posted
We have heavy trash pickup once a month in our neighborhood. We live in an old historic neighborhood and people actually drive up and down the streets to look over the trash on those days.
I have found some of the neatest things that I have been able to fix and then resale tables, chairs, trunk.
That, junk stores and antigue shops. I remember as a child driving up and down Highway 40 visiting the antique shops in each little town with my mom. I have done this with my children too.
* * * * Plants: 679 | From: IN | Registered: Dec 2003
| Seeded: 171.75.96.67
posted
Rue, our neighbor's trash goes right into our garden! A few months ago, a new neighbor cleaned out his back yard and put a picnic bench on the curb for pickup. It got picked up alright.... It holds a LOT of our potted plants. I can't believe what people don't want anymore...They throw out POTS!!!! Insanity! I love curbside "shopping."
* * * * Plants: 1985 | From: Ugh...Van Nuys, CA | Registered: Nov 2003
| Seeded: 64.12.96.70
posted
I like going to flea markets and yard sales. Lots of fun finding those bargains! I think I would certainly pick something up curbside if I thought I could use it!
It's the fun of the hunt that I really like!
Barbara
* * * * Plants: 458 | From: Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Jan 2004
| Seeded: 69.139.4.81
posted
I almost forgot I picked up the neatest potting bench from a neighbor across the street. All it needed was a couple of screws tightened. It has 2 shelves on top and a shelf under the main table.
I cant` wait til the garage sales start up again.
The fun really is the hunt.
So what are some of you looking for?
* * * * Plants: 679 | From: IN | Registered: Dec 2003
| Seeded: 171.75.97.84
Jiffymouse
guest
posted
for me, it is taking things that folks who are moving don't want, ie clay pots, a bakers rack (maks a great plant stand), etc... and if i see it on the side of the road, it might just become mine!
Seeded: 12.77.200.56
posted
We live down the street from a cemetary.... And we can find those tri~pod thingies, that hold the wreath's on it, well they throw those things out in the back and I go get them, they make wonderful things to plant sweet peas at the base of it, *almost the shape of upside down tomato cages* and things that climb, climb up them..
And we get pots and some of the old dirt in the pots *I compost that*
Weezie
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
quote:Originally posted by Jiffymouse: for me, it is taking things that folks who are moving don't want, ie clay pots, a bakers rack (maks a great plant stand), etc... and if i see it on the side of the road, it might just become mine!
Hey, Jiffy......
Thanks for the idea! I just found out my neighbor is moving.. ....as sorry as I was to hear that, I will definately tell them to keep me in mind if they have pots, gardening type things they aren't taking with them!
* * * * Plants: 458 | From: Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Jan 2004
| Seeded: 69.139.4.81
loz
guest
posted
I've never done this before....but when our town had it's annual get rid of whatever you want pickup day we actually had people that drove around the town and opened up our garbage bags and took stuff.....hey I don't care it was trash anyway, but I'd just never saw anyone getting into the trash bags before.....
I am a yard sale junkie......we go every weekend in the summer, and even my husband loves it...he looks for tools and hunting stuff and I look for books and knick knacks.....anything that I can paint becomes mine.....it amazes me that people sell stuff so cheap sometimes.....
Seeded: 63.49.143.211
I really like yardsales too! I got a three peice candle set in shabby chic white iron for $2, which I thought was a bargain, since it hadn't been used! Turns out when I was at a craft store, they had it for sale for $12!
Barb H.
* * * * Plants: 458 | From: Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Jan 2004
| Seeded: 69.139.4.81
loz
guest
posted
Hey you really can rescue some great finds from other peoples "junk".....I look for anything decorative that I can paint.....I got some really great candleholders that were tarnished and dull that I repainted gold and they look terrific....plus, lots of great books....I can't wait until it gets nice so we can get up early on the weekends for our little yard sale adventures again.
Seeded: 63.49.143.152
posted
After fixing up all this yard sale/trash pickin stuff you guys are going to have to have a garage sale yourselves.... profit! That would be something if the original owner bought it back for twice as much!!!!
* * * * Plants: 7129 | From: California | Registered: Mar 2003
| Seeded: 68.66.244.5
There's an idea! Pick up the junk, shine it up again and sell it!
Then use all the proceeds to go out to the nursery and shop, shop, shop!!!!!
Bet I could find a ton of planter like stuff to put plants into...sort of like Rue does to her troughs and sell them! If they didn't sell, I could always keep it in garden!
* * * * Plants: 458 | From: Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Jan 2004
| Seeded: 69.139.4.81
loz
guest
posted
Let me tell you something, my husband bought these great old lanterns from our neighbors yard sale.....4 of them, but the exterior of them was rough....so he fixed them all up and repainted them and his friends at work bought them off of him for a profit.....LOL.....granted it wasn't a huge profit, he wasn't even going to sell them but they saw them and wanted them.....I have had a few yard sales before with friends and have made a decent amount of money......I also donate a lot of clothes to the goodwill.....Some days me and my husband get up around 7 a.m.....stop for breakfast then head to about 5 or 6 yard sales.....it's so great.....you come home with some real finds.....I don't buy junk, I mean a lot of stuff at yard sales is really junky but I like things that have potential that are being gotten rid of because they are old, tarnished, dirty.........
Seeded: 63.49.143.85
posted
I have an etched glass window in my bathroom.it came out of an exterior door some morann had cut the door down 4 inches but door was still good we got 2 other doors with it was 3 doors for $20 the other has windows top to bottom& the other was a solid wood door we gave our neighbor as he really needed a better one. also have a half moon window above shower that goes over a front entrance door.was$5 at a yard sale.I do dumpsters.my sis got me doing them thats how we use to stay stocked on hangers.I check the walmart one sometimes hopeing to find planters pots.i live rural..out here most of us burn our stuff and carry the others off.
* * * * I will age ungracefully until I become an old woman in a small garden..doing whatever the Hell I want!
quote:Originally posted by loz: I've never done this before....but when our town had it's annual get rid of whatever you want pickup day we actually had people that drove around the town and opened up our garbage bags and took stuff.....
We have that twice a year. They call it "spring cleaning" in the spring and "fall cleanup" for the fall. I found a great old door down the street. It has 12 glass windows. I haven't made anything out of it yet, but since I'm now gardening, I can use it for a green house roof.
My mom and I do auctions alot. I got a set of 12 plates and dessert bowls that are lined in 14k gold. Actually, its more than lining, its actually a decorative border that goes around the plates. I got them for 50 cents!!! You can find almost anything at an auction! We can go to one at least once a week if we wanted to.
posted
Hmmm, I never thought about going to an auction before, that might be fun!!!!!! I love good deals!!!!!
I didn't care if the people took stuff from the cleanup stuff we had outside, but I was shocked that people were driving around opening up peoples garbage bags......
Seeded: 63.49.143.141
posted
i grew up thinking that my mom's car had a garage sale sensor in it. she told me it automatically turned at garage sale signs and there was nothing she could do about it!
My hubby doesn't like anything used, (he almost won't eat left overs!) and just barely tolerates my bring it home/fix it up projects. the deal we have is anything i can carry by myself or finagle (sp?) someone ELSE-read "not husband"- into helping me with is fair game. I've found i can be quite resourceful at finding ways to move large items.
and whenever we need to get rid of anything big I just drag it to the curb and put a sign on it that says "FREE" it doesn't matter what I put out, or what shape it's in, it's usually gone within an hour.
* * * * rellie Plants: 147 | From: bellflower, ca | Registered: Jan 2004
| Seeded: 24.130.136.119
posted
Reading about junk reminds me of the good memories that I have of going to the dump of all places with my grandpa. Those were the days before everything was crushed and he was a retired carpenter and would be just out scouting for projects[ this makes me sound ancient, but I am ONLY 44 years old].He repaired and fixed many wonderful peices, makes me sad that we're so wasteful now. I wish our town would do a large cleanup like that, I'd for sure drive a U-haul around.But I have set things by the road with a sign marked free and had them magically disappear.Thats how I found my favorite trellis,all covered with peeling green paint.....I love junk!
* * * * I am old, and repotting wont help! Plants: 292 | From: Minnesota | Registered: Jan 2004
| Seeded: 68.190.154.5
posted
Shamarian, That is soooooooooooooooo true about it being a wasteful society, my parents' called it a throw away world. I happy to hear someone takes things and reuses them.... Weezie
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
Last week I was walking around in the cold(VERY COLD) weather and on the way out of my house at 10:30PM about I saw this perfect condition plant hanger with a fake ive in it!(not only wastfull but there to cheap and unnatural to even care for a plant ) It's kind of scary sometimes, peoples mentallities. Anyways I didn't take it because I was on my way out and would be gone for a while. About an hour later I was excited to think of what to put in it and knew exactly where I was going to put it and it was gone!! So I guess thier's some hope for humanity but I was real mad . It's funny when it becomes yours in your head but your too silly to pick it up and all you can think is, Those basterds!!! Sorry for the language but thier's no other word to discribe that feeling.
* * * * The answers will come when needed. Otherwise, I'm guesing time will make me feel silly. Plants: 387 | From: canada | Registered: Feb 2004
| Seeded: 207.176.160.26
posted
I stopped at a yard sale down the block last fall. They were moving down south and were getting rid of a lot. Got a complete deep-well pump that runs for $10 plus another one for parts. It had a good pressure switch that my neighbor needed the very next day. For another $5, I got enough roofing to fix my shed and an assortment of mixed, used 2 by whatever lumber that should supply tomato stakes and poles for trellises for the next several years. Rick
Plants: 107 | From: Northern lower Michigan | Registered: Jan 2003
| Seeded: 198.108.224.151
I love little vases. I leave them all over the house, most of them aren't fancy, and I've made several tall ones for peonies. I love fancy and the cute, and just plain ugly ones! IMO they all have their place on the porch, and in the house.
Jennifer----I want some of that dish action! Seriously, I love all kinds of china, teacups, etc.
* * * * Plants: 458 | From: Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Jan 2004
| Seeded: 69.139.4.81
posted
Barb H, For kids or for having my kids run some flowers over to my mother, I use the empty "JUGS" from the store, the little ones, called JUGS, *actually they are not juice, just frucose corn syrup, which I normally don't buy, but in the summer sometimes just for a quick treat I get them for them and some friends that come over, but I have to save the jugs... they make the cutest vases!!!! And they don't break!!! And they can sit out on a picinic table and look so cute!!!
Weezie
* * * * Weezie
Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it. - Bible - Hebrews 13:2
posted
Barb have you ever seen this type of china? I found a few pieces really cheap then it was featured in a couple of magazines and the prices hit the roof.
posted
One of the neatest garage sale finds I've gotten was two 50 cent plastic pot with dirt in them that I set aside somewhere in the yard to do some container gardening with "someday"--and then in the spring discovered they were growing Asian lilies!!! That was the best 50 cents I've ever spent, lol!!
* * * * Jeanie with the light white hair
In ancient days, cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this. *** *** *** *** Sometimes the Dragon wins. Plants: 32 | From: Lacey, WA | Registered: Mar 2004
| Seeded: 24.18.56.156
posted
We have such pick ups by weekly in my neighbourhood.....and I simply LUV getting out there!! Mind you, my partner would rather slough behind the sun glasses and steering wheel than be seen going through all the curbsite riches....lol
* * * * Remember to be kind to Mother Nature, afterall, she WAS here first! Plants: 8 | From: Canada | Registered: Mar 2004
| Seeded: 142.177.49.27
quote:Originally posted by rue anemone: Barb have you ever seen this type of china? I found a few pieces really cheap then it was featured in a couple of magazines and the prices hit the roof.
I realize this is late in replying! I've had some time to just *hang out* and read...but i love CHINTZ!!! I only have a teapot that I bought, but i'd love to get more. IMO, the place setting people should get on the ball and start making some chintz stuff again...since the antique chintz is so expensive something moderately priced and new is something I'd definately consider.
oh...my mother just gave me all of her grandmother's and great grandmother's linen and crocheted lace tablecloths! You can only imagine the treasures they are, as my grandfather was lacemaker in Nottingham, England before he came over to the U.S. I am so excited about it and plan to use one of the tablecloths as a summer bedspread. I wouldn't dare use it on my tables with my messy boys, so I'm hoping it will work as a summer spread for decor purposes only.
Have a happy day! Barb H.
* * * * Plants: 458 | From: Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Jan 2004
| Seeded: 69.139.4.81
posted
Reading all these posts brought back such good memories from my childhood. Especially about going to the dump! I hadn't thought about that in so many years...and it was so FUN! In Cuba (early 60's) the dump was piled high with mostly office stuff. (Amazing what the government throws away!) I can remember full boxes of paper, pens, etc. Typewriters were a big item there, and every one of them that we ended up with worked fine. A friend of my mom's had an inside connection to the local dump here (Ky) when I was a teenager, and it was like Christmas...literally. American Greetings factory dumped truck loads of cards, wrapping paper, decorative soaps, candles, EVERYTHING here. We would have yard sales and sell the stuff (there was a big demand for the "Holly Hobby" stuff at the time!). This was such a blessing because we were pretty poor when I was growing up. But, man, we were happy!
And in Norfolk, Va. in the 60's we lived in a quiet, older neighborhood. Once a week everyone would set stuff they didn't want, but was too good to throw away, at the curb. Everyone would drive around the neighborhood and take what they wanted. It was such fun!
Thanks for the memories!
* * * * Buckle up! It makes it harder for the aliens to suck you out of your car! Plants: 43285 | Registered: Mar 2004
| Seeded: 24.49.153.3
posted
I love finding "junk" and using it in my garden! Old shutters becom backdrops for low growing plants, old chairs become planters, old iron bedframes become flower "beds", stryofoam heads (like used to hold wigs) become planters, old tricycles find a home in my wildflower beds, old beer bottles make charming vases for picnics, old rakes and other gardening tools get nailed to the side of my shed for trelises, old tires become tiny garden borders, old brick foundation blocks make charming outdoor side tables...I have found that just about anything can be re-used given a little time, effort, and lots of creativity!
Plants: 24 | From: Louisiana | Registered: Apr 2004
| Seeded: 205.188.116.71
posted
Ooooo, I got the best deals at a a yard sale today......a box of terra cotta pots(about 30 of them) for 5 bucks, a huge concrete frog(the paint on him is chipped so I'm restoring it) for a dollar, a wooden spinner to hang on the porch for 50 cents, 3 baskets with the tags still on with liners in them for 1.50!!!, a set of 3 terra cotta ducks- mother, and 2 baby ducks for 2 dollars.....I'm so happy!!!!! I love a good yard sale.....and it was huge and wasn't just all junk!
Seeded: 63.49.143.161
posted
Wow, sounds like you really made out great loz! Way to go I got a grat deal on 150 4" plastic pots for $10.00 this morning, I am going to have so many seeds going my family isn't going to have a table to eat on any more...at least not for a while lol. The old man doesn't know it yet, but I am snagging his hanging shop light out of the garage too...I believe I have me a new grow room
posted
Chrissy, that's funny.....I have a lot of seeds too......hubby just lets me do my thing now I convinced him it's cheaper than buying them at wallyworld....I counted the pots and it's actually 40 of them.....lol Now the question is, what do I do with them all.... Plus she only actually charged me 4 for the box, instead of 5.....
16 of them will fill 2 new plant stands I ordered that just came.....I may paint a few of the them......I don't know yet.....maybe give a few to mom......When I bought the frog I was thinking of you weezie......I'm not a frog lover, but something about this big heavy frog spoke to me.....I had to save him and give him a makeover....he was in bad shape, but I saw the potential. He's almost done, I've been painting him off and on all day.
Seeded: 63.49.143.130
quote:Originally posted by Chrissy: Wow, sounds like you really made out great loz! Way to go I got a grat deal on 150 4" plastic pots for $10.00 this morning, I am going to have so many seeds going my family isn't going to have a table to eat on any more...at least not for a while lol. The old man doesn't know it yet, but I am snagging his hanging shop light out of the garage too...I believe I have me a new grow room
Chrissy,
Will the shop light work for a grow light???? I am looking for some inexpensive way to grow stuff....a shop light will be perfect, if it will work!
Barb H.
* * * * Plants: 458 | From: Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Jan 2004
| Seeded: 68.81.77.221
posted
Hi Barb, I use the plain old shop light fixtures & then I buy grow light bulbs for inside them. It is a lot cheaper than actually buying the entire grow light fixture & bulb sets that they sell. I have actually heard a few people online claim they just use the plain old shop bulbs as grow lights...so that may be an option, not real sure on that one. But The grow bulbs can be purchased for 10 bucks at walmart or meijers around here.
Thanks for the tip....maybe i can get shop lights too...or...even just some extra lamps with the grow lights in them. I have one grow lamp, but think i need quite a few more to work well in my garage.
Barb
* * * * Plants: 458 | From: Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Jan 2004
| Seeded: 68.81.77.221
posted
when we were stationed up in Maine they have the same thing. City wide garage sle. Take no longer needed furniture to curb and it is free to anybody. It was great-however- there was a couple moving in and had their stuff outside while they were in the process of moving in. They weren't inside for very long and when they cme out-you guessed it half their stuff was gone! They "caught" one family going through their stuff and called the police. Thought they were being robbed. They ended up putting up a notice in the paper begging people to return their goods as it wasn't being toust out. Not to much got returned. I felt bad for them.
Plants: 190 | From: southern maryland | Registered: Feb 2004
| Seeded: 63.147.53.34
posted
That is just awful. Here in my neighborhood we have city wide curb day. Anything you don't want can go on the curb Friday morning & the city will pick it up & dispose of it Sunday morning. That gives everyone in town the weekend to drive around & see if they would like to take anything on the curb. Only difference here is we have to buy a pack of stickers (10 for $1.00) & slap one on every item we wish to donate to the "curb shoppers" or have disposed of by the city. If it hasn't got a big orange tag on it, it isn't up for grabs is how it goes here.
posted
Oh did I ever land a good find this morning:) They are tearing down the court house across the street from my home & building a new one...well the whole place was professionally landscaped with flowering trees & all sorts of other trees & shrubs. Well I went over there this morning around 7am & asked if they could possibly use their backhoe & dig some of that stuff up for me rather than saw it apart with chainsaws & throw it in the dumpster as they had started to do. Well they were more than happy to save themselves all that sawing & I have many new things to plant in my yard. They are saving everything they can get a nice root ball on aside for me to go pick up later tonight. And so far they have given me the tree below & 3 flowering shrubs. Yay!!!
posted
Chrissy that is a wonderful find! Have you gotten everything planted?
Just last week I went to another garage sale and was reminded of another thing I collect. Wooden coat hangers that have been printed with logos.
I have about 12 hangers, some are from the Sheraton, Hilton, The Brown Hotel in Louisville, etc. In the antique shops they cost $1-$3. At the garage sale I found one for $0.10. Yippie!
* * * * Plants: 679 | From: IN | Registered: Dec 2003
| Seeded: 4.225.104.1
posted
Yep, I got it all planted with the help of my son & his girlfriend:) The tree & shrub I have so far are huge, it took all three of us to get them in the ground. I am sure I will find other stuff to plant too. I have been over at the dig site for days as soon as they are done working to sift through & see what I can find. The court house deconstruction site where I am getting all of my goodies. Look at all those bricks, I have been getting wheelbarrow loads of them to make flower beds with:) My tree all planted & cozy in its new home:) My new shrub...this was not easy to get into the ground. The root ball was nearly as big as the shrub itself.
Wish I would have known you collect wooden hangers Rue...I had a boxful of them (I used to be a housekeeper for a Holiday Inn) & I just threw them out. If I ever get anymore I will send them off to you:)
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....as sorry as I was to hear that, I will definately tell them to keep me in mind if they have pots, gardening type things they aren't taking with them!![[thinker]](graemlins/idea.gif)
profit! ![[clappy]](graemlins/clappy.gif)
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) It's kind of scary sometimes, peoples mentallities. Anyways I didn't take it because I was on my way out and would be gone for a while. About an hour later I was excited to think of what to put in it and knew exactly where I was going to put it and it was gone!! So I guess thier's some hope for humanity but I was real mad ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
. It's funny when it becomes yours in your head but your too silly to pick it up and all you can think is, Those basterds!!! 
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they were being robbed. They ended up putting up a notice in the paper begging people to return their goods as it wasn't being toust out. Not to much got returned. I felt bad for them.
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