What's your favorite things to look for in a thrift store?

I like to get big men's shirts, usually the pink ones or floral ones are almost new, all cotton, the billowy the better to stay cool.

Also, white sheets for shade protection, (instead of ag fabric, which only lasts a year or two), and this isn't exactly gardening, but down vests that I slip into a pillow case for my cats to sleep on, cozy in winter and not too warm in the summer.

Gardening pants, lightweight cotton in the summer and sweatpants for the winter, with pockets.

Sweatshirt for the winter.

And clothes for my fastgrowing DGS.

Cheapy:

-hanging basket containers & planters that cost 3X as much even Wallyworld;
-one-season handpruners to stash in strategically-placed storage boxes all over the garden;
-garden gloves (by the dozen if they're a buck apiece);
-watering cans
-jute
-Beloved, Indispensable Duct Tape
-Garden Doo-Dads and Hoo-Hahs that aren't too terribly tacky;
-Anything else that catches my eye

* Canning jars
* Looked for cooler (for harvested produce) but did not find. Will look again.
* Old blankets for frost protection.
* May make the rounds soon for a used blender.

just went there today, i look for 3x shirts, but am loosing and hoping for a 1z by summers end, also look for anything usfull in the kitchen n hardware isles, check out cassettes and paintings too, looking for that million dollar lost painting, also look for sterling silver anything, collectables, canning jars, bought this key board for 3.50 was like new, son got three pair a britches with tags still on the back pocket, 4 bucks each, i was looking for a straw garden hat today

I buy glass do-dads for my garden totems at the thrift store.

My excuse for going in the store in the first place is to look for kitchen stuff for my girls. But as long as I'm there I might as well see what else there is.

Somehow, I often come home with a piece of vintage jewelry. Seem to be aquiring quite a few flower brooches. Once in awhile I find a great buy on flower pots, but not often.

My sister found several huge sheer living room curtains that were just perfect for floating row covers.

Recently I found the perfect large sturdy plastic box with a lid for storing coffee grounds.

Drinking glasses and mugs, too.

I'm going there today, I'll let you know what I find! Since we moved, it's farther from my favorite junk shop, so maybe get there only once a month.

I always shop for my garden at garage sales - I like tacky garden doo-dads. I have a fairy garden in my garden, with teensy chairs and everything, but dang, the little creatures always leave before I get there.

I found a great miniature rocking chair at a yard sale, also broken flower pots for the frogs, who don't come.
Once two cacti - which didn't make it.

e

I look for old stovetop coffee and tea pots. Also any colorful advertizing coffee cups.DD

I just discovered that using an old heavy plastic shower curtain (not the thin lining type) works great as a little tarp or a slippery hauler to drag loads of mulch or slightly heavy things to the garden!

Also, empty binders are very handy, even if they have funky designs on the covers.

Do-dads for garden decorations. Dishes (I'm addicted, I'll admit it). I recently found a Pyrex Bake-a-round for baking bread - I'd been looking for months. They stopped making them in the late 70s and they're great. I'm always on the look-out for tablecloths and placemats, and clothes for DGS.

Yard sales are good, too, and you can often find stuff for even cheaper than the thrift stores. One thing I have from one of those is a small plate (might be a saucer) of Desert Rose china. It hardly cost me anything, and it was my aunt's china pattern, so just seeing that little plate in my garden reminds me of her.

I do the fairy garden stuff too, though it's not very well organized. Our town has been having a monthly "flea market" that includes people with antiques and collectables, and there is usually at least one lady with old dollhouse furniture.

--J--

I went to a new Goodwill that opened the other day after reading Sweat Pea's suggestion about the shirts. A great idea! It was crowded and in an area that attracted all the "Yuppies" (Sorry if I offend anyone)Guess Thrift stores are in fashion right now... I ws only able to find 1 shirt and not as good a deal as I used to remember... but did find a cute "6 pack" style wire carrier. They are great for adding old jars and using as displays with cut flowers or for rooting plants. I have found great stuff at Garage sales too.