Yes we know what you are thinking…Yuk! But guess what for every pile of yuk you find at yard sales you an find a hidden gem.

Just last week I found a lovely antique serving bowl, $1, to add to my glass collection and KimB found an entertainment curio, $25. The entertainment curio she then found in Ikea’s catalog retailing for $315. There wasn’t anything wrong with either of them and we both got steals and the people selling them got them out of their hair. Now we are not advocating trolling every yard sale with an eye for what can be later sold for a profit, there really isn’t enough finds for something like that unless you have a lot of time on your hands and some serious knowledge on how to separate the gems from the junk.

But you can find great steals that can add to your collections, redecorate your home, or even just decorate it, or any of hundreds of other things. If you ever need Home Interior all you need to do is hit my Mother’s yard sale. She redecorates a room every few months so every couple of years my Dad gets tired of all the old stuff being stored and she either puts it out during the annual community yard sale or ships it off to the local Salvation Army/Goodwill. She is not the only one who does this, it is a common thing.

So that brings us to another treasure trove.. Salvation Army/Goodwill/DAV stores are great places to find anything from clothes to books to furniture to decor. Once again if your are searching for you, your family and home these are worth the effort. Back in June I found a Brooks Brother suit that was a perfect fit for my son and it only cost $5. I found a designer dress that never had the tags off that retailed over $100 and got it for $7. You not only have people donating to these stores but department stores and businesses so what you an find in these places can be pretty amazing. Just remember that as with yard sales you may have to search awhile before you find anything and when you do get it because it may not be there later.

So take the time to at least slow down when driving past a yard sale, maybe poke your head in the door of a thrift store or two. Once you start to realize you can get the same stuff, if not a better quality, for much less then the retail you are used to paying you won’t mind the extra time it might take to find that perfect outfit, item, picture, etc. to make your home just right.