I know someone reading this thinks “I don’t like garage sales/estate sales/consignment sales.” I used to think that too. BUT the last few years have caused a change of heart. If you are one of those people I encourage you to give garage/estate/consignment sales a chance. You can find some great, great things for a very reasonable price. Don’t believe me? Let me show you…
This is what my bedroom looked like yesterday morning. Please forgive the unmade bed. I was about to make a big change here and didn’t want to make the bed to take the pic just to unmake it again to make the changes. It was OK, not great. The quilt and shams are from Pottery Barn. I like them but don’t love them in this room. The side tables are from Target. I wanted something different, but didn’t want to pay a lot of money for the needed table while I was looking for what I really wanted. The curtains, I think, are also from Target. Again, OK, but not anything that I loved.
Well, look at it now!
Much better, I think. The comforter set is Tommy Hilfiger. It was in the original tote–the original price? $389. The sale price on it was $165. I paid…..$40. Yes, you read that right, $40. The curtains are black out panels. They are chenille. Each is 42×84. I THOUGHT I was buying 4 panels. I actually got home with 8 panels. How much did I pay? $30. We hung 4 here in our room. I am not sure yet if I will resell the extra four, or use them somewhere else in the house.
Check out the side tables.
This little blue gem, also from the consignment sale, is the perfect size and shape for what I need here. (I do need to work on hiding those cords better though!) How much did I pay for it? $25.
This one I actually already had. I picked it up at an estate sale during the summer. I had planned to, and might still, repaint it. I hadn’t gotten around to it yet, but when redoing this room yesterday, I decided to try it out here.
So, did you add all that up? $40 for the comforter + $30 for the curtains, and $25 for the blue table=a whole new look for this room for $95!!!! It was just over $100 with tax. I was pretty excited about that and I LOVE how it all looks together. Now, we just have to repaint the walls. I was going to stick with blue, but we’ll see.
Now, some tips for you. If you are going to a consignment/estate/garage sale, have an idea of what you are looking for and what you need. If you need a table, go in with an idea of what shape, style, size, etc. that you need.
Don’t settle!!! If you don’t love it at the sale, you won’t love it when you get home. And, you won’t be able to return it. So before you commit, make sure that you really like it and that it will meet your needs.
BUT! Be willing to think outside of the box. For example, you may find a great table that needs a little love and attention. You might have to refinish or repaint it to make it exactly what you want. Or, you might find something that isn’t intended for what you need it, but it will work perfectly. For example, at the spring consignment sale I found a wooden artist tool box/tote. It was intended to carry paint and brushes, but I repurposed to hold mason jars filled with flowers, or silverware, etc.
Consider price. It depends what kind of sale you are at, you may be able to negotiate a lower price. At the consignment sale I was at this weekend, the last day of the sale, everything goes 1/2 price, but you have to be willing to wait and see if the item is still there at the end of the sale. This is when you have to consider the price of the item and how much you want it. Are you willing to take a chance that it will still be there later? Are you willing to pay the asking price?
Don’t stress about it. If you don’t buy an item when you see it, and it is gone later, well, then it just wasn’t meant to be. Maybe there is a better item around the corner for you.
Blessings friends!
Tracey
Linus and Lulu 