yard sales and adrenaline

i am a yard sale addict. i can't wait for spring to come and the yard sales to start popping up. in my book, there are 3 types of people who frequent yard sales...

1. the antique collector/dealer: these are the people who are looking for items to resell. looking for the item that is worth hundreds of dollars that the seller knows nothing about.

2. the something for nothing person: these are the individuals who want their entire house furnished in the latest pottery barn/crate and barrel trends, but don't want to pay full dollar. they look for the exact pieces that their friends have. they want entire room sets. they will travel to the priciest neighborhoods in hopes of cast offs.

3. the eclectic collector: these shoppers are looking for unique finds. pieces they love and want to display in their home. it doesn't matter what era the item is from or if it "goes" in a certain room. all they know is they love the piece, which means they will find a home for it.

i happen to fall into the third category. i love finding that perfect item, the thing that will tie the whole room together. or the crazy nick-knack that will make people start talking. i loath matchy matchy rooms and feel that a persons home truly reflects themselves. plus i love being able to give something a new home rather than adding to the dump.

i found the table above at a local sale in college park a few years back. i had two sleeping babies in the back of my little honda accord, and no money in my pocket. yet, when i saw the yard sale sign, i had to turn. waiting for me was this table and a matching smaller/taller bedside table. i was even more thrilled when the price was $80 for both. i ran to the bank and before i knew it, i was driving off with the 2 tables wedged into my trunk. the funniest part of the story is when i got home, a bum was nice enough to help me get the tables out of my trunk. what can i say, we lived in east point, georgia at the time and there was a lot of foot traffic!

it is a great everything table/catch all for the kids. plus it looks amazing topped with a vase of blue hydrangeas in the spring.

i will keep posting some of my favorite finds (little do you know how many i have). what category do you fall in? what is a favorite thing you have found junkin?