the Bermuda triangle they have pretty good taste and like I said it's brand new or close to so why not? |
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Post by nurse2herbalist on Nov 25, 2015 17:15:06 GMT -5
I like to find treasures too. I like vintage tea balls/infusers, certain types of furniture. I am currently looking for a cheap bowtie latch you would find on a vintage jelly cupboard. I have one room to clear out of junk that I will turn into a third bedroom so I will be looking for a few things for that room. I am guessing a set of vintage bunk beds as it is a smaller room. I have a goal in mind. I have two houses and if I make it so I can live in either I might also make it so people can short term rent at either. One house would only sleep a couple with one child and this house with a set of bunkbeds could sleep eight. I like old books too. I look for clothing, curtains, kitchen gadgets etc... I bought a bunch of antique brown medicine bottles for tinctures. I have a glass urinal and a glass urine specimen cup also porcelain bedpans. I try not to fill up the house too much. I try to stick to things I will use or can decorate with that are still functional items. The reason we have a junk room is because Aaron and I both had stuff when we got together plus we had stuff from our parents. We have been trying to reduce our stuff for a long time now and it is down to finally manageable almost. We had renters and when they left we were able to furnish the entire house except for a couch. I bought a cute settee. I like to browse for that perfect thing I am missing that will go with what I have.
My cousin the hoarder...I don't even want to say another word. She would be mad if I did.
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