I just cannot pass up a garage sale.

The thrill of the hunt, the amazing bargains, the salvaging of treasures from filling landfills.  But most of all, it’s the guilty pleasure I take as I sneak out of the house leaving my husband to get breakfast for the kids and drive, bleary-eyed, five minutes down the tree-lined street to…my parent’s house.

I go to garage sales every Saturday. With my mom. Just the two of us. Every Saturday.

After living in New York and London, no one is more shocked than this city girl as I now find myself living 5 minutes away from my parents. The same suburban town where I grew up and couldn’t wait to leave. And I did. And I’m glad I did. But I came back. And I’m glad I came back.

While this has some minor drawbacks (including my husband’s inability to find humor in re-runs of Everybody Loves Raymond), the benefits are far greater. Like many a mother and daughter, we were never that close when I was growing up and I honestly don’t know how she survived my teenage years. But as an adult, and as a mother myself, I find unparalleled solace and ultimate friendship in my mother. My dad and my husband don’t really understand why we go garage sale-ing and often roll their eyes at the thought of either of our houses being able to contain one more single thing. But mom and I know. We know. Sometimes it is our one opportunity to chat about the more serious issues in life, but mostly we laugh a lot as we sort through the mountains of treasures available for purchase knowing that we have found the best treasure of all.

This weekend, I had a goal. I saw this tutorial for making hooded bath towels and wanted to try it. In one solid nap time, I completed one for each of the boys from my $5 garage sale find of two hand-towels, two full sized towels and one washcloth (which I used to improvise pockets…of course, I have no idea what you would need a pocket in a towel for but I had to use it somehow). Great fun!

See more garage sale finds

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