Usually I’m pretty good at finding furniture, gardening supplies or household items at garage sales, but last weekend I totally struck out at every single garage sale I stopped at. Some weekends are just like that I suppose. You have a totally good streak going, and then BAM… you can’t find anything good to bring home.
The good news is, two of the garage sales I stopped at had boxes loaded with FREE stuff in them. And you know what they say… One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
In addition to a large enamelware pan {perfect for bbq’s!!} I also snagged an Easter basket, a cutlery tray, 2 food storage containers, an old fashioned tin pie plate {I collect them}, a wire basket and some foil pans {perfect for freezer meals}.
But my favorite item from the FREE boxes was this mosaic vase/candleholder. If you look real hard you can see a small crack on the bottom. HOWEVER, it’s just a hairline crack. Once I throw some flowers in the vase I don’t think anyone will even notice.
I.LOVE.FREE.STUFF.
Do you check the free bins when you hit the garage sales?
Have you ever found anything good?
~Mavis
Melissa says
The Non-Consumer Advocate just posted about some marvelous free piles she found in Portland. How cool. People don’t do that where I live.
Leanna says
Oh I have that wire basket. Silver plated bread basket. Polish it up its a beauty.
Vicki says
I was just going to say that very same thing!
Diane says
Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a free box at a garbage sale. Must not be going to the right sale.
My best garage sale find was a tabletop electric roaster pan with all the pieces for 5 bucks! Love that pan when I use it.
Joyce @ QN says
Aww – that’s sad – no ‘free’ boxes in your area? You need to have a garage sale and start the tradition. It’ll catch on quick. Free box eligibles are those things you don’t feel are worth a real price tag – but you still want rid of them – so in the free box they go. OR – as the garage sale day is going forward and you still have a lot of stuff left – but some of the cheaper stuff can now go in the ‘free box’…. 🙂 It’s so fun to see people pick from it and go away happy.
Sandra says
Last weekend I scored a pile of sealed, uncut Kwik-Sew and independent-publisher sewing patterns, some 1950s recipe booklets, and a large rubber-banded packet of handwritten and typed recipe cards, all out of the free box at a community club flea market. Those recipe cards are turning out to be so much fun to read!
Mavis Butterfield says
Wow! What a great find Sandra!
Joyce @ QN says
Yes, yes, yes I check. And I obtain too! Just this past outing I came home w/ a free vacuum cleaner. They said it needed someone w/ mechanical expertise. Well – I needed a vacuum (long story – I’ll share on my blog in the next few days) – and hubby was praying I’d find one. It was my last stop so figured I’d better take it. Turns out – it DOES work! Love it… love ‘free’…
Connie says
Absolutely! Cheap finds are good but, FREE is da bomb-diggity. Oh my, that enamel pan and the mosaic piece – so awesome – you go girl!! I’m prepping for my own yard sale next weekend … gotta boost my “fun finds fundage”. Have a great day, Mavis! 🙂
Laura says
Cracking me up! You are getting rid of much nicer things than these for the thrift store and now you bring in some future thrift store items. Too darn funny. You need more tea, lol!
Sara T says
Just found 4 wager glasses and a front wheeled walker for free last week! 🙂 The walker went in to work (no need for it yet, thank goodness!) And I LOVE the water glasses!!
Sara T says
*water, autocorrect. :/