You know, this really is the best time of year for many reasons. Its warm, its sunny, and best of all, its garage sale season mania! The other day, I was walking my neighbor’s dog early in the morn when I stumbled across a great find! Right there, sitting on the side of the street, was a great antique looking end table. I couldn’t resist, and as I walked over to check it out I realized what I had just found! On the front of the table was a sign that said, “Free working sewing machine inside, all parts included.” Score! I’ve never made a dog do his business so damn fast so that I could rush back home, grab the car and head back around the corner to scoop up this fantastic piece of furniture before some other garbage picker got a hold of it! Fate was on my side that day as I pulled up slowly, the sewing machine still there, and packed it into the trunk of my car! This was, by far, a very successful Sunday! It was a great two-in-one deal; not only is this a great looking piece of furniture, but it’s also a fully functioning tool that can be used for so many different projects around the house. I can sew curtains, make pillows, design clothes – the possibilities are endless!
So anyway, my point is, although this particular item happened to be free (lucky me), that if you’re looking for some new pieces to spruce up the house or even if you’re just bored on a lazy Saturday or Sunday afternoon, you need to get out there, take the dog for a walk and check out the goods around town. They’re all over the place. The best thing is, is that most of these people don’t even realize the value of what they’re getting rid of, which is great for people like me who absolutely do!
A few months back, an elderly woman who lived across the street from my parents’ house was relocated to a senior home, therefore, causing her children to clean house and get rid of things that they deemed “garbage.” Huh, morons! They left out, right on the sidewalk, an Antique’s Road Show watchers dream; lamps, tables, knick-knacks, kitchy little trinkets and, best of all, an antique, 1920s baby carriage. What the hell were they thinking? People pay big bucks for replicas of these sort of vintage pieces ¬– it’s all the rave in Hollywood these days – a few years ago it was the Bugaboo that was making headlines, but these days with celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Gwen Stefanie popping out kids left and right, their styles reflect something a bit more classy, and so they’re shelling out mucho dinero for strollers that only look like they were manufactured 70 or 80 years ago, where as I got mine for free! Suckers.
Here’s a little food for thought, though, even if I had paid for these two things, if I found them at a garage sale in town, do you really think I would have spent more than, oh I don’t know, $20 on both items combined? I think not! And that’s the great thing about garage sales, you can pick up some unbelievably cool stuff for a ridiculously low price; you walk away smiling and raving on the phone with your friends, telling them about this awesome new painting you got, or this fabulous lamp, all the while the ex-owners (idiots) are relishing in the feeling of sweet relief that they finally unloaded that junk!
A little tip for all you garage sale shoppers out there, although, if you’re into this as a hobby, you probably already know what to look for, but if not, if you’re new to the garbage picking world of wonders, here’s what you need to know: first of all, most of the time the prices are pretty reasonable, but if they’re not, always negotiate; remember, these people want to get rid of this stuff, so chances are they’re going to be willing to lower the sale price, all you have to do is ask. Second, anything that looks like it was kept in a box for a reason, anything that slightly speaks of “collectible” when you look at it, any paintings that have signatures or markings on them from the actual artist, these are things you want to really take a look at – someone might be throwing away a piece that they believe to hold no monetary value whatsoever, when in actuality it’s worth a fortune – you just have to know what to look for. Lastly, don’t be too cheap. Although I’m telling you to negotiate prices, keep in mind that this is still a sale, these people are looking to make a buck or two, so when something costs $2 don’t be an ass and offer .50 cents – that’s just rude.
You’ll be surprised, really, at what kinds of treasures you can find in a pile of someone else’s junk. So get out there, bring some cash and start shopping. After all, ‘tis the season!
No comments:
Post a Comment