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garage sale finds

Let me start by saying I am not a garage saler (is that a word?). I wish I was. I have been to a few garage sales but have never had much luck. And the few times I have planned on going to city wide garage sales, the next morning roles around and the thought of waking my kids up early and dragging them in and out of the car is enough to keep me home. It just doesn’t seem worth it.
Last week my sister asked me if I would help her with her baby registry. It just so happened that the day we were going there was also a city wide garage sale going on. So, she took off work and my sweet mother-in-law watched my kids for the day and we even left early to hit the garage sales. I didn’t have very high hopes. I was mostly just looking forward to spending the day with my sister. Little did I know it would be the best day of garage sale-ing ever.
We scored.
I was mostly looking for clothes for Levi and some furniture. I really didn’t find much on my list…but I came home with lots of fun treasures instead. And the best part was that everything was cheap!
ย Cake stand (it even turns!)…….$2
Colorful books………$3.50
Chalkboard…….$2
File cabinet…….$20
I actually bought the file cabinet the day before at our local antique store. It wasn’t as cheap as the rest of my garage sale finds, but I loved it and it was in really good condition. I think it will be perfect for the boys to keep their legos in someday.
ย Awesome red toolbox…….$3
This was my favorite find for sure. I love it. My sister loved it too. I was even feeling guilty like I should give it to her. But then I remembered how much I loved the red tool box and it came home with me. Selfish, I know. I wouldn’t be surprised if it goes missing one day after she visits! Or maybe we should share the toolbox and it can just travel back and forth between our houses.
ย Chair…….$3
Glass bottle…….10 cents
And this doesn’t include my sister’s finds. She bought a gorgeous Jenny Lind crib for $15 and three huge vintage frames for $2. She also found a vintage pyrex and some cool mason jars. And I did find a few clothes for Levi too.
I’m sure every garage sale-ing adventure won’t be this successful but I am definitely game for going again sometime. You never know what you will find, right?

ย I told the boys all about my finds as they watched me unload them from the van the next day. Levi shared in my excitement. He really liked the toolbox and he kept running over to the file cabinet and saying, “This is for my legos. Thanks, mom!” The funny thing is he doesn’t really have any legos yet! ๐Ÿ™‚
I think Griffin felt about the same as my husband does when I bring a new vintage/antique find home. They just don’t understand. ๐Ÿ™‚
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  • Suzanne - Yay for garage sale scores! Love the file cabinet! Have a great day!ReplyCancel

  • Bethany - Garage sales are awesome! I haven’t been brave enough to take my four since my youngest started walking. She’s got so much energy and not much discretion. ๐Ÿ˜‰ReplyCancel

  • Faith - wow those are such great finds! i wish i could be patient enough to keep digging like that. the boys look adorable- griffin’s face is too cute on the last one!ReplyCancel

  • Ruth - Your comment on the last picture cracked me up. My husband had the same enthusiasm for my finds.ReplyCancel

  • Melanie Martini (Minnesota) - LOVE your finds! You are so good at thinking ‘beyond’ and coming up with awesome items for things like the filing cabinet. I would never have thought of it as a “Lego Keeper”. ๐Ÿ™‚ReplyCancel

  • Danielle H. - Awesome! I am not a very good garage-saler (totally a word in my book!) either. My babysitter is though and she finds the BEST stuff. I think the key is to actually go! I have the same feeling about getting my kiddo out and getting up early. I think that helps, too – getting up early and hitting them when they first open! Totally LOVE your finds! Inspires me to maybe go this weekened! ๐Ÿ˜‰ReplyCancel

  • Aja - Such great finds!! Love the file cabinet and tool box. I’m with you on garage sales.. with little kids in tow, it just seems like so much work, so I usually pass them by. ๐Ÿ™‚ReplyCancel

  • Creole Wisdom - What great finds! I love garage sales and have recently gotten into going to flea markets on Saturday mornings. So, so fun ๐Ÿ™‚ReplyCancel

  • HilaryFarris - Great finds! I’ve always felt the same way about garage sales.. I’m hoping one day I will have a good experience to make it worth getting up early!ReplyCancel

  • Katie - I’m super jealous of your great finds!! I just found a steal of a deal on an old quilt at a thrift store, but never have any luck at garage sales. Must start trying again!ReplyCancel

  • The Farmers Nest - Great Finds! I love the cake stand. I scored at a yard sale last week that was put on by a retired pre-k teacher. It reminded me to not pay full price for toys and educational items.ReplyCancel

  • Stephen and Lacie - I love garage sales! I have found some great buys! I was redoing my daughter’s room when she was about 2 and she wanted a princess room. So I really wanted to put a neat canopy/tent thing over her bed. I found it VERY quickly! My most recent buys were a Melissa and Doug wooden memory game (we also use it for a car ride scavenger hunt) and Johnny Jump Up for my son (vintage and I have to really watch him as he weighs 20 lbs. and it can only hold 25!!!) You have to check quite a few to find things. I like your finds!ReplyCancel

  • Leslie Veer - The last picture of Griffin reminds me of James back when he was little and had a round face. ๐Ÿ™‚ReplyCancel

  • Mum2twopreciousgifts - Loving the pics! Michelle xReplyCancel

  • Dina - I may choose the handy tool box and the drawer one, because a have a lot of mini things at home .. i want them to place properly..ReplyCancel

  • Miss G - You found GREAT stuff! How fun! love that cake stand and the file cabinet and the books . . . are you going to paint the chair like your other colorful ones? I scored at an estate sale last week. A vintage fisher price car garage for $1! I could not believe it and my sweet boy hasn’t stopped playing with it. I got a few other fun things too. Fun to see your treasures! KellyReplyCancel

  • Glenn - I like roller tool boxes so if i have a time to choose or to visit these garage sale i will choose the roller tool boxes..ReplyCancel

  • Micah - Wow!!! So fun!!!! I’m the same way – always intend to go but decide its not worth it. And I never end up with cute stuff like this! That toolbox is fantastic!!ReplyCancel

  • Lyssa at Living Simple in the South - OH jes you did do good! How exciting! Cant wait to see what you do with it all!ReplyCancel

  • Jennifer - Is the jenny lind crib a drop side crib where the rail can be dropped down? if so, those have been banned and are illegal to sell. There have been too many injuries/deaths with those cribs and they are no longer sold or made at all. Very dangerous ๐Ÿ™ReplyCancel

  • TimandCeri - Sweet scores! That’s a great idea for lego storage too! We have a neighborhood one we are going to hit on saturuday. I am sure you will do awesome things with all that stuff. About the crib, there have been many many crib recalls. I wouldn’t be -so- concerned about it being a drop side. Those are only as dangerous as the people that do not put them together right. You can also perhaps get a kit from the manufacturer to make it non droppable. I did have the same style of crib made by Jardine that the wood cracked on that was recalled before the whole drop side crib ban… its just crazy how they don’t make stuff as nice as they used to. Of course the replacement one is now banned to but I am fine with reusing it. I think if they are put together right they are fine.ReplyCancel