Chic on a Shoestring Decorating: Garage Sale Fever


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Garage Sale Fever

Any of you bloggy pals have garage sale fever yet??  (Not you Southerners and Westerners who are lucky enough to have garage sales year round.)  I'm talking about haven't-seen-a-garage-sale-since-last-September garage sale fever... I've got a bad case.  And the only cure...  more cowbell. ;) 

(for those of you completely confused, the cowbell line is from one of my favorite Saturday Night Live skits :)

It's been unseasonably warm around here which has only seemed to make my fever worse.  Shorts and t-shirt weather is totally garage sale worthy but it is too risky around here to have a garage sale as the weather could take a turn for the worse at any moment.  Seriously... it could still snow, not likely but very possible.

Not only am I longing for garage sales, I'm longing to have one!  After moving last summer and skipping out on having a garage sale last season I really need to have a garage sale.  I managed to talk my hubs into keeping all this old junk decorative stuff when we moved because I didn't know what I would need in our new house, turns out that most of it didn't work and I need to unload it, like now.  But, because of my location I have to wait.

So in honor of my garage sale fever, I've decided to post about my best garage sale find ever.  It's a beauty...




Pardon the fuzzy pictures, it wasn't a sunny day... :(

This lovely secretary was a steal at $50 bucks!  I've seen these in antique malls for $500 and up!  I have no idea how old it is but the woman I bought it from who was old enough to be my mom said it was her mothers.  I really have no idea if it is an antique but I don't care.... I love it! 

It was in great shape except for some scratches around the pretty feet.


I busted out some of this Old English Scratch Cover for dark wood stuff (found at Wal-Mart) and made it all better...


The only trouble with it is that the insides of it smells like really stinky potpourri.... eww!  The previous owner told me she stored candles and potpourri in it.  It smells like an awful mixture of flowers and old lady perfume.  ;)  Does anyone have any idea how to get the smell out of the drawers?  I'm scared to spray it with Febreze for fear it will harm the wood.

It stinks in here!  Help!


Don't forget to come back tomorrow night for my "Flaunt It Friday" party! Anything goes, showcase your latest project, fav recipe, whatever you want! :)





 http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/

16 comments :

  1. Yes, I can't wait for garage sales! We also moved last year and I need to have a yard sale also!

    Wow, what a steal!

    As for the old lady smell, I would try something that would absorb odors. Maybe some baking soda in a small dish. I don't know if it will work, but it's worth a shot.

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  2. We are having garages sales here- and I just got a great redo from an estate sale- think I might need to flaunt it on friday! yes- it does indeed. need. more cowbell.

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  3. I put dryer sheets in old furniture to try to get some of the old smell out of it

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  4. I have the fever really bad! It's been a long winter looking at all these cute blogs and wanting to find something to makeover! Can't wait.

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  5. More cowbell! HA! That's so funny! LOVE Will Ferrell!

    I have the fever too!!! Love your find. It's gorgeous and I'm totally jealous!

    As far as the smell, have your tried those Arm & Hammer refrigerator packs? It's just a box of baking soda with mesh on one side to absorb odors better without letting the powder out.

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  6. I have the fever too! When my mom was in town a couple weeks ago, we stopped at our first sale of the season - it was great! I haven't seen too many since then. Your secretary is beautiful and what a great price.

    More cowbell... That provided a much needed chuckle :)

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  7. WOW...now that's a great $50 deal! Thanks for coming to my PAR-TAY with her...hope you had a good time:)

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  8. I'm with you... I can't stop thinking about garage sales! My husband is gone this weekend, which is sad, but secretly I'm a little happy because that means that I can scout out garage sales and buy things without him knowing. There's always hope of trash into treasure around the next bend!

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  9. have you wiped it down with pure murphys oil soap, fresh scent, and brightens wood...love it, i use it to clean everything!

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  10. Use clean dry cat litter to absorb the odor. It works quickly and removes even mildew odor. I'd put a small pan in each drawer.

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  11. I definitely have garage sale fever....and I can't wait for the weather to be good enough.

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  12. Lovely piece! You've gotten some good tips on removing the scent. If all else fails, try a bowl of charcoal. That's what I did for a musty area of my last home, a fifty-year old lake house. It worked.

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  13. All those ideas sound like they would work to combat your, uhem, odor problem.

    You $50 find is amazing!! So pretty! That is a treasure, for sure!

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  14. Thanks for all the great odor removing ideas and sweet comments! I'll post about what works best! :)

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  15. Followed you from Friday Follow!!

    BIZMOMPH from Google Connect ^_^

    You can follow me back at: The Business Minded Mom

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  16. I saw this as one of this week's faves on It's So Very Cheri and was amazed - I have the exact same secretary desk. Mine belonged to my great-grandmother & I remember it being in her house when I was a little girl. I think she bought it back in 1940s/50s, so I know it's pretty old (by American standards anyway). You did get a find!

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