My best garage-sale finds

Fill your purse with coins, hop in the car and start the treasure hunt! If you have time and patience, garage sales are the ideal way to find affordable and original items for your home. An ability to see beyond appearances, and a willingness to apply a little TLC also help.

For a successful hunt, do what the experts do: check out the listings the evening before and plan your itinerary. You might want to focus on certain neighbourhoods rather than drive all around town. The morning of, head out early and start scouting for hidden treasures. The mere anticipation is half the fun!

Here are some of my own garage-sale finds:

"How unusual and cool", went through 

my mind when I spotted this globe-shaped 

light at a North Bay garage sale. I picked it up 

for $5. I later found out that a friend had 

bought an identical lamp in a design store, 

for a lot more money. How much more she 

did not want to reveal...

A classic side table with a marble top. 

I payed $20 for the pair. The legs were 

originally brown, but I painted them 

black for a crisper look.

Candle holders, vases, pots, bowls... 

All those things are in abundance at

garage sales. I look for fun items

with original shapes, like the candle 

holders above. The pot has a shiny,

mirrored surface. I haven't found 

anything like it in any store.

My all-time best garage-sale find:

mouth-blown glass vase by iconic 

Finnish designer Alvar Aalto. You pay

around $150 for this vase in the store.

I paid a standard garage-sale price...

one loonie!