The Auction

I went to an Estate Auction over the weekend. I had a BLAST! Have you ever been to one? The excitement of bidding and the THRILL of winning is unmatched! Especially when you score as BIG as I did! (You have to go all the way to the end of the post to see a list and pictures of ALL the deals!)

I had my eye on a bunch of stuff, but my funds were limited. I had $20 that I just got for my birthday and so I set that as my limit. I cannot wait to show you SOME of what I got for just 20 bucks!

When I first got to the auction, I saw this bathroom cabinet in perfect condition and knew it would be a great deal for the house we are building. I called my husband and asked what was the most we could pay, he gave me a number and said he trusted my judgement! I was so determined to get it for CHEAP!

You won't believe how much I paid for it....I wrote about it on our home blog. Check it out to see what I paid.

I had gotten to the auction about an hour after it started. I looked around for a while as they were auctioning off things I was not interested in. I had plenty of time to watch, learn, and sift through boxes, and really get a feel for what I wanted to go after. After an hour or so, they came out from under the tent to start auctioning some of the big things.

There were coffee tables, bookcases, TVs, kitchen appliances (that looked brand-new, they were modern and clean - the people who won them got a steal!!!! ), LR furniture, yard equipment...even a car and dirt bike!

I wanted a few things - like the very nice wrought iron patio furniture, a small coffee table and a dresser - but they got way out of my price range! It was still early in the day so there were a lot of people there some of whom were dealers from the local antique stores.

Well, I was patient because there was a bathroom cabinet that I wanted. I stayed around for several hours, waiting and waiting. The crowd was very slim by this point. Which was just perfect for getting things cheap! There were several things left that I didn't have to have, but if they were cheap enough, I wanted to buy.


So here is the long awaited story with pictures!

For some reason, I was drawn to this ugly chair - well, actually there are 2 of them. I have high hopes that with a little TLC and a can of spray paint, they will turn into gems! I can always use extra seating on our back deck...hopefully, I can make them look cool. (I will be sure to show you when they are finished.)

Well, these chairs are what started the whole bidding thing for me. They started the bid where you win the bid for choice of the pile. A couple people did that and they got the one item they wanted. Then they divided all the stuff into 2 large piles. No one bid. I said $5. No one else bid. I won. He asked which pile. I said the one with chairs, he said is that all? I said can I get both for $5. He said yes. So for $10 I got 2 large piles of stuff.



This is PART of ONE pile!!!


Just to name a few things: 3 table lamps, (this is 2 of them)


2 floor lamps, dishes, including 3 of these green glasses (which you all know I love as much as the brown glassware)

pots, pans, Tupperware, small hand tools, an ottoman,



cleaning supplies, yard equipment, ant killer, fertilizer, vacuum cleaner, microwave, lawn chairs, (I already had the kids :)
rugs, toaster oven, clothes hamper, etc. etc, etc. I promise there really is too much to name. All for $10. Yeah!!!!


I also bought this bed for ...... $5.00.



It came with slats, rails, and even old nasty mattresses --which, of course, we threw in the dumpster!

Here is my other exciting story. I saw these pictures and fell in love!



There were 4 green matted framed botanical prints similar to the ones over at Kelly's Korner and My Sweet Savannah. I wanted them, but they had to be cheap! I only had $5 left of my $20 budget!


These prints were on a table full of paintings and prints of various sizes and styles. They were selling the whole table as one lot and kept adding to the pile. My prints were down at the bottom underneath a lot of ugly stuff. The bid started no one said anything. I said $5...still no takers...he said SOLD! I was stoked to get my 4 green matted frames and prints for just $5...and as a bonus I got 26 other pictures, paintings, frames, and even a couple of mirrors for free! Pretty neat, huh!




I guess the moral of this long post is that you never know what you will find at an auction. There are so many undiscovered treasures. If you are patient, you can find some really good deals.

Be sure to visit tomorrow. I will share the unexpected, hidden treasure from the auction that almost got thrown away! I will give you a hint...it is worth WAY more than what I spent altogether at the auction!

You won't want to miss this story..and I promise it won't be as looong of a post!

Want to see more thrifty finds? Check out Rhoda's Party to see what other people found this week!