The Secrets of Successful Vintage Thrifting | Best Antique Tips

Here are our 5 best tips for thrifting vintage and antiques. We have been doing this for many years now and enjoy every minute of it. Since our home is furnished with mostly antique and vintage thrift finds we wanted to share a few tips that can help you become a successful “thrifter” in no time.

1. Estate Sales

Estate Sales can be very fun because they are like an open house to the public. You can browse each room in the home and hopefully find something for your own home. This concept is a very nice way to see objects in their true habitat instead of browsing through boxes on a garage driveway trying to picture them in a dining hall or a bedroom, etc.

Use estatesales.net to find listings in your area. The listings will often state if there’s a “no bag policy” (to avoid stealing). If you find your hands full, grab a nearby basket if you find one to walk around with, or ask the sellers if they can hold your items while you look around.

The most common reason for Estate Sales is that a loved one has passed away, in which case we try to be as respectful as possible while browsing. Remember that it is someone’s life and dreams that are displayed in front of you. But there are other cases where someone simply moved away and instead of going through their entire house decided to take the opportunity to downsize.

Did you know:

…weekends and mornings seem to be the most successful times for estate sales. If you are looking for treasures try to be there as soon as they open the doors or at the very end of the sale for steep discounts!

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2. Thrift Stores & Antique Shops

A Thrift Shop is a store that is selling secondhand clothes or objects. Unlike Estate Sales, the products are displayed on shelves for you to browse through. When you visit someone’s home it is easy to get a sense of the personal taste in interior and design. While in thrift stores you will never know where the antique vase or book came from. There’s a set price at most second-hand shops and antique stores can upsell the items.

Did you know:

…that the word thrift referred to the act of being economical? Being a thrifty person is a way to save money since you can find very inexpensive products in a thrift store.

3. Rummage Sales, Tag Sales, or Garage/Yard Sales

A Rummage Sale or Garage Sale is usually in connection to someone’s home or public property such as a parking space etc. It is very common that this kind of sale is held by nonprofit organizations in order to raise money for certain programs. It is a great way for people who want to get rid of their unwanted items by donating them to a good cause.

Did you know:

…that rummage (to rummage around) means that you are searching for something by moving things around in a hurried way?

4. Flea Markets

A Flea Market is typically a large open air-market held outdoors offering second-hand products for people that trying to save money or just are there for the fun of it hoping to find a real bargain. A Flea Market is in many ways very similar to a Farmer’s Market but without edible things such as fruits and vegetables.

Did you know:

…that the term “Flea Market” most likely came from something called the “French Moniker”? A market in Paris that had a lot of second-hand goods with or without fleas. If so, they would be generously included in the price.

5. Take it or Leave it – TIOLI Shed

A Tioli Shed might be more common in certain places than others. TIOLI stands for “Take it or Leave it”. A concept that means you can bring your second-hand things while browsing through what other people have brought before you. If you like something particular, well, just take it with you. There’s also the “Buy Nothing” App and Facebook Groups that use this concept online, where you can arrange to meet someone or simply leave it on your porch.

Did you know:

…since it’s all Free stuff, it can be very easy to return with more things home than you had when you left.

5 Bonus Tips for Outdoor Thrifting

Best time to go: In general, all the best things goes first so we recommend being there early on the first day of the sale. On the other hand, we've gotten some great deals at the very end of sales too because they just want to get rid of things. 

Bargaining: If there isn't a price tag on the item then there's a good chance you can do what we call "bundling". Bring all the items you're interested in to the seller and ask the best price they can do for the bundle, and don't forget to be friendly! 

Things to Bring: We always take a measuring tape with us if we're looking for a certain type of furniture. Make a list of the dimensions for your space so you know your limit. Carry a bag or bring a wagon to tote things around with you. Bring water, sunscreen or an umbrella or anything that will make the experience comfortable for you. 

Bring Cash & Have a Budget:b Having small bills for exact change is a good practice, especially when bargaining. Have an idea of how much you want to spend but leave a little cushion for those "ohmygoodness why didn't I bring more money" pieces. 

Be Safe: We've been to estate sales where sadly the houses were in pretty bad shape. If you have allergies, be aware that there could be lots mold, dust, pet hair, mice droppings etc. Consider if the items are worth the mess and always clean your finds before bringing them into your home. Watch your step as you walk around the houses; sometimes there are a lot of tripping hazards and you don't want to break anything. We personally avoid buying that isn't easy to hand wash and if anything gives us the creepy crawls both literally and figuratively. Keep in mind that some vintage can have lead etc so be careful and do your research. 

P.S. Consider supporting us on Patreon! For as little as a cup of tea, you can get exclusive perks and BTS