When my brother Les told me about his pending garage sale, I kinda figured he’d get rid of some cool stuff. He’s been a collector for MANY years. But know what his answer was?
“I don’t think there’ll really be anything valuable to you. It’s all kinda just junk that you probably wouldn’t want. I wouldn’t worry about coming.”
No worries. I went down there the night before to see if I could be of any help anyway.
And that’s when he opened his garage. KABOOM. Stuffed to the rafters! And then he pointed across the road. DOUBLE KABOOM. He had so much stuff, that another garage was borrowed!
Ohhhh my. There was enough stuff to warrant getting ready for this half a year in advance. But we had an evening. So… I helped out all right.
When a junker’s junker brother has a garage sale, you gotta help out.
So I made a huge pile on the front lawn for myself to help alleviate some of this pain. I mean… there was really too much to sell. That would have been sad…
I REALLY can’t see why anyone would want these fab vintage crates with all the labels still intact. They had to go.
Super rustic hand woven baskets. Tsk tsk… no. You just leave it to me… I’ll fix what’s broke.
Just when I didn’t think my pile of junk could grow any larger, Les mentioned the ‘crawl space’. Crawl space? OHHHHHH, THAT crawl space!
‘The crawl space’ would be similar to landing in front of a garage sale on acerage with big ‘ol barns filled with rust and junk.
The funky little radio and seal press somehow snuck in my pile without me even knowing. I guess they just wanted to stay together. Glad to help!
As we were gutting the crawl space, we didn’t have a flashlight, so Les was knocking around in the dark on his knees hitting my iPhone on switch every so often for enough glow to (pull out that gold!) get ready for the event.
And when this cool blue enamel bowl that I grew up with unearthed, well.. it needed the red stool to keep it company. I’ve been wanting to inject more colour in the house anyway. Reader Ann W has been trying to get me to paint something for YEARS. See Ann? If I wait long enough, I don’t need to! 🙂
Now, Les said something about a crate he found that I used for my dolls. I couldn’t remember what I did way back then but we couldn’t find the crate. But no worries. I brought home everything in sight that I could. To be helpful…
Imagine my surprise the next day when I found ‘the barbie shower!’ It even said Welcome on the floor. What a thoughtful design! And really, a rather great idea. I’d go for this in real life.
Honestly? The cool junk was icing on the cake. Because hangin’ with my brother was even cooler. We reminisced as we unwrapped stuff, and it was like BAM… we were talking the same language and laughing off our (hoarding) collecting ways.
When a junker’s junker brother has a garage sale,
… there’s junk inside of junk too. In a Huntley and Palmer’s Cornish Wafers tin no less. Best jewelry box (full of chippy paint hinges and gate openers) ever!
So why get rid of all this stuff? Les, Darlene and Shauna have GUTTED their house, removed walls, the works, and are creating a brand new home for themselves! And the old collections just had to go.
They want to start a new collection together. And I couldn’t be happier for them!
Happy for them, happy for me, we’re all happy now!
And finally… when a junker’s junker brother has a garage sale,
… it’s time to plan another garage sale.. in order to get THIS junk in the house!
I give up. Hoarders Unite, the meeting is now in session. Les, how do you take your coffee?
– – – – –
So, did you hear the one about me shopping from a dumpster next door?
Or the time I landed in a rust graveyard junk dream?
Nevermind. Here’s all my junk shopping. You’re welcome! Coffee’s still hot…
Oh my! Those wooden boxes…..
Oh wow! Lucky you!
What fun eye candy!! Slllp. Sorry, I was drooling. I can’t imagine what the whole sale had stashed. I hope he did well!
Larissa ~ Prodigal Pieces
Wosers….you hit the mother load….jealous!!! Looks like some good stuff!
I’m still waiting for the barn reveal at your friend’s house. Where is it? Did i somehow miss no. 5?
Hey Betsie! Summer Adventure 5 AND 6 went up already. Here’s the cottage grounds and sheds in #6… https://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net/2013/09/dreamy-cottage-grounds-outdoors-acerage.html
Love & need one of those old style match box holders.
Awesome! I need siblings like that! What a haul – I mean – what great help you gave him. Haha. The Barbie shower was a kick! Lots and lots of goodies there. Congrats!
Not so loud Brian…. I may owe him a ton of money for the ‘help’…. haha
O mi gosh…. what a haul! I’d love to see what you left behind. Wish I lived nearby, I’d certainly be there to hand him some of my money. Show us what you do with these great item, Donna !
Donna, I wish I had someone I was related to that was a junker. Oh boy, I would be like you bringing home a truck full … to be helpful 🙂
Your brother is so lucky to have someone so willing to help him out ~
{HUGS} Deanna
Wow! What a score! What a great brother! x
Amazing stuff! I so wish I lived near this garage sale…I’d fill my van!
Lucky you!!
😉 Happy salvaging my dear!
Oh those baskets. OK I’m seeing lots of stuff I would love to take off your hands, if you have a garage sale please let me know (with enough notice). I would be more than happy to drive down. This interior girl makes the trek to the coast often enough that nobody would think twice if I told them I was going for a garage sale 😉
When are you starting the reno for an in house rustic Barbie, I mean Donna, shower?
I have a real life shower surround to invent, so maybe sooner than later!
OMG what an incredible score!!!!!
-andi
You really made out on some great stuff!!! Can’t wait to see what you do with it!
WOW! You and your brother have the greatest junk!! I am so envious of all your finds…
What a kind sister you are to your brother! I would have done just the same and chosen the same things! Brother’s need more kind sisters like us! Think I’ll see if my brother needs any “help”!
Hi my name is Claudia and I too collect stuff…OK to my family I am a hoarder. I receive LOTS of remarks and eye rolling about said obsession. I hope there are no dues for this club…as it would stymie new accessions for my stockpile.
I could only wish that we have such commeraderie when we begin to empty my parents house. How wonderful that you get along so well and “speak the same language.”
Love the Barbie shower. Shows that DIY and junking is in your blood.
WOW!!! Kewel stuff. I love it when friends or family have a sale and say…. oh, it’s junk, I bet you won’t be interested in any of it. I say…. you’d be surprised what I like. 😉
…”Les was knocking around in the dark on his knees hitting my iPhone on switch every so often for enough glow…”
You can download a free “flashlight” App ~ 🙂
I thought I already had it on the iPhone! Maybe that was the old phone. Who can keep up with all this?! Yeah, it worked GREAT! I’ll hire my son to do it for me. 🙂 Thanks for the nudge! I just thought it was hilarious how we rednecked our way outta that crawl space. LOL
Girl, You know when they say, There’s nothing that you’d want!” you HAVE to go to see for yourself. Glad to know you were such a big help to your brother. When your family is in need, you gotta go!
That’s awesome. Those are some really nice finds that you found in your brother’s garage. And, spending time with your brother was very very precious. Thanks for sharing.
Oh my word!! That is just great! I am so glad that you could “help him out”. Enjoy! Lori Lucas
I am so jealous!!!!!!!!!!! What amazing stuff you scored! So glad you didn’t have to choose between the AMAZINGLY cool, crates, vintage seal press and the cross. Will look forward to seeing a post about what you did with the crates.
Sounds like paradise to me.
You poor baby!! What a sacrifice!!! I say this as I drool over the pictures!! It sounds like a wonderful time!!
Ha!!! I went to his garage sale and took friends and their truck! Loaded up once and then returned with truck and trailer. Water bed and stuff went to a good home. I got a GOLD star for Christmas and a brand new loaf pan and some wonderful smelling lotion and soap. Yes BROTHER had a very nice garage sale. And hugs and kisses to go along with it.
I am glad that you were able to help out your brother so. Really, you should be sainted. 🙂
What cool finds, would have loved to be at the garage sale, your brother has great taste, must run in the family. I am also a hoarder and although it does not run in my family yet (I am still working on them) it is contagious among my friends. Some of my best friendships have formed from our love of collecting. loved your post, your comments made me laugh and I am envious of your scores. hugs Tobey
Can he adopted me???
I am SOOOOO jealous! LOVE so many things in your pile! Gotta love the junky brothers stuff. And the Barbie shower may have been your first showing of genius! LOVE it! What a way to repurpose!
Love the food crates. I have some that I use in my little workshop for all my “extra” goodies to add to my creations!
That Barbie shower is a hoot!! Your junky, creativity definitely started early! I was a total Barbie girl…played up until 8th grade, but it was more about moving & decorating the HOUSE, than it was about the Barbies. Love the feet done in marker!
I love the title to this one 🙂 I love, love, love your Barbie shower! I never got Barbie’s house or car, I had to improvise. My friends all had them. When we played Barbie at my house I made Barbie’s mansion on our living room floor .. outlined by books. I made rooms and all and you know what? Everyone wanted to play in my “house”! My dad told me Barbie’s house was so unimaginative. All the furniture was pictured on the walls of the house and unusable. He didn’t get the point of that. His hobby was woodworking and for Christmas one year I got Barbie furniture all made by my dad. That was extra special. A little imagination and creativeness goes a long way. I still have my Barbie stuff, packed away somewhere. And most of it is in an old wooden box kind of crate kind of trunk with a hinged lid that my dad had in the garage! Very cool. Oh, I’m rambling! What fun to have a brother with the same passion of collecting as you! Did he have much to sell after you made your pile? 🙂 Nice that you were so helpful, helping to lighten his overload! I don’t blame you, I wouldn’t mind having some of those treasures too! I followed your links to your post of the dumpster next door. That was fun! I had a good time reading and seeing that one. And the gears you picked out at the junk graveyard, very cool. I was looking at that picture thinking about which ones I’d want and there they were in your pile! I never made it to all your shopping on the last link, I got stuck seeing your trip to Pennsylvania .. beautiful. I will look at the junk shopping later, now I have to see the next post .. #7!
Oh my gosh – too funny. But what a haul of treasures!!! Lucky you.
Oh goodness, I would have died and went to heaven. I love looking at all the old Junk.
Just where were you when I was younger and full of energy? Now that i’m over the hill , and no energy you come into my world. I wanted to take over my Dads barn and do’it .You go girl and enjoy all that precious junk. I’m totally Green with envy. Many happy junk piles to you. Marilyn
Donna,
I know it was a sad day for you to lose the barn but you are actually very lucky. My grandmother lived in a large three story victorian that was home to four generations of my family. As the neighborhood aged the house became an eyesore and was torn down. I would have loved to have one shutter, a spindle, a window, a piece of wooden gingerbread to just have as a memory. You had the privilege to be allowed to pick and choose pieces AND you enjoyed sharing lovely memories with your brother. Wood to enjoy from house to house. That was a jewel of a day. What a lucky girl.
I also read your rusty graveyard shopping spree. OH THE GEARS!!! The playtime of arranging them for fun. I envy you twice as much.
Make cool things and we will be watching for great ideas.