Dumpster Diving-Garage Sale-Goodwill-Thrift Store & Craigslist Finds

I guess these could be called a hobby if you enjoy doing it and do it on a regular basis. Maybe we can begin a thread (if there isn't one already (I searched but couldn't find a thread on this topic.)) and everyone can post what "find" or "score" they found. It could be something you found at a garage sale, at the Goodwill store or anywhere else.

Whatever item you found, post it here.

I got several free desks, leather couch, night stands, an old moped.... my kids school was about to take all the non claimed jackets to Goodwill and they said to grab what we wanted. I got a pair of ballet slippers and tap shoes for 8$ and a seperate pair od tap shoes for 3$. I always scout the neighborhood for deals. I take old bikes a beds and store them until i find people who need them. Oh and i got a free almost purebred basset puppy.

I have found pricless things doind those things!

I found a industrial electrical service switchgear out behind one of our local schools. It was beside the dumpster so I found someone that worked there and she contacted the head nacho and he said help yourself. I removed all the breakers in that switchgear and sold them on Ebay
I cleared $1100.00 on those things. I wished I could find that on a regular basis and I would quit my job... oh wait I quit my job already, where's my truck keys.

Great finds!!!!

My most recent find and not near as exciting as what you all have found, were 10 large empty kitty litter buckets. I had been looking for something to store small amounts of feed in and I found exactly what I was looking for.

my best find was a hexagon saltwater tank set up complete with matching stand. I kept it for a snake for some time and gave it to a snake rescue(minus my snake)

I like going to garage sales, especially for clothing for my girls. I've figured out that if I go to the newer ritzy neighborhoods, they have the best prices on kids clothing. Even though the clothing is a very good brand, they don't try to get crazy amounts of money. I usually pay $1.50 to $2.50 for articles of clothing. If I go to the old ritzy neighborhoods (homes built around the 1940s - 1960s), some reason they think the same brand are priceless -- try charging $15.00 -$20.00 for the same brands! Crazy! Probably my best garage sale find was a pair of good rain boots for my oldest. They look like they hadn't even been worn. I paid $3.00 for them. They have cute cupcakes on them. I came home and checked them out online. They ran about $55.00 brand new!

We also found a used 5 foot rototiller (pull behind tractor type) for $650.00. We snatched it right up! Those things cost at least $1700.00 brand new around here. Hubby likes to go through and thoroughly maintenance and paint things. So he changed out the fluids and seals and repainted it. I think he spent another $100.00 on it for materials. Whenever you see them used online, they are immediately bought -- usually sight unseen. We were fortunate to be first caller and it be just 20 minutes away.

Last fall I found three full sized dog crate/cages by the side of the road there was also two full sized bird cages. Thankfully I have a van and could fit the two largest crates in the back. They were a mess and needed to be cleaned but they all came with the removable plastic bottoms that slide out.

I called my neighbor and she went and got the last dog crate. I keep them out in the big ducks and the big chickens yards. They jump on them and I haven't really needed them yet but I have them if I ever do

WOW !!! Great finds everyone. And you are right about the ritzy neighborhoods. They sometimes have garage sales and price tags are still on some of the items.

I'll be out this weekend and my eyes will be wandering to find some good stuff.

My sometimes hobby is repurposing furniture. I was given a crappy oak entertainment center from the end of someone's yard sale (free)...It had a glass door on one side about 1/3 of the width, and the other was wide shelves about 2/3 of the width of the piece. The top left of the piece had nasty gouges and chunks taken from it that couldn't be sanded out or repaired, and the stain was chipping. We cut about a foot or so off the left side all the way down the height of the shelf, then replaced the side panel. I retrimmed it, sanded it, painted it a deep cherry red and sold it for $150 at my yard sale. Someone said they thought it came from Pottery Barn. I was flattered.

Going to dinner one night with the family, we came upon an old dining table on the side of the road. This thing was a THICK, round table, with a pedestal base and 2 leaves to put in it (making it 7 + ft long). It was covered in a funk that I don't care to describe should my breakfast come up. I hosed it down, scrubbed it up, sanded it, and decided that instead of staining it, I painted it a brilliant red, with a high gloss finish. I didn't want to sell it, so I sold our antique mahogany table ( a 10 + footer) and put the trash to treasure table in it's place. It has been 4 years, and we still use it!

The table with one leaf in it...


The chairs in this picture have a story of their own. Once the table was done, we had no chairs to go with it. We went to a furniture place and were looking at first at black ladderback chairs and similar. The sales guy comes up and says I have chairs you might be interested in. They were the black equivalent of these chairs on sale for $89 each. I said, I will not be paying that much per chair and I'm not sold on the black anyway. Another sales guy said we have 6 White ones in the back that need to go...for the same price. I said I will take 4 of the white chairs, but what deal will you give me? Sales guy 1 said they are on sale for $89 each (just like the black ones) but he can let them go for $62 each, but I must take all 6. I said I will take only 4 for $42 each. He looks at the other sales guy and shakes his head no. I said thank you for your time, and start to walk away. Sales guy waits 2 seconds and says, how about I will give them to you for $42 if you take all 6? BINGO! We have a winner, and I wanted all 6 anyway. As he was ringing me out, he said I got them for exact cost from what they paid. Brand new, HEAVY duty chairs. Not the BEST find ever, but walked away feeling pretty darn savvy!