I’ll never forget the first time we drove by this shelf on the side of the road. I yelled at my husband…. Did you see that?… turn around…. That’s the perfect shelf for that weird spot on the wall… turn around… we’re getting it.

He was mortified. First he said no. He didn’t want people to see him. He finally turned around. We loaded it into the trunk of our Buick with the help of the people who had thrown it away and drove home. I cleaned it up and added a little stamp embellishment to the front and placed it in that spot that I had imagined it would belong. And it was perfect! I had just made my first curbside find.

A good amount of my furniture is a roadside treasure now! Some was given to us but there are so many things in my home that was someone else’s trash!

For years we used a Lane table and chairs we found on the roadside by recovering the chairs with new fabric. Right now our living room has a giant Pottery Barn rug priced online at $499.00. Our son has a futon in his room that literally is in perfect shape and was totally clean. Our homeschool shelf is a cast off by the same family that owned the couch. We now know to grab things when they put them out. I’m still on the hunt for an amazing bench or two. I’ll let you know if I ever find them!

Here’s some of our greatest roadside treasures…

So how do I do it? Here’s some general tips for awesome roadside treasure hunting.

Drive By Shop-

Drive by super slow so you can get a really good look at it before stopping. This will make you look creepy and totally freak out your neighbors but it’ll give you a good idea if the pile is worth looking through or if it’s truly just trash.

Use Your Senses-

Check out all areas of the find before putting it in your vehicle. Does it have a missing leg? Is there weird or gross stuff in the drawer. Does it feel sticky? Does it smell like cat pee? Make a decision based on those things. I only grab things that either just need a little paint or cleaning up. I don’t have time for full repair jobs so I usually leave those for someone more ambitious.

Don’t Go On Trash Days-

Has it been a particularly beautiful Saturday? Then chances are someone has been cleaning, or organizing their garage, or moving! Take a drive around your neighborhood just right before dark on those especially nice days. Those are the awesome finds you’re looking for. Keep in mind that the first few weeks after the school year is over and the first few weeks before the school year starts is the best time to score as most people choose this time of the year to move.

Scope Garage Sales-

So you saw something awesome at a Garage Sale you drove by? Check the sign and see what the last day of the sale is? Swing by a couple hours after the sale and see if the items are on the curb! You might just be able to snag that piece you wanted for free. This method is especially effective after community garage sales. You can hit one neighborhood and find lots of discards.

Don’t Wait-

If you drive by it and it looks cool and you might possibly think you could use it, then stop and grab it. Our philosophy has always been- we can always always put it on our curb too. So I grab it right then without thinking too hard about it. Because it’ll likely be gone the next time you come back around.

So there you go… I’m admitting it… I’m SO NOT above trash picking! What do you have in your house that’s a roadside treasure? Share a picture with us on our Facebook page!

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