Treasure Hunting

Treasure hunting, estate sales, yard sales...I don't do it often enough, but when I do I have the best time!  What is it we love about them?  For me it's the hunt.  I also love the feeling that I am essentially recycling good items that might otherwise be tossed.  I also love buying things and not feeling like a bloated consumer.  Take, for example, my latest haul...

My sister and I arrived on the half off day (day 2 of the sale).  I found two vintage cloth napkins, Martha Stewart Christmas book, and two lovely artichoke heart decor thingys.  My total bill...$15!  The only thing I really might have needed were the cloth napkins as I have been trying to pump up my stash.  The Martha book is always a source of inspiration and I can always find another loving home when I'm done with it.  I love home decor items but hate spending money on items that really are meaningless.  I find so much joy in items that are personal and sentimental in nature.  So, while I love scouring the latest Pottery Barn catalog, I find I will never order the decor items because of the above stated reasons.  It's funny how these new-to-me decor items have sentimental value because I will always remember I bought these one day while out playing with my sister.  I will remember how we found them at the last minute and she exclaimed how jealous she was (on multiple occasions).  I will remember how excited I was they were only $8 knowing that when I'm done with them I can pass them on to someone else.  I will remember the thrill of the hunt and the excitement!  So, on these shopping days I don't feel like the bloated consumer that is burning money and fossil fuels left and right.  I feel like a responsible, creative citizen who is seeing one person's junk with new eyes and breathing modern flair in to something old.  I think the treasure hunt is as fun as the treasure!

What do you love about treasure hunting?  What was your best find?