I'm in Iowa City--just finished college at the U, thank you very much-- and the thrift stores here are pretty sweet.  Since it's a collegetown, lots of people give up their stuff so you get nice used items.  Oh, and especially cruise the area in May when the dorms close and the last week in July cuz EVERYONE throws out their junk, even if it is in good condition.  Heh, lots of stuff in my apartment is from the end-of-the-school-year craziness.  Also there are plenty of garage sales in Iowa City.  Check out the weekly Ad-Sheet for those.  Plus there's these thrift/antique/consignment shops:
Stuff Etc.--one close by K-Mart south of Iowa City and the other is in Coralville close by the retro McDonalds off I-80.  I've had more successful visits at the one in Coralville.
Houseworks--  (which I love is on Stevens Drive on the southside of I.C.--- back by their knickknack section they keep their fabric and other crafting stuff.  I found some sweet vinyl and some other fabric that has little monsters on it
Granny's-- southside I.C. across from Office Depot--  if I remember right someone there has JARS of buttons for cheap
Artifacts--lots of cool vintage, great selecting of jewelry and brooches as well!  corner of market and gilbert
The Antique Mall- next to Verde (used to be the Green Room) on South Gilbert.  One thing I noticed was that they sell the oyster shells that had buttons cut out of them.  Oh, and they had false eyes!
Crowded Closet on Gilbert Ct.  straight back from where you enter there's a craft section that has vintage books/mags, embroidery, lace, rickrack, fabric, yarn, buttons, sewing notions, lots o stuff!  Check it out!
Second Act--my favorite place to shop for clothes.. they're also a vintage and costume shop, too  they're across from where the Goodwill used to be on Boyrum on Olympic Ct.
Revival is also nice b/c if she likes your work, you can sell it at her shop  like scarves, clothes, jewelry, etc. -- it's on Linn Street across from the Iowa City Public Library which ROCKS
Paul's Discount is fun to go to as well, it's an unusual general store... very fun to browse through and find fun items--back behind JoAnne's on Hwy 1

Ben Franklin- Sycamore Mall  Yay!  I love this place! 
The Knitting Shoppe- across from Walgreens on Muscatine Ave  Lots of unique yarn.  I just picked up a cotton and wool blend that feels heavenly.
JoAnnes- corner of Riverside and Hwy 1

There is a Hobby Lobby in Coralville; the very back is where most of the crafts are.  The rest is pre-made junk.   I'd rather go to Ben Franklin.  They have a better selection anyway, I think.

I'm so glad that there is a post here for packrats.  I used to be REALLY bad, as in I had kept all my schoolwork that I did from when I was in kindergarten.  HUGE stacks of papers, etc. in my closet.  Most of it is tossed except for the art I made when I was a kid.  Now I have the problem of hoarding things that I believe I can use later--relating to art projects.  I have lots of cans of Krylon, lots of fabric, yarn, wire, untreated canvas, stretched canvases, markers, colored papers, fake flowers...  ugh.  Step by step I'm getting rid of things. 
And okay, this is going to sound really stupid, but I just gave away my alarm clock that I had had since I was in first grade.  It was my first alarm clock, my symbol of being a "big girl".  And I had repainted it a couple of times and finally it just was not working well.  I had to press that alarm setting button (for the time to scroll) and basically guesstimate what time it will be when I let go because the numbers went too fast.  This year (I just graduated from college) I FINALLY bought a new clock.  And I seriously was entertaining the idea of keeping the old one just for posterity.  But not even using it.  Just having it.  Well I chucked it into a bag and hurriedly dropped it off at a local thrift shop.  I really thought about turning around my car and getting it.
So yeah, getting rid of stuff is hard, but it's worth it.  Otherwise I'd have a clock in an area where I could put more balls of yarn

My boyfriend and I have our two bedroom, but one bedroom is entirely the "office" space.  He's really into music, so he has turntables, records, keyboard, two computers, guitar, etc. etc.  On my side I have sooo many art supplies that I finally made shelves for my wall.  If you're lucky enough to have a hand-saw (which I didn't) you could buy a sheet of particle board from Lowes and cut it up.  It's cheap and you can wrap it in fun fabric.  Then just pick up some... um...  I think they're called brackets?  I like having wall shelving because it doesn't take up floor space.

That is really cute.  Bacon would make a nice compliment.