Shop For Decorating Accessories, Furniture and Craft Supplies at Flea Markets, Garage Sales and Thrift Stores

Thrift Stores, Consignment Shops Antique Malls and Farmer's Markets

If you can't get to garage sales and yard sales. Thrift stores, consignment shops and antique malls are open all week long.

Shopping at thrift stores is a win - win for everyone. Most thrift stores proceeds and profits go to a good community cause. The merchandise is donated. (Usually by people not interested in having a yard sale or what they had priced too high and didn't sell).

Thrift stores create jobs for those who work there.

Thrift stores always have reasonable and even better prices than garage sales and yard sales sometimes. However, you can't negotiate prices here. You can usually pay by check, cash or credit card.

Many stores have discount days for seniors, fifty percent off every other Saturday or color tag sales. Look on line at Goodwill.com or ask when you are in the thrift store.

Get what you want at thrift stores and antique malls. Most stores are organized and merchandised by category. Look through the store and see how it is laid out. Just like at flea markets and yard sales and garage sales, have a method of going through the store.

If you are going to shop a store on a regular basis, ask what day they receive merchandise.

Or when they put it on the sales floor.

When you know where the items you are interested in are and have a few minutes, you can run in. Check out the new merchandise and be on your way.

Consignment Shops, Antique Malls and Flea Markets are great places to find bargains and can be fun to shop. You may not always find the best bargains here compared to yard sales, garage sales and estate sales. You should ask, though if what you want is their best price if you think it is high. This gives them the choice to come down on their price and make the sale or not.

The dealers, sellers and/or venders often buy their merchandise at garage sales and yard sales and estate sales and thrift stores too. To cover booth costs and make a profit they have to mark it up.

Some flea markets have vendors with new merchandise. You can get some good deals from them. Just be careful of quality.

Consignment shops have other people's used furniture and objects to sell for them. The Consignment shop takes a cut of the purchase price and gives the rest to the person who brought in the merchandise.

You can find used furniture and objects in very good condition at Consignment shops. The owners are selective and only take what they can sell.

If you are looking for specific items ask the Consignment shop owner if they have them or can get them. They sometimes have a list of furniture or objects people want to sell. Usually they will take your name and let you know when they have the item you are looking for.

Farmer's Markets are showing up in almost every city and in many neighborhoods. This is not only a great place to buy organic produce and other natural foods, but plants as well.

Some Farmer's Markets have artisans with pottery, glass, wood working and other practical things. These markets are the best for keeping green. The food is grown locally, the artisans have made their wares locally, you get buy direct and receive the best in quality, visit with friendly people and have a great time. It is a win win win win for everyone.

Decorating Projects

How do you update, recreate and remake your purchases?

Once you get your purchases home, what are you going to do with them? Check out the old brown chair covered in one great printed fabric!

Transform that old formica office table into a beautiful Art Object dining table with a decoupage top. Project instructions here!

Slipcover that sofa or cover the stained chair cushion. See Project details here.

Make a topiary from an old wood candle holder here.

Check out home decorating accessory projects here.