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Writer's pictureEmily Carriveau

It's Garage Sale Season! What I'm On The Lookout For


As soon as the weather starts to turn nice here in Minnesota, it happens. Garage sale signs start popping up everywhere - and I am here for it! Often times when I'm at a garage sale, people will comment about their sale not having anything good. Have you ever heard the saying "one man's junk is another man's treasure"? I am always finding items at garage sales. From clothing to housewares, you would be amazed the items you come across.


I hit a fair amount of garage sales in 2020. At one sale I picked up nine Barbie Dolls... all in the original boxes. I picked up those Barbies for $10 each and flipped them on ebay for ... a lot more then the $90 I spent. Flipping items is fun, but most of the time I end up purchasing items for me and my family. Here are just a few of the things I found last year:


Gold-dipped leaf pendant

Chanel skirt

Denim Jacket

Coach scarf

Ralph Lauren Camo Shirt

Abercrombie Sweatshirts

Vintage Beer Mugs

Exercise Equipment

Fox Racing Clothes

Redwing pottery

Christmas Decore

... Even my teenage boys favoite Busch Sweatshirt!


So on to my garage sale plans for this year. These pictures show just a few of the items I picked up today. Yes - I hit multiple sales. Sometimes I do leave empty handed, but most of the time I find something worth my while. Today on the blog I'm sharing what's on my garage sale list for 2021.



The crazy thing about the garage sales I hit today, is that many of the items I found are actually items I look for. First, let's talk vessel's / vases. Today I was lucky enough to find a piece of Redwing pottery in perfect condition for $5. I'm always on the lookout for Redwing and Roseville pieces at garage sale prices. This year I hit one sale with a cute Redwing vase priced at over $80. Hard pass. The deals are out there... you just have to look and be patient. Last year I also found a piece of Redwing pottery - super dusty in a box at a barn sale. I bought that piece for $3... it's so darling in my living room.


Another item I'm always on the lookout for is silverware. Honestly - you can never have enough silverware! In my basement I actually have small storage boxes each labled with 'dinner forks', 'salad forks', 'knives', 'spoons', and 'serving ware'. When we host parties, I use mismatched place settings wrapped in either cloth or paper napkins. Not only is it cute, but if silverware goes missing (from eating outdoors or accidentally thrown away), I don't stress. I have a never ending supply (thanks to my favorite pastime)! Today I picked up a decent size box full of mismatched silverware and I paid $4. Just think about how much you invest in plasticware for parties. My $4 investment isn't all that bad.

Next is gift wrap. With the exception of Christmas wrap, I rarely purchase my gift wrap in stores. I find ribbon, wrapping paper, tissue paper, and present toppers at garage sales every year. And the best part is, most of the time the items are vintage. Besides gift wrap, I'm also always on the search for vintage cards. Sometimes I will send out the cards as is... other times I'll remake them into new cards. I even scrapbook with them... because that's just how I roll! Today I found an entire box of unused vintage cards for 75 cents! That is a crazy amazing deal! Honestly - I probably would have spent $4 on that box of cards... but I'll totally take it for under $1!



Lastly I picked up a box of polished rocks. They were actually on a ceramic tray, but I asked the woman if I could purchase only the rocks. Pretty sure she thought I was crazy, but I gladly took them off her hands for $2. She asked me - what are you going to do with all these rocks? Vase fillers! For example, I've taken Potterybarn small faux potted succulents and clustered them in a bowl... I add rocks around the pots to keep them grounded. I keep a box of rocks in my basement for decorating purposes... centerpieces, candles, ... there are honestly so many uses for polished rocks.


Other items I'll be on the lookout for this year while I garage sale:

Clothes for my teenage boys - some of their most worn pieces I actually find in free boxes.


Clothes for myself - As I mentioned, I've picked up everything from Chanel to Abercrombie!


Vintage Christmas, Easter, and Halloween decorations.. it's so fun to place these unique items out on display.


Gold and designer jewelry - My best friend's sister found a David Yurman ring. Total goals!


Skylanders, Disney Infinity characters, disney cars, Ertyl die cast toys - Always check those free boxes and random boxes of toys. These items are out there and usually super cheap.


Weights - because they are expensive, they never go out of style, and they are usually priced dirt cheap.


I hope I've inspired you to check out some garage sales this summer. Always go with an open mind because you truly never know what you're going to find!


Remember to check out my Instagram @smalltownme


Love Emily.





















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