The Nester and I hit some yard sales a couple weeks ago. Not only is she such a dear friend but totally a compatible yard sale partner. This is very very important when you are going to yard sales with another person. Your yard sale partner should have the same goals, the same get in and get out of there techniques, and the same speed to make your yard sale experience a success. One rule that we both seem to follow is no talking to people. This will slow you down. No eye contact. Eye contact with the seller might initiate conversation and conversation at a yard sale is the enemy. You have to get in and out so you can be on to the next sale. The more sales you hit the more likely you will find what you’re looking for. Also we have been to many yard sales together and tend to know what the other is looking for. This is very helpful. If I see something she might want, I can scoop it up before someone else puts their grimy paws on it. Luckily we are usually looking for different things but sometimes you might see us racing each other up the driveway!! It also helps if you like to start the morning at the same time. When I suggest picking her up at 6:30 on a Saturday morning, she doesn’t bat an eye. The early bird does get the worm and she will be ready!
Here’s an example of a non-compatible yard sale partner. I will not use names to protect the innocent. My dear dear friend asked if she could join me one Saturday morning, and I said sure knowing how much I love her company. This dear dear friend is a chatter box. Normally I love her chattering ways but there is no place for that while hitting yard sales. Yes chatting in the car while driving to the next sale absolutely, but not while shopping. Once you arrive at a sale, you approach quickly, skim items available, purchase items quickly without talking, and then back in the car walking very briskly the whole time. My dear dear chatter box friend wanted to talk to the people putting on the sale, their kids, and everyone else who was there shopping. She had questions about what they were selling and why. Were they moving? Were they just cleaning out the house? Was it hard to get rid of their stuff? On and on with the questions. I think we made it to like 3 sales that whole morning. And she was a very slow walker. I love my dear dear friend to pieces and we will still hang out but we will not be attending anymore yard sales together. hahahaha!
So the last yard sale I went to I found this. The lady wanted $50.00, and I could only talk her down to $40.00. $40.00 was a little more than I wanted to pay but I loveddddddddddd the desk and knew it would be so beautiful painted blue. Of course blue, are you so sick of blue yet?
I bought this chair a while ago at Value City Thrift Store in Mooresville, NC.
It had been marked down to $10.10 as you can see because they write on the furniture! WHYYYYYY!?!? And wonder why $10.10!?!?! That extra dime almost scared me away.
My sweet neighbor and friend Kim came over and chatted with me while I painted. See I really do like to talk and chat. There is just a time and place for it and a yard sale ain’t the place.
Because I failed upholstery school and I loved this vintage fabric that was already on the chair, I decided to paint around it. Took a little longer than I thought it would and I had to be a lot more careful than I normally like to be. Thumbs down on this project.
Distressing.
Before and after glaze.
I took both pieces to 32 Flavors Boutique last Friday. I sold the desk the next day for $160.00!! $160.00 won’t pay our mortgage but it sure will help support my yard sale habit. Anyone need a chair!?! Anyone want to hit some yard sales tomorrow!?
Help!!!!!! If you live in the Charlotte or Bristol area and have any furniture pieces you would like to sell, please let me know! Thrift stores have gone up so much on their prices and I’m enjoying lazy Saturday mornings at home with the family more and more so finding furniture at yard sales has been tough!
Happy Friday!! Hope you have a weekend full of inspiration and lots of crafty projects! xoxo Angela
My name is Angela Statzer and I love to incorporate just about anything into my artwork. Ranging from recycled materials, vintage items, wood, jewelry, other people’s junk, buttons and fabric, my style is fun and diverse. You can find me smiling at any yard sale, thrift store or flea market. I am a momma to two amazing kids and wife to one hot husband. 
