That old saying one man's junk is another man's treasure is the key to what makes garage sales such as popular pastime. "Garage sailing" is a common Saturday morning pastime for many families and home decorators and there are a surprising number of wonderful finds on most days, if you just have the imagination and patience to sort through the items for sale.

The key to finding treasures at a garage sale is to be able to see past the hideous color they have been painted or the decals and stickers that have been plastered on the surface or even the few scratches and marks that mar the piece to the inner beauty and functionality of the item.

Some typical finds at garage sales and ideas for their use in your decorating scheme include:

• Terra cotta pots and vases – everyone has some of these, the reddish brown clay like pots that everyone uses in their outdoor gardening endeavors. Terra cotta pots also can be painted, either with patterns, solid colors or motifs and then sprayed with a waterproof sealant. These decorative pots can then be used as general storage containers, as planters in groups on a window ledge or even as containers in your bathroom cupboard for soaps and other smaller items.

• Wrought iron plant stands – often these are sold very inexpensively and they are typically very plain black. There are easy to use spray on texturizing paints that can make the plant stand look marble-like or with a sandstone or slightly metallic finish. The finished stands can then be used in a bathroom as a decorative towel rack for folded towels, soaps or other necessary items. They also can be used, of course, as plant or ornament stands in a sunroom or kitchen.

• Bamboo patio furniture – with a bit of recovering of the pillows and cushions, that bamboo furniture can be matched to your room or home design. Bamboo furniture is very durable and can be easily repaired with bamboo weaving material that is available at most craft and hobby stores.

• Old shelving units – typically these are already assembled and ready to just paint and decorate to make an inexpensive storage area. These old shelving units, especially the shorter ones, can be decorated for a kid's toy storage area or a handy shoe or storage rack for your closet.

• Lamp bases and shades – typically lamps can easily be repaired with a new socket and simple wiring. In addition it is often the case that lamps are sold because they don't have the right shades and at another sale shades are sold because they no longer have the lamp. It may also be possible to get very old lamps and shades that would be terrific in an antique theme room.

The key to buying at a garage sale is to be creative and imaginative. Typically the items will be very reasonably priced and just remember that if you can't use it, you can always have a garage sale of your own!