This tray is a living miracle.
Really.
Ok. Maybe not living.
But a miracle none the less. I purchased this glass vanity tray (really, I don’t know if it is technically called a vanity tray, but that’s what I’m calling it, even though its nowhere near a vanity. Somewhere in my mind, I’m making sense right now. I think.) at an epic Goodwill 1/2 off day.
Have you ever experienced a Goodwill 1/2 off day?
I so very much hope you have.
Here’s how my Goodwill 1/2 off days go:
1. Wake up at 6am on the first Saturday of a month. This is when everything at Goodwill is 1/2 off.
2. Drive two hours to Nashville to shop at the really good Goodwills. Our Goodwills here are somewhat lacking.
3. Arrive at first Goodwill. Wait outside with other crazies until they open the gates and you hear the angels. Oh, I mean doors and the Goodwill radio station.
4. Get your power walk on and peruse the home decor aisles for items to re-hab.
5. Put items you find with the person who has the cart. (This is best done with a minimum of two people. One maneuvers the cart, the other maneuvers the aisles. I tell ya, its madness people.
6. Whoever is finished looking first gets in line with the cart to avoid the line that will eventually wrap around the store. There is no lolly-gagging. (I hope you know what lolly-gagging is. Its a term my father used immensely throughout my childhood.) We will not tolerate lolly-gagging on a Goodwill 1/2 off day. We. Will. Leave. Your. Ass.
7. Pay for goods. If necessary, combine all goods into one purchase and work out who owes who what later. Time is of the essence. People are buying junk you want at the next Goodwill.
8. Throw purchased items in vehicle, give your hands a good dose of Germ-X, put address for next Goodwill in the Garmin, and haul ass to the next location.
9. Repeat steps 3-8 a minimum of six times at area Goodwills. If time permits, you may repeat steps 3-8 up to 9 times and shop at all 10 area Goodwills.
And, no matter what, as Grunt Labor would say, be sure to take your business purse. My business purse goes over one shoulder, across my chest and consists of 3 small zippered pockets to carry the essentials for the day while staying firmly attached to myself. Somewhat like a fanny pack, but flat and on your hip. Grunt Labor makes fun of me each night before a Goodwill trip when I am packing my business purse.
He does not understand how crucial the business purse is on these days.
Ain’t nobody got time for big ole handbags gettin’ in the way at the Goodwills.
So, I now bring you back to the regularly scheduled post of this vanity tray makeover and why its a miracle. This is what it looked like when I purchased it:
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I imagine it sat in a once stylish hunter green bathroom circa 1989?? I’m somehow sure all the mirrors in said bathroom had gold speckles on them. Said mirrors may have covered all walls. Classy.
The lady who rang me up when I purchased this tray banged it around so much, I thought I may not get it out of the store in one piece. Hello, lady, it may just be a $2 tray, but its soon gonna be priceless. Be careful with my junk! The miracle tray made it out unscathed though.
Upon getting it home, I propped it up on a flower pot and commenced spray painting after I had removed the gold corners and glass tubes on the sides. Unfortunately, there was a mishap when Grunt Labor arrived home. He did not see the tray in the garage and ran into it. This time, the tray did not make it out unscathed. Grunt Labor scratched some of the spray paint off with the car. But, it was still alive. The tray held strong to the flower pot and did not fall onto the concrete and shatter.
A miracle.
After sanding the scratch, I re-sprayed it with Rust-Oleum’s Forest Green.
Go ahead.
I’m waiting.
How many more things is this lady going to spray paint green?
Its my house and I’ll spray paint it green if I want to.
I gave the gold corners a coat of metallic gold spray paint so they weren’t so shiny and put it all back together.
It has a new home on my entry table. It much prefers the openness of the area as opposed to its previous mirrored wall bathroom.
I put my gorgeous-yet-only-$12 magnifying glass set from One Kings Lane on it, as well as my treasured Kate Spade vases that were wedding gifts from the fabulous Aunt Rochelle and family.
And yes, those roses did come from my yard. I’m so glad you asked. Remember that fabulous gardner I told you about in my kitchen tour post? He’s responsible for these as well.
Do you have some favorite Goodwill finds?
Looking for more tray ideas? Check these out:
DIY Bathtub Tray with a Book Holder – we have used the heck out of this tray ever since we made it!
DIY Lucite Trays– so so so easy!
DIY Monogrammed Tray– beautiful and makes a great gift!
You know you don’t wanna miss any of this crazy.
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gorgeous! glamorous! and what a great shout out to that amazing Pantone color of the year!
xo
I love that color, Robin! Thanks so much!
You are hardcore. But junking is serious business. Love the tray.
It is serious!!! Thanks, Amy!
Love your tray and the “green” – Green is my favourite colour…wishing our thrift stores here in Canada had 1/2 off days…hmmm – maybe they do and I just don’t know about it – better check into that with a trip there today!!! Thanks for the inspiration!
Definitely worth checking it out! I love our 1/2 off days! I am loving some green right now too!
UM, my Goodwill does NOT have half off days?!?!?! No fair! Great find!!!! Love all of your great tray makeovers. I am also totally addicted to trays!
WHAT?! NO! I think you may need to make a trip to Nashville with me! Trays are the best! I can never pass up a good one!
Love the makeover! Goodwill is always interesting and how great you live close enough to some good ones! xo Kristin
Thanks, Kristin! I love this little tray! Turned out so much better than I ever thought it could!
You are a trip! The nearest GoodWills are at least 45 minutes from my house and they NEVER have 1/2 day. I have one of those huge clearance centers, but the prices have gone way up and usually is not worth the 45 minute ride. But I did once find a pair of Ugg boots for $1.50.
I’m something – a trip or crazy! haha! Yep, those clearance centers are usually worthless except for every once in a while – like with your boots. I have to drive two hours to get to some really good ones!
Love the makeover! I didn’t know Goodwill had 1/2 off days. Is this at all Goodwills?
Thanks, Ida! I don’t know if its at all Goodwills or not. The best thing to do would be to search for a website for your local Goodwills. That’s how I find out what days are 1/2 off.
You are too funny! I don’t think are Goodwill does that or at least I’ve never been! Definitely something to look into. Except well, we live in a poor college town and you have to be really lucky to find super awesome stuff! BTW this turned out fabulous!
Ugh, I know what ya mean, Amy! Our Goodwills here are not that great, thus why I drive 2 hours to find some good junk! Thanks!
I love the green!! I wish our goodwills here were actually good! I popped into one the other day that was pretty much just a used books store, I mean 95% of the place was old books with a few knick knacks on the top of the book shelves. Real weird!
Thanks, Chelsea! Ugh, I hate Goodwills and thrift stores like that! I need more than books!
Love it … and pinned it! I may need to meet you in Nashville for a shopping trip one Saturday!!
Laura, you so should! Ya know, I’m going the first Saturday in September….
Good to know there is someone as nuts about Goodwill as I am. However, I must say after finishing the length of HWY 68 400 mi yd sale in KY and the entire 127 yd sale, Goodwill is being out priced by yard sale-ing as they keep raising prices. No such thing as 1/2 price day here. Salvation Army does do some mark downs on certain colored tags on certain days. enJOYed reading your Goodwill directions.
Girl, I am nuts over Goodwill and yard sales! I used to live right along Hwy 127 and did the yard sale every year! But, yes, I have noticed the price increases and I don’t like it!
Thank you for your post. My mom had the same exact tray that you purchased! I don’t know if she still has it, she probably doesn’t but if she does I am asking to have it. Ha.
Your post prompted me to go to my Goodwill website and I found out that they have half off blue tag merchandise on Mondays AND Tuesdays! Never knew they had anything like that before reading your post. Thank you and I will be back again to tell you if I come up with any sweet finds. Love your blog.
Really??! That is awesome! YAY! You have a 1/2 off day! Enjoy it! It is awesome!
Haaahaha! Love your rules, and love your tray! It turned out great! 🙂
I’m crazy, April!! But, its fun! Thanks!
OMG gorgeous! I love your Goodwill tutorial, haha! I had no idea they were so awesome in the States! Okay, I did but I’m just a bit jealous 😉 Sharing on my FB page today!
Hugs,
Jamie
Thanks, Jamie! All of the amazing Goodwills are another reason why you should come visit! hint, hint!
Oooh pretty! And so glam! I love it, Jenna! And if it’s this cute, you can spray paint anything green that you want, my friend! 😉
~Abby =)
Thanks, Abby! I just love this color!
“We. Will. Leave. Your. Ass.” HA! Love it!
And the I-will-survive tray looks FAB! Great job!
Thanks for the inspiration,
Ashley @3littlegreenwoods
haha!! Thanks!
You forgot the step where you follow the guy around the store at a non-creepy distance, silently urging him to Put That Painting Down. (It worked — the painting in now on my dining room wall!)
If you have small children with you, you can put them in the cart with everyone’s purses (safer with some kids than others) and keep them confined while they guard your valuables. They’re also good for searching under clothing racks when you realize that grandma has lost either a ring, or the center stone from a ring, or a hearing aid. We’ve had all three happen and found the missing object every time.
No – you didn’t?! That is fabulous!! I love it! You would totally fit in with us!
amazing that you can see such potential in a seemingly junky thing! love your inspiration
Aww, thanks, Carissa! I’m really cheap – it helps! haha!
The tray tutorial was nice, but what I really need is a tutorial on those roses – beautiful!
Oh, you are too sweet, Lindsey! Thank you!
Very pretty!
Thanks so much, Kristen!
Hilarious! Loved your post! I would love to Good will shop with you…. Ain’t no lollygagging happening on my watch either!!
I’m glad to hear it! Lollygaggers get left behind!
So pretty! Love your Goodwill stories, very entertaining!
Thanks! I love providing good entertainment!
It looks great now! The green you chose makes it so much more contemporary! Love your humor too. “We. Will. Leave. Your. Ass.” truly made me LOL!
Thanks! Yep – love the green! So glad I could give you laugh! That’s a goal with every post!
My word! That is amazing. Love the colors you chose. And I have the same tray with a mirror on the bottom. I might need to paint it soon!
Thank you! I just love those colors as well!
Several thoughts: first, my be has been fuddled as to how I missed this post the first time around? Just finished programming my phone calendar to remind me of Goodwill Saturday. Secondly, those of us who are completely fab cannot be bothered with the laughter from the likes of Grunt Labor….jes sayin. Thirdly, anyone who is named Rochelle would HAVE to be fabulous with such a great name! I hope she is a big hat wearin, whiskey drinking, large laughing lady! If she’s not, don’t burst my bubble, cause it’s the mental pic I’m going with!
Last but not least, thanks for sharing this info! As a die hard GWiller, cannot believe I was unaware of this!
hahaha! This was such a fun post to write! Rochelle is fabulous! I hope you find lots of goodies at half-off day!
Phew, I’m glad someone else gets a little obsessed with one colour! My goto in blue. haha
Great find and I love the green and gold! So pretty!
Thanks, Kathryn! I love blue too! Navy in particular! Navy and Kelly green are always my go-to favorite!
Jenna, if not a “vanity” tray, how about a “perfume tray” or “Whatever”? It really does look fine!
It could be that as well, Helen!! Thank you! I so love this tray!
Does every Goodwill have a 1/2 off day?I’ll have to ask at mine. never saw it advertised. I’ll go to salvation army store, too. I got my 5 yr old son a suit there for a wedding, because I just KNOW that the next time he needs a suit, he’ll have grown and need another size. so<I bought him a suit for $10, a brand new shirt and tie at Sears, and he looked handsome!
I have 5 kids, andI've boight many, many pf their clothes at GW, SA and thrift stores. Thrift stores are the best, because when you open an account, you bring in your kids'outgrown stuff, they sell it, then you get credits when it sold, so I don't collect the credits as cash, I just go back and buy more clothes or toys.
I have a question , though, that you or one of your readers might know. We have a 'Habitat( for Humanity) 'restore'that has furniture and building supplies. I've never been in, because I 'dfeel guilty buying things that people who have had house fires, floods, and lost everything, etc, might be looking for. Now I find myself wishing in a tight money situation, but wishing I could get some outdoor furniture ( In my ideal world I'd love a lounge chair or hammock for reading and watching the kids, maybe an ice cream parlor-style table and chairs for a small corner that can't hold anything bigger, these things would be great, would be used and dress up my backyard and patio, but, of course, aren't necessities, soI haven't gone looking at the 'Restore'.
How do you feel about this issue?
I go in Restore all the time. It is my understanding, and I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure that any money from sales at Restore minus paying the employees go to building homes for people in need.