useful yet dull finds

In the Pacific Northwest, our thrifting methods change as we move into autumn and the yard sales die off. If we are lucky to have any yard sales it's usually because someone is moving and they are forced to have a sale with weather that is lousy and in the pouring rain. Saturday gave me two rummage sales and one moving sale. I didn't even take a list with me because I knew where all the sales were. Unlike the summer where I carry a long list of sales and I strategically plan my route in order to hit the best sales first. When I arrived at the first rummage sale at the High School the sun was peeking out of the clouds.

By the time I got to the moving sale, it was pouring rain and I had to dash into their garage to avoid getting soaked. Locals don't tend to have umbrellas. That's how we can spot the tourists. The rain didn't even let up on my 15 minute drive to the next rummage sale. The first sale was pretty good, the moving sale was better and the last rummage sale was awful. When sales turn this way I start looking for utilitarian items rather than hoping to find some hidden sterling.

These are the unmentionables that I actually pick up every week but never tend to share because there are so many better things to tell you about. But at the same time, all of these useful things help make up the fact that I can proudly say that probably 88% of our household items are thrifted.

This kind of box makes me giddy. It's full of office supplies and it was only $2 for the entire box. At the bottom there are many post it note pads and those clear but colored post it thingys to put in books to mark a page. I went through and picked out what I wanted, gave the children some things and added the rest to a box that holds items I'm selling at my next yard sale. It's a rare day when I don't buy something for the office. Give me a box of pens and I feel faint especially if there are some sharpies in there.

These are tiny little tupperware containers and were ten cents for the pair. I pack the children a lunch every day. These will be great to hold raisins or cashews. I tend to look for glass containers with lids which are hard to find but earlier in the summer I found 6 pampered chef, 1 cup glass containers each with a lid for $7.00. I found the price a little steep but this might be one of my summer finds. I use these every day in their lunch.

Three vintage spoons for .25 cents. These are small spoons and perfect for dipping in this delectable treat. Between the honey and my sinfully sweet dish we are running out spoons at a fast rate.

These are verging a little away from useful because they are so darn sweet. They are two egg cups from France and cost me .50 cents for the pair. Keiran especially loves boiled eggs and who wouldn't love one in a cup like this?

Okay now I'm totally off the utilitarian theme. I certainly don't need another tea pot. I mean I already own 7 so perhaps it's time for an intervention. But I cannot resist a teapot made in Norway covered in blue dots and plum squares. And I've never seen a lid like this before on a teapot. That's a good excuse isn't it? And it was only $1. And I will try to use it at least once a week. I pinkie promise as Cerys says.

Except for the teapot, this kind of thrifing is imperative to my thrifting lifestyle. I really dread having to go out and buy these kinds of things new. Some dark part of me loves an estate sale where everything in the kitchen and bathroom are priced to sell. I pick up band-aids, ziplock bags, light bulbs, paper cups, unopened soap and don't get me started on the office supplies. And for the most part we use what I buy. If we don't, I sell it at my next yard sale or I give it away on freecycle. When your next thrifiting, don't forget the unmentionables, and I don't mean used underwear.

Do you have a list of useful things to look for?

Comments

[Monica]

I keep my eyes open for anything and everything we might be able to use or a friend or family member is looking for. I also heart office supplies. Right now, I'm trying to find Christmas gifts and spring and summer clothing for the kids for next year.

[Betts]

I love the egg cups and the little spoons. We have some little spoons and forks which Pipsqueak calls fairy spoons and forks. There are certain things she likes to eat with them.

I tend to look for craft supplies: markers, glitter glue, pipe cleaners. Oh, and stash yarn. I won't live long enough to knit all my yarn. That's where I need an intervention.

[Cassandra]

I love the egg cups! And tupperware...I need to thrift for that. I'm always stealing it from my mother...I can't seem to give in and buy any for myself...maybe it would be easier to thrift?!

[Amanda]

Children's books and I have an unnatural obsession with buying sewing/craft supplies at these sales: Pins, ric rack, glitter, yarn and thread, and yes, glass tupperware. Love it when I find those. I get giddy and make a weird laugh. :)

[Lorilee]

That teapot is adoreable. I love teapots. I have several eventhough, I drink more coffee than tea. When I do get a desire for tea, I want it from a pretty teapot in a pretty teacup with a saucer!
Blessings,
Lorilee

[amanda]

i am always looking for glass canisters or jars for food storage, crafting supplies and useful books.
great teapot and i love the little birdies!

[Alicia]

Good finds!

I'm always on the lookout for kitchen goods. Especially pretty little ceramic bowls, trays, etc that I can use for organizing.

[Elizabeth Holcombe]

Useful finds are good too! The teapot is so wonderful!~~~XXOO, Beth

[Colleen]

I LOVE thrifting for useful items.

1.) ofc supplies - I LOVE office supplies
2.) Tupperware & kitchen items (and heck I'm even a TW consultant)
3.) Clothing
4.) Towels - between the kids and the dogs these always come in handy
5.) Inventory for my various online ventures

[Liz]

Ooooh... that box of office supplies is great! And really? No umbrellas? What about people with insanely frizzy hair? I'd have to look like a tourist, b/c the alternative would be a hair-do I affectionately refer to as, "Electro-shock Chic." :)

[Daisy Steiner]

Terrific finds. I adore those egg cups.

[Grace]

I definitely thrift for useful stuff that most people buy new. I buy office stuff too, but also a ton of crafting stuff. Nearly new or completely unopened pads of paper, spools of ribbon, all that. And I'm a huge sucker for glassware of all types. I came back from the thrift store this weekend w/ a half dozen wide-mouth pint jars and another half dozen tiny green glass bottles.

[Liz]

My big thing right now is kids clothes. I have them sorted by size and child into tubs in my basement. When I find new-to-me things they are washed, folded and then deposited into the correct tub. The LL Bean winter coat my sun is wearing (with matching snow pants) cost me $3.00. My daughter's snow suit - $0.90. Now that makes me smile.

[Saver Queen]

I LOVE this kind of stuff! Thanks for sharing! Some of my greatest finds in the summer included a wine rack (I later saw it advertised for $30 and I paid $3) an unused pizza stone + cutter, unopened Body Shop products for $1 (total) and comic books for 25¢ each. I wish the weather were better for more sales, as the season has now come to a close!

[laurie]

I am so on the same page as you. I would much rather pick up household stuff on the cheap than pay retail. I always look for office supplies too. Great finds, great minds!

[Jessica]

Ever since I started knitting and crocheting I am always on the lookout for yarn. If I find any baby or extra soft yarn, it becomes a gift for my Grandma. I've found some very very cute, vintage yarns for way under what they're worth!

[Jessica (Kids Napping? I'm Scrapping!)]

Not dull, at all. I would have been all over that box of office supplies. I love visiting Staples, and digging through their clearance bins for inexpensive paper clips, and other useful office supplies . Tiny Tupperware is just the best plastic storage solution ever. Great for tiny hands... but I'm rambling. You know all of this. ;) I look for unique jars for storing various craft items. Hmmm... that and books. I can never get enough books.

[Christine]

That is one cute teapot! Love it. Useful things actually make up most of our thrifting because I'm not really into decorative items. But as far as kitchen stuff goes, I'm still looking for a high quality pasta maker, I refuse to buy it new since I don't know if I'll use it much. And I would love love love to find one of those silicone Tupperware cookie sheets. I'm on the verge of buying new but still hoping for some luck soon!

[Antonella]

wow, not boring stuff at all!!
I'm usually looking for:
ktchen containers (I esp. heart white pottery, old glass and decorated ceramics from the 50s to 70s)
vintage children books
inspirational/self help books (of the right kind, to nurture myself)
oil paintings of flowers, dogs and birds (I deem them useful because I'm living in a rented studio and NEED to decorate)
paper (esp. unused old letter writing sets, postcards, b/w photos)
frames, ugly finish on an interesting shape (to refinish of course)
clothing and shoes
bedding (esp.crocheted or embroidered)

I'd love to find vintage bags that don't smell awful and paints and brushes for the budding artist in me
hugs
Antonella

[Kate Davis]

I too heart getting craft supplies!!! And kids stuff because they go through it so quickly. I am trying to be more thrifty so I am sure that I will be getting more and more at these sales. Our weather is getting lousy though so it may be a while before I see some good ones.

[Chelsea]

Those tiny tupperware cups totally remind me of being a child - my mother had some tuqoise and purple ones and she would always pack dips for me in my lunch in them.

[Elizabeth]

I'm always on the lookout for anything useful - no matter how mundane. I never buy soap, shower gel, talc etc from shops, it all comes from car boot sales or charity shops. I haven't bought new wool (yarn) in a very long time and most of my kitchen utensils / pans are also second-hand. New books - nah, not when there are so many great 'gently used' ones out there - same with CDs too. Pretty much our whole house is vintage / second-hand, depending how you want to label it.

[Martha]

Does the pattern on that cute teapot remind me of the background pattern you used on Ask Thrift Girl? It sure does! And teapots are one of the things I still always look for even AFTER THE INTERVENTION. Because, gee, I only have 11 left now. I buy lone saucers whose teacups have broken if the pattern is vintage and use them under candles, plants, on the table, and on the walls. Even have them in the garden. All my craft supplies and most of my fabric are thrifted, along with way too many books.

[Tracy Moran]

I collect teapots and I love the one you found - at such a good price too! I also noticed that your son is named Keiran - mine too. My family is in Scotland (I live in Canada) and when we were over there we noticed the name (which is really popular there) and we liked it a lot. Although in Scotland they spell in Kieran - but I like my way better!! When we were in the hospital having him we could not remember how to spell the name "correctly" so we spelt it Keiran - the very few people I have met that have the name all spell it the "Scottish" way! Anyway, love your blog - very cute stuff!!