Good Afternoon America co-host Lara Spencer has a confession to make. "I lead a double life," she admits. "When I'm not broadcasting or reporting or looking pretty on a red carpet, I'm getting down and dirty in a thrift shop! I love to find second-hand junk and transform it into beautiful interior design." She decorated pal Kathy Griffin's glam home and is revealing her best secrets for turning trash into treasure in her book, I Break for Yard Sales. Tune in for her demonstration of reupholstering a chair and get more tips below!

Lara's "flea-mergency" kit: Bring a large tote bag to carry purchases and pack it with supplies for the day including a tape measure, bubble wrap or newspaper to wrap any breakables you buy, a sun hat, sun block and hand sanitizer. Toss in a notebook with lists of what you need so you don't get overwhelmed by the selection, along with magazine photos of your dream home. "I use them as a road map. You might not be able to afford what the big designers are doing, but you can be inspired by them."

How to know if the furniture is a good buy: "You can see the bones. You can tell that even underneath that stained fabric or, you know, the scratched finish that it's got good bones."

When to buy: "Ask yourself these questions, 'Do I need it? Do I love it?' If you do, then buy it. One of the biggest mistakes people make at yard sales and thrift shops and flea markets is hesitating. You snooze, you lose!"

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Lara Spencer