Goodwill Tuesday - Great Bargains!

Today is Tuesday and that means Senior Citizen Day at Goodwill Industries of North Georgia (a whopping 25% off for anyone over 55). I try to get over there fairly frequently and have been remiss lately but did manage to make it to three stores today. The local Goodwill stores are well organized, clear and bright, and have the nicest employees. It was VERY busy today at all the stores.

I look for three primary items when shopping:

Wing Back chairs bought at Sandy Springs store.

• upholstered furniture with good bones (and smaller than a sofa) - my best score was a $35 Baker love seat I purchased about three years ago and I keep going back hoping to find comparable bargains
• accent pillow inserts - I only buy feather/down and only when I can unzip the outer cover to see the condition of the inserts
• books - the Buckhead store (Roswell Road) in our area seems the have the best readership 

I did end up finding a set of wingback chairs (woodwork in good condition, nice styling, and hand-tied 8-way coil springs) at a cost of $49 for the pair (after discount). I also bought eight pillow inserts ranging from 22" to 16" squares to lumbars. The most I paid was about $3 - the least $1.75.  I also bought five books and cannot wait to start one soon.

My book purchases from Goodwill - Buckhead store

Well, I did pretty well today! I will definitely need to plan better and make it to more of these great stores on Senior Citizen Tuesdays - I cannot resist a good bargain!

Great Sources for Refurbish-able Furniture

As a continuation of my tenth anniversary postings, I thought I'd summarize the sources of my great refurbish-able upholstered furniture.

Regardless of source, it is important to remember the quality criterion to ensure that the high cost of refurbishing is worth the expense.

• Look for pieces with high-end USA labels - e.g., Hickory Chair, Henredon, Southwood, Baker, Kargas, Sam Moore. Most of these (not all) are still made in the USA. Many great older labels are out-of-business and/or have been bought out and integrated into larger companies. Also, many companies used to make better USA-produced furniture but are no longer as well-made (Thomasville comes to mind). 
• Absent labels, look for signs of good foundation construction. One of the best signs is the presence of hand-tied eight-way coil springs which look like large round coils and operate independently to stabilize the foundation. 
• Look for woodwork that is sturdy and does not have evidence of breakage or water/insect damage.

I love looking for and finding these great pieces and am not easily discouraged. For example, I probably buy less than 40% of the craigslist items that I actually go out and look at. Even after asking a lot of questions, it is still necessary to see and feel the product to make sure that it is worth redoing.  

Here are my primary sources!  As I've said over and over - anyone, can do this. It is not only environmentally responsible but can be fun and rewarding!

This is probably my least favorite source. Prices tend to be high and I so much want to be the one to find the pieces and not buy them from someone else (at a higher price than they paid, naturally) who found them first. I only buy at my cheapskate price point and most things I see come no-where near that point. 

Craigslist is a great source but requires due diligence (you have to look a lot to be the first one to spot a good deal), getting a lot of questions answered upfront before heading out to see the pieces, and, time/mileage to get out to all the locations. Again, finding the right piece at the right price point for me is critical. 

Estate sales are fun but the prices are usually pretty high. They are generally run by professionals who know the prices they should be getting and are trying to get something for themselves on top. Not a lot of deals to be had but I still manage to get some - often on low-ball bids.

Garage sales are generally the best places for deals - people just want to get rid of their excess stuff! 

I have gotten some pretty good deals at the local Goodwill Stores particularly on Senior Citizen Tuesdays (25% off ).

So, here are my sources!  Do you have any to add?

Goodwill Industries and a Calico Corners Diversion!

Goodwill of North Georgia Store in Buckhead (Atlanta, GA)

Small loveseat purchased at Goodwill

On this beautiful, sunny day, I thought I would travel to my neighborhood Goodwill of North Georgia stores for their "you cannot beat this" Senior Discount Tuesday (a whopping 25% percent off for anyone over 55). I started out at my favorite store on Roswell Road in Buckhead. I needed some new reading material and this is my best source for great paper-packs. And, of course, I am always looking for great ready-to-be-refurbished upholstered furniture. I scored on both counts today.

Books found and bought at Goodwill 

I have a client looking for a loveseat and ottoman for her bedroom and found this nicely sized and well constructed piece. I don't know if this will work for her but I can envision it in a number of my fabrics.

 I also needed some new reading material and this particular store seems to have some high-quality readers. Without spending much time, I found six books that sounded interesting. 

On my way to the next store (about 4 miles down the road), I diverted to go to the Roswell Road Calico Corners Fine Fabrics. I used to be a regular at their stores because I LOVE all fabrics! Since they are now using an order only process (eliminating large bolts which could be eventually reduced in price), I very seldom find usable fabrics at my price point (VERY reasonable). So, this trip was really just an opportunity to breathe in the new fabrics and leave inspired.

The store was having a fabric sale but not at the price point that I can use. However, they had a stack of "bolt-ends" that had been 75% off of their regular retail but were now marked at three bundles for $10. This got my my blood flowing!

I could not resist these prices although most were only 1.5 to 2.0 yards. The fabrics were beautiful and a great deal!

Here are some of the labels - the original prices were quite high. My cost per bundle was $3.33 - not too bad!

Here are some of my purchases - can't wait to find the right furniture match for these!

The pieces I bought ranged from 1.3 to 2.4 yards although I did get three bundles of the same totaling 5.5 yards and another two totaling almost 4 yards. I guess I will be looking for smallish pieces (upholstery requirement-wise) for some time to come.

What fun! 

Giving Tuesday - Goodwill Industries

I had not heard of "Giving Tuesday" until I saw it promoted by our local Goodwill Industries of North Georgia - a very worthwhile charity/cause. Since this is in fact Tuesday and this is the day of the week that the stores offer a serious 25% discount on all purchases to seniors aged 55 and older, I thought a visit to several stores would be appropriate.

I just returned and am posting to report on my experience and promote this day which seems like a very nice follow-up to the frantic consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I thought I would research this day's designation but found no history or origin information. I did find that all charities/causes seem to be promoting the day to support their particular interests so it is clearly not just a "Goodwill" thing.

My first stop this morning was at the Buckhead (Roswell Road) store which is probably my favorite. As readers of my blog know, my purchases at Goodwill stores generally fall into the following categories:

Heirloom quality (good bones) upholstered furniture ready to be refurbished and sold

Down/feather pillow inserts in good condition 

Paperback books 

Brand name purses 

The premium bag display (behind counter - you have to ask to see them) was not well stocked - I am guessing that there have been a lot of sales there lately. The store was a little quiet this early in the day but you can see how well maintained and organized it is.

A sign which always makes me smile is their goal sign - to put people to work and give them workplace skills - simple but powerful!

The Sandy Springs store (Mt. Vernon Road near Roswell) was a little busier and had several interesting pieces of furniture. Probably the nicest was the camelback sofa but too big for me - I don't do anything over the size of a moderate chaise or loveseat. I did see several people buying holiday trees.

The Dunwoody store (Abernathy Rd) had some great accessories and gift type items. The jewelry box on the bottom was in great condition and I loved the tall glass pieces - I would definitely have bought the latter if it was a pair. A friend is looking for a set of family room tables (and loves chickens) so I do plan to share those ideas with her.

I was getting ready to leave (sort of congratulating myself on not buying anything), when I spotted one of the stock people walking around with this tall (22-24") metal holiday centerpiece which looked new.  It was marked $14.77 (25% off!) and I loved it but have NO SPACE in my already decorated house for this piece. The employee put the piece down and I immediately photographed it and sent it to my daughter who is off today. I asked if she was interested.

I stood my ground near the piece and several potentially interested buyers walked over to admire it as well. That did it! I picked it up and carried it to the cash register rehearsing what I would say to my husband and reviewing what I would need to get rid of to make a space for it. I did discover that there are three places for tea candles to illuminate the windows. WOW!

As I carefully walked out with my treasure, my daughter responded to my text and said "sure" she wanted it. So I just drove over and dropped it off. She lit the candles and we stood around admiring it. She also started walking around looking for a good place and has even less space than I do to work with. BUT, a good buy for a good cause!

If anyone knows the origin/history of this Giving Tuesday tradition, please let me know!

Stripes 101

Stripes and more stripes - see source data

I seem to be adding a lot of striped pieces to my refurbished furniture collection lately - I am clearly drawn to stripes of all types and sizes. This posting highlights some of those pieces and provides a little wisdom about using stripes in home decor.

Great striped chair in beachy setting - high contrast stripes - see source data

Stripes 101

Whether traditional or unconventional, stripes—especially on walls and floors—promote order. They have an almost architectural power to redirect the eye and reshape a space. In smaller doses, like on furniture or accessories, they’re “the neutral of the pattern world,” says New York City interior designer Elaine Griffin, as they are low-risk and easy to incorporate into any type of room.


3 Expert Decorating Tricks

1. Use high-contrast stripes in unexpected spots. For powder rooms and foyers (spaces where people don’t linger), strong stripes can be charming. “I love a brilliant stripe in a closet,” says Darryl Carter, a designer in Washington, D.C. “It’s like the lining on a fine coat.”



2. Match the size of the stripes to the size of the room. In general, the larger the space, the wider wall stripes should be, because thin stripes in a big expanse can look like mere texture from far away. And in a small room broad, bold stripes can feel jarring.



I love these horizontal stripes - see source data

3. Blend striped, floral, and solid accessories. A foolproof recipe for throw pillows: Put together three or four designs that are clearly distinct but share a palette. Try a wide stripe, a narrow stripe, a dainty paisley, and a solid. The effect is cohesive, with just enough randomness to feel homey. source - Real Simple

This settee is charming - I must remember to do one like this - see source data

Here are some recent striped additions to my collection and a collage of prior year favorites.

I found this chair on craigslist and had it recovered in a great heavy upholstery weight fabric - the stripes were purposefully done in a differentiated style. The legs were refinished in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

Another craigslist buy - this set was originally upholstered in a leather that had seen better days. I love the stripe!

This great chair was a Goodwill Industries purchase (wonderful brand) and the fabric was an estate sale buy - great combination! 

This craigslist set is one of my all-time favorites. I have not previously found this height set - made by North Hickory of Hickory, NC (no longer in business)!

And here are some of my prior year favorites in stripes - I just cannot get enough of this look!

Great chairs - all!

Goodwill Shopping on Senior Citizen Tuesday

Interesting accent pot at Goodwill of North Georgia - new store on Holcomb Bridge

I have often written about my visits to the area Goodwill Industries stores - Goodwill of North Georgia has impeccable standards and excellent employees. AND, on top of all that, they give me a 25% discount (their senior citizen discount for everyone 55 and older) on Tuesdays - very generous. I have not been regular on these visits lately so decided to stop at just two shops yesterday - those closest to my home. I  ran into a neighbor and caught up with our busy summer activities and learned her daughter is pregnant (it will be grandchild number three - up to this point we have been neck and neck with two granddaughters each). But I digress - although not that much. I find the stores to be busy with lots of shoppers and not infrequently recognize some of those. It's a fun place to shop!

Here are some of the items I saw and briefly contemplated!

Nice enough chair - Decorating Den label - did not have coil springs in foundation. Probably would have bought if there had been a pair - nice styling. Cost was $29.97 before discount.

10 yard roll of fabric in a nice pattern. I was tempted but wasn't sure about popularity of color combo although if this works for someone, it would be great on a chair or set of smaller chairs or used in a shower curtain or bed duvet cover. Cost was $4.97 before discount. 

Loved this color combination.

Three sets of dining tables (one with chairs) at the Peachtree Parkway store - the round table which looked well made and in very good condition was $49.97 before discount. 

I am somewhat over the top in terms of current inventory which has challenged my storage requirements so am trying not to overbuy. I could not, however, resist the Highland House (Hickory, NC) club chair and picked it up to be redone.

I highly recommend these stores!

My purchase! 

A Visit to Lake Burton - Lake Property Dreaming!

This was a beautiful fall weekend in Georgia. I had a successful garage sale on Saturday (netted over $600 between my daughter and me) and was able to drop off most of the items not sold at our neighborhood Goodwill Donation Center. GREAT!

During the sale, a neighbor stopped by to chat and mentioned that she and her siblings were selling a family lake home located on Lake Burton in northern Georgia.  I once (many, many years ago) owned a lake house in Wisconsin and have never lost the love of lake property. It sounded wonderful!  Since my husband and I had been talking about taking a Sunday "fall leaves" drive north, we decided to make this our destination.

The day was bright and sunny so we enjoyed the nice two-hour drive. The leaves are not yet at their optimum but beautiful never-the-less. The location of the property on Lake Burton is in Clarksville, Georgia.

Here is information about Lake Burton which, like almost all lakes in the State of Georgia, is man-made  - website

Lake Burton and Rabun County was named for Jeremiah Burton, a popular area citizen who would occasionally serve as bailiff in the local superior court and served in other civic positions.

Lake Burton At 2,775 acres, Lake Burton is the largest of Georgia Power's North Georgia lakes. 

Lake Burton was one of the first lakes in the United States created specifically for power generation. With the completion of the dam at the east end of the lake in 1913, more than 2700 acres of lake were created. In the rugged north Georgia mountains of Rabun and Burton Counties, Lake Burton has coves galore. Each is more breathtaking than the last, with peaks jutting high above the water. The Tallulah River was dammed and the town of Burton flooded when the lake was completed. Today the lake serves as a reservoir, controlling the flow of water to Seed Lake below it.

Lovely views of the house and Lake Burton - property of the "Greer" family.  

We thought the house and the way it had been decorated/renovated was charming.  The location is right on the lake with a lot of lake frontage. The lake looked crystal clear (and cold).  Just beautiful!

This restaurant was recommended as the BEST place for biscuits so we thought we'd stop for for lunch.  We were sorry to hear that biscuits were no longer being served (just for breakfast) but we had a very nice lunch here anyway.

On "Scenic Highway 197", we stopped by the Mark of the Potter - a wonderful shop at a great water rapids location. 

One of my favorite photos - looks like abstract art to me!

This was a nice visit and very manageable for our busy weekend!  I took a nice sun-soaked nap on the way home - not too shabby!

Fabric Donation to Goodwill - A Good Deal for Someone

Here's a quick heads-up to readers in the greater Atlanta area.  I just donated about 200 yards of fabrics to the Goodwill Industries of North Atlanta link to website.  I do this two to three times a year after sorting through my fabric room for pieces and bolts that are not likely to be used.  Sometimes the fabric has been selected many times for a project just to be replaced by a fabric I prefer.  Sometimes I've already used the fabric on a piece or two (or three) and either they've been hard to sell or I am no longer thrilled with the piece.  I am so impressed by the Goodwill stores in this area and their employees that this is a likely donation spot for me.  Based on my observation (going there at least every other week helps), they seem to spread the fabrics through their stores - not all land in any one place.

The size of the pieces range from less than a yard to over 20 - lots to choose from!

Here are some of the ones donated!