If you're not a thrift store or garage sale shopper, let this article be your inspiration! I promise, once you find your first treasure…you'll be hooked!
All of these items came from thrift stores or garage sales, and the one thing they have in common is a bargain price!
If I had to pick my favorite thrift store treasure, this Coach purse would be it! This was actually a Goodwill treasure for just $40, and it retails new for $498! I'm not going to promise that you'll find a Coach Purse on your first thrift store outing, but if you begin to frequent thrift stores you'll soon have some treasures to brag about!
If you saw this candelabra in my living room, would you think that I bought it at a garage sale for $2? Didn't think so! Remember, nobody will know where you shop unless you tell them.
I love my stained glass window, and if you've seen these at fancy antique stores, you know they cost hundreds of dollars. Well, mine has a small crack which made it an affordable $25!
I didn't go looking for something like this at the garage sale, but as soon as I saw it, I knew I had the perfect place for it! My $5 treasure sits prominently on a stack of books on the coffee table in my living room, and I think he looks like a million bucks!
Nice men's clothes abound at thrift stores. My teenage boys always seem to be able to find nearly new shirts, shorts, pants and sport coats at thrift stores. Over Christmas break, my son found this Tommy Hilfiger shirt and a Brooks Brothers shirt at a thrift store for only $5 – no signs of wear, no stains & just dry cleaned!
My tips for discovering thrift store or garage sale treasures:
- Don't go looking for a specific item because chances are you won't find it!
- Use your imagination – Could that beat up piece of furniture be painted or could you give that lamp a new life with a different lampshade?
- Get in the habit of making frequent trips to your favorite thrift stores because the best treasures are snapped up quickly by bargain hunters!
- Shop Garage Sales early – yes, the early bird really does get the worm!
- Imperfections add character – don't shy away from a dining room table because of a small scratch!
