N. Eaton in Toronto

I thought I'd add this review since the Value Village on Queen East is one of their better locations. It always has a large selection of baskets, dishware/kitchenware and other home items. When it comes to buying holiday themed knick knacks, you won't find anywhere cheaper. I have gotten some very nice decor pillows here as well. I have to only give them a 3 out of 5 for satisfaction as all VV locations have been increasing the amount of new, low quality items that they sell. To me, this completely undermines the eco-friendly aspects of buying second hand and exploits people who go into the store looking for a quality used item.

Designer fabrics carries a wide array of fabric types. You can find upholstery textiles, fabric for making curtains and different types of felt and vinyl. I needed to recover a chair in something neutral and they helped me out. I didn't know what kind of staple gun I would need for the seat and they saved me some money by letting me know it depended on the quality of the chair. For a cheap soft or medium wood chair, a hardware staple gun works just fine. For a hardwood chair, you do need a proper upholstering gun.

This place offers antiques but particularly focuses on cast iron and bronze. You can find everything from a small turtle paperweight for under $20 to a giant $500 bronze garden sculpture. The shop is a bit messy but the owner is friendly and these items are better quality than the typical Pier One knock offs. It is also nice to buy things that have a bit of history to them. I bought a small bunny as a present that wasn't too expensive but still appreciated by someone who likes antiques.

I go to this place in the Beaches fairly frequently for Lock & Lock brand containers. They have probably the best prices for that brand in Toronto. Like the name suggests, they carry a great deal of plastic "binz" (bins) for storage in all kinds of sizes. They also have "problem solving" home decor, laundry and kitchenware products; eg. jewellery organizers, dryer balls, special zesters. Their storage containers are a good deal but expect to pay average prices for Umbra products and above average for some things (a simple canvas and plastic jewellery organizer is $40).

About two years ago I got one of their bedroom sets (bed frame, night tables, tall dresser and low dresser with mirror) here because it looked pretty and was cheap. Unfortunately it hasn't stood up well to wear and tear. When we unwrapped the mirror we noticed a tiny defect in it but didn't want to bother with getting it replaced. One of the end tables is missing a chunk of veneer and shows the presswood underneath, and quite a few knobs have loosened on the dressers. In hindsight, it would have been better to make do with used furniture and save up for something better. Looks nice when it is new, though.

GUFF stands for Good Used Furniture Finds and that's exactly what it is. Vintage and mid-century furniture in good condition and priced fairly. If you love something you see, grab it because many items scarcely last a week in the store. I got a teak coffee table here. I used to stop in more but now I just for check new items on their blog.

This place in Gerrard Square looks like a sad Dollarama wannabe but has some surprisingly decent items for discount prices. Plant seeds that grew just fine and had an expiry date (unlike at many dollar stores) were only 50 cents a pack. Blown glass watering bulbs, plant pots and basic work gloves are all fine. I got a few cans of black rust paint here for $1 each that were just as good as from Home Depot. Their hardware section isn't that bad either. Less selection than Home Depot but reasonable quality for the price. They also have some home decor and basic kitchenware. Stay far away from the cheap toy aisle and knock off electronics.

This store is located in a gorgeous old storefront with the original paned glass windows. It offers antique mantles, hardware, windows, lights, painted tiles, furniture...you name it. Unlike many antique stores that offer a jumble of great items and junkier items they only have really interesting pieces for sale. The owners can actually tell you what time period everything is from (Victorian and Edwardian look the same to me, really). I got a light fixture as a gift for my sister's typically Victorian house.

In my previous apartment, the bathroom drain consistently had problems draining. We called Roto Rooter several times and each time they got it cleared for up to 6 months before the problem would start up again. It seems that the drain may not have been properly sloped but then again, perhaps they simply were unable to solve the real problem (I have no way of knowing). They did give some discounts on follow up calls if the drain re-clogged within a short period of time which was appreciated. They were also good about showing up on time.

Despite being in a pricey part of town (The Beaches), the employees didn't bat an eyelash at helping me pick out a bathroom suitable paint from their mis-tints section. It was a very small bathroom with wainscotting that I wanted to paint a complementary colour, so they took half of a batch of pale yellow paint and tinted it green for no charge aside from the second can. The colours worked well together and I had just enough to complete the project.

Consiglio's is a very large kitchen and housewares store with appliances, cookware, table ware, Italian foods and even personal care items like hand soaps and lotions. They have pretty good coupons in their flyers (I got a small ceramic baking dish for free with my purchase) and only carry the best brand names (Le Crueset, etc.). I've been using the pasta machine I bought there for a few years now and it works perfectly.

I'm not sure how much I've spent at Tap Phong because I keep going back. They have everything from consumer appliances to professional kitchenware. A cheap half sheet pan for under $10 absolutely outperforms a $20 pan from Home Sense or Kitchen Stuff Plus and they offer some high quality items at great prices. Their prices are a bit inconsistent as some things are average to above average while other quality items are greatly discounted. It is well worth a trip for their low priced array of table and serving ware alone.

This store in Leslieville is a cooking boutique. They offer quality brand items (including knives, dish ware, etc. ) at boutique prices. I noticed they had metal clips to stop a teapot from dripping and one of the owners (husband and wife) assured me that they absolutely positively were a good product that worked. I got it home to find that it didn't work and that the metal quickly wore out to stop clipping on the spout properly. Sure, it was only $5 but it will keep me from ever going back for more expensive things.

Their prices on paint and hardware are average to above average but they have a decent selection of Umbra products at good prices. They also have a small selection of kitchenware. The staff are friendly. I mostly pick up bathroom fixtures like a shower curtain rod, toilet paper holder, Umbra garbage can, as well as caulk, etc. at their store.

East End Garden Centre does have a great selection of very healthy plants. I like the quality of their plants compared with a big box store. I do think they overcharge to a certain extent (quality does cost more, but their prices are pretty high). For that reason, my penny pinching mom wouldn't be so keen on them. :P

My back driveway is in a dark laneway and people seem to think that because there is no car it is a dumping ground. I bagged it all up and got JCo to remove it. They say they divert as much of the trash as they can to recycling and were reasonably priced.

My place has very narrow hallways that were completely scuffed by previous tenants. My landlord paid for the cost of the paint and I painted the halls and most of the rooms. I bought all the paint at Paint Depot and they were very helpful in picking out colours. They have a decent line of low VOC paint. I only gave them a 4/5 because while their paint prices are reasonable, you are better off buying brushes, rollers, etc. somewhere else. They mark those up pretty high.

This company trimmed several large trees on two properties. They did a great job and cleaned everything up perfectly before they left. The trees were very old and close to the houses so it took some care on their part to get the tallest branches trimmed without doing any damage.

Zaid helped me move a couch that I thought I could help lift...well, I wasn't actually much help after all. Despite this he cheerfully took on the task of getting it through my door pretty much on his own for no extra charge! Of all the moving services I contacted, he was the first to respond and had no problem with short notice (moved the couch the following day). I highly recommend Zaid Moving.