A Troiss: Estate Sales and Tips

The secret to all Vintage Stores are Estate Sales! they have tons of clothes, jewelry, and anything else you can think of for low prices. The only thing is they usually start during the week (which most of us work) and by the time Saturday comes around everything good is gone. Here are some tips about estate sale shopping.

1. Visit websites such as EstateSales.net to find local homes that are selling, sometimes newspapers or craigslist has listings as well, but most people will list on that website. The website also posts pictures and lists generally what they will be selling.

2. BRING CASH. Most companies prefer cash, and its easier to bargain when you have cash in hand.

3. The earlier the better. Lines can form on the first day! not everyone is looking for the same stuff as you, but if its a good find someone will snatch it up.

4. Look before you buy. You can't really go back and return your item, so check everything out before you buy it. If its fixable, find out how much it will cost to fix and if its really worth it. Sometimes the saying "someone's junk is someone else's treasure" isn't true if its really junk.

5. CLEAN IT. Usually when you buy from an estate sale you're not 100% what living conditions that person was in (yes I finally said it, Estate sales are usually selling things for people who have passed). I put all the things I buy in a plastic bag before I bring it home, and dry clean clothes or clean everything else with with some warm soap, water and a old toothbrush.

Hope everyone uses this information and visits your local estate sale! if you're not someone who will buy old stuff its even fun to go look at everything. The last estate sale I went to I found a box of love letters from the couple back and forth from the 1930's.. is it weird that I wanted to buy the box?

-M