What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Friday, April 29, 2016

Five Things to Look For at Yard Sales this summer

I'm joining up with a group of die hard yard sale going, rummage sale rummaging, dumpster diving bloggers and we are all writing about the five things to look for at yard sales this summer.  Since I am a die hard junker AND I am forever long winded  - I am going to write about TEN things that I am going to look for this year - Five for my personal collections and five for selling.  And, then there is always my wishlist.  The five things I WANT to find.  But, I haven't.  YET.



So, let's get this party started!

First - Top Five Things for Selling:

#1: Cute Stuff:  Anything you had as a child and it was cute?  Buy it.  Old baby toys, squeaks, Irmi lamps, baby cups, baby spoons, baby quilts, things with wiggly eyes and drooly smiles.  If it's cute - someone wants it.


Vintage baby Squeak toys like this old Sun Rubber Ruth Newton are highly sought after now.  

#2:  Old Jars.  From old blue Ball and Mason jars to old Peter Pan Peanut Butter Jars and old Miracle Whip jars - I have bought them all.  Sell the pretty ones as they are - fill the others up with stuff and sell them.  What should you put in them?  Well......



#3: Bulk anything.  Honestly.  Anything.  Milk caps, old match boxes, pool balls, rulers, gum wrappers, bottle caps, spools, pens, pencils, office supplies and on and on and on.  You can literally put anything in an old jar and it is instantly FASCINATING.  I usually buy almost anything I find if it's in bulk and afforordable.

One of the best bulk finds I ever found was 90 brand new brass peepholes for $5.00.  I had no idea what to do with them, but darn it, they were interesting and unique.  So, I bought them.  I discovered they work like little telescopes so I called them "Pocket Telescopes" and sold them mostly to men and kids at $3.00 a pop.  

Another one of my best bulk finds was at my last stop on a ten hour yard sale crawl.  I bought five huge tubs full of cake decorations ranging from every holiday to Disney and TV toppers.  I packaged up the vintage ones for my booths, stocked my Etsy shop with vintage holiday and Teletubbies (I sold 24 packages of Teletubbies ranging from $18-$27 for EACH set.  

#4: Vintage School Supplies.  I love old crayon boxes, chalk boxes, chalkboards, erasers, primers, Readers, Flash Cards, puzzles, learning toys, paint tins and on and on.  Priced right and it will spark nostalgia to people and they will impulse buy it.


I frame old flash cards and they sell well.


Old packaging strikes nostalgia.

#5: Vintage Christmas:  Shiny, glittery, mercury glass, aluminum trees, color wheels, tacky gaudy. Oh, it's all SO GOOD.  I love it all (and I do keep the very best for me.  Because I am greedy.)  But, I do sell a ton of it too.  Boxes of Shiny Brites, loose boxes of Shiny Brites that can be bagged into dozens of good ornaments, old tinsel garland, spun head angels, tree toppers, bottle brush trees, knee huggers, vintage packging and on and on.  Oh, it is all just so delicious!



I found all this on a 4th of July day sale - it was so hot, no one wanted any part of the Christmas stuff. But, I dove right into those boxes and hit pay dirt.


I always dig down under the dollar store junk to the bottom of the box.  You just might find a nice little stash of gold under there.  


And now the Top Five Things for ME:

#1: Vintage Christmas: Yes, I already listed it in the "To Sell" area - but it forebodes repeating.  Yard Sales are great places to find vintage Christmas - you might not find a ton at one sale, but I usually pick up one or two items a day all yard sale season long.  It adds up.  When I go to some of the highway crawl yard sales, I find one thing here and one thing there and before I know it I have a major haul!


Yard Sale crawl finds - see?  It adds up!


#2: Vintage Tablecloths:  This is the one thing I look for at every single yard sale.  I don't find them as often as I would like - but I do find my fair share of them.  And they are all FOR ME.  I have a huge collections, all found for less than $2.00 each.  I keep them stacked neatly in a couple cabinets and they make me super happy.  I do use them at the holidays or for family dinners and on my tables when I am selling at vintage markets.  I do keep a few out for sale because people always want to buy the display cloths.



#3: Vintage Picnic Baskets:  These are the greatest for storage.  I have way too many, but I cannot pass one up if the price is right and it's in good condition.  Last week I did pass one up - bottom falling out and only one handle - "$10.00 - 'cause that's an antique".  Uh, nope.  Anyway, if you can find one for less that the cost of a Rubbermaid tub at Wal-Mart, I say BUY IT.  Store your seasonal items in it, your "to sell" items, ebay listings, extra towels and sheets, craft supplies, your stash of Halloween candy you don't want anyone to know about and on and on. 

Oh, I just love them SO much.

#4: Display Racks.  I love display racks!  So much, in fact, that I can barely stand to actually leave them in my booths for fear they will get stolen or lost.  I have been lucky enough to find several that I use in my booths and at shows.  I am never shy to ask at a sale if a rack is for sale.  More often than not, it is and I swoop in on it. 


 I have these vintage spinner racks that I got at a yard sale for $1.00 each.  I love those things so much that I have them displayed in my office  - EMPTY.  Empty display racks on display.  I may or not be slightly crazy.

#5: Useful Things:  Oh, this one is rather boring.  But, I will buy packages of photo paper, cardstock, printer paper, ink pads, hang tags, envelopes, staples, sticker paper, scrapbooking paper and just about anything that I can use for pricing in my booths, The Junk Ranch booth or even just here at home. Every thing I buy for a quarter saves me money if I need to go buy it at a retail store.

And, lastly (as if I haven't rambled on enough!), here are the Top Five Things that I will be looking for myself this year - my Wishlist.  It's a WISHLIST because I have never found any of these things.  But, I will continue the hunt.  Because, the hunt is half the fun and you never know what you WILL find!

Hazel Atlas PINK Crinoline Dishes:  Because PINK is best.

Vintage Hanging Produce Scale:  Reminds me of my Dad's Produce Department

Old Metal Laundry Basket on Wheels:  It just seems like it would be handy, doesn't it?

Sunbeam Bread Christmas Tin:  Because it is uber adorable.

Kitchen-Aid Replacement Batter Bowl:  Because I hate washing the batter bowl before I make the frosting.  

So, what are YOU looking for this year at yard sales?

Be sure to visit all the other bloggers and see what they recommend looking for this year.  I know I will!

27 comments:

  1. What a great list! I hunt for so much of this stuff too! Of course you went outside the box and had a list of 15 things! :)

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    1. I'm an over acheiver, what can I say!?!? :D

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  2. Hi Shara, I follow you on instagram, but this is my first time here! Love your list and always enjoy seeing your finds! Vintage Christmas and linens are always on my radar too. Happy hunting!

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    1. HI! Welcome! I hope you'll come back. IG is usually just a hint at what all I have been buying and selling. Those are my two favorite things in the whole wide world of JUNK!

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  3. Love how you divided your list in things to sell and things for me. Glad that Melissa included you so I got to meet another vintage lover like me.

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    1. Always nice to meet another vintage lover!

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  4. Love that your list goes on and on and on! to be truthful this is the type of list I use. You gotta love the bundle deal!

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    1. I probably could have listed 100 things. I do love my yard sales!

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  5. OH I love your list...and I wouldn't pass up anything on it. Vintage flashcards and vintage Christmas...be still my heart.

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    1. Those things are the best, aren't they!

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  6. I do love old jars myself and have way more than I need, but I can't help myself, especially if they have cool graphics. I also like the tablecloths.

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    1. I love old jars with great lids and graphics on the labels. The tablecloths are my very favorite. Thanks for all your comments!

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  7. OK, you just had to show us all up and list 15 things :) Great lists though. I won't mention that a few years ago I found some pink crinoline at the thrift store and DID NOT BUY IT because I thought $1 a plate was too much. Still kicking myself for that one!

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    1. KICK KICK KICK. Kicking you some more. I can't imagine feeding my boy, husband and burly step dad on pink crinoline dishes, But that doesn't stop me from wanting them BAD.

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  8. I love your lists and the great items you have found to buy in bulk amaze me!!
    hugs,
    Linda

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  9. Great lists! Even though it didn't make my list vintage Christmas items always come home with me as long as they're reasonably priced. I also look for different things for selling than I do for myself. Thankfully I don't collect everything. Not yet anyway. lol. Love your baskets.

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  10. Awesome list!! Bring it on and happy hunting!!!

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  11. I just love all your treasures. I have been collecting the vintage Christmas balls/bells also, some of these same items are located at my parent's home. Great ideas with the jars too!

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  12. So nice to meet you Shara! Wonderfully unique list of items you're looking for. I'm always looking for Christmas too. Just picked up some old pieces today that were buried at the bottom of a box :)

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  13. I think I predicted what would be on half your list, at least. :-) I was going to do the second list thing with stuff for me, but my post ran too long, so I cut it out. I'm doing it as a follow up next week, so when you see it, I am NOT copying you. Got that? LOL I look for all kind of supplies and things at sales too. It does save money in the long run.

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    1. Oh, I know you would never be a copycat! We are just too much alike in what we buy and sell. I didn't know you could have too long of a post........:D

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  14. I like how you categorized your list, Shara, all great things on each. It was hard to separate those things bought with intention to sell well, and those things for myself. Those peepholes are to die for, though, and I probably would've hoarded, ahem, I mean foster those for a long time - like in a jar or bowl or something. They're so cool looking! I'm a linen girl, so of course those made my list. Love your header photo on your blog. It reminds me of old photos when my parents used to go to New Year's Eve parties. :)

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    1. I have enjoyed all the little boys that buy those peepholes get so excited over them, so it made it easy not to hoard them. But, I hoard plenty of things....:) Those are my Great Grandparents up there on my blog. My Grandma was the original Martha Stewart!

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  15. I love your list-the same kind of things end up coming home with me.
    It gives me particular pleasure when I'm at the bins and they bring a big thing of (any)holiday decorations.Everyone else groans while I'm quietly doing my happy dance.

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    1. I am dying to go to the bins someday! it just sounds crazy fun. I swear, I can dig through ten boxes of Christmas crap but I am stoked if I find one tiny vintage thing. Happy Hunting!

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  16. Thanks so much for sharing your tips with us!! Loved this post!!

    Hugs,
    Deb

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  17. Michelle11:40 PM

    Hi im michelle and i live in eugene orgeon;) i set up and run estate sales and i just found awsome vintage jars xmas ornaments and vintage linens in the attic of the house im working on!!;) alot of work but alot of fun too!!;) love your list!!;)

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