How To Source Vintage : Estate Sale Edition

I have been going to Estate Sales since I can remember. I started off venturing out with my mom when I was little and have continued going, searching for both household goods and items for my business. While I have never run an estate sale myself, I have been to enough over the last two decades to know a thing or two about them. This blog post is devoted to sharing what I’ve learned about them based upon my own experiences. You might be asking yourself “Why a huge post about just estate sales?” Well, if you have never been to one before it is helpful to know what you are getting yourself into, as they can be a bit overwhelming. And if you have already been to some and find them daunting, it’s helpful to know you are not alone! For a whole list of other ways to source vintage click HERE.

Sourcing for Vintage - Are estate sales worth it? 

YES! Let me preface this by first saying that I (and my mom) have found some of our best vintage pieces at estate sales. This includes all types of vintage -clothing, home goods, decor, and even incredible pieces of furniture. From my experience, most estate sales are incredible treasure troves of vintage gems . . . sometimes it can even feel like stepping into a time capsule! Now, are all estate sales incredible? No, at least not for vintage. Some estate sales have a more modern focus. But that is why you need to do your homework BEFORE you go, so you can weed out the ones that are not right for you. 

Some vintage finds from a local estate sale

Tips and tricks before your next Estate Sale :

How do I find a good estate sale? 

You can find estate sales posted all over the internet - sometimes they are legit and sometimes they are not - so just be careful! I tend to stick with those hosted solely by estate sale companies for peace of mind. That’s not to say other forms are not good, it’s just good to be cautious. For me, the best place to look is estatesales.net - they even have an app now! From their website you can easily filter for the type of sale you are looking for, the dates you want to go, and the distance. I find it to be very user friendly. 

Once you have your filters set, search for local (or maybe not so local) sales! Most of the time each sale will have a number of images to give you a taste of what they will be selling. This is usually just the tip of the iceberg as they can’t photograph everything. If it's a sale that is a few weeks out, sometimes the estate sale company has not upload their images yet, so just give it time and check back in. I have even seen some list photos the day before. So make sure you are also reading the profile of the sale so you know if it’s a good one to keep on your radar.

Now for the tricky part . . . strategy. I make sure to study up on those images. If I see a closet stuffed to the gills with clothing - I look closely. I blow up the image and see if there is anything that may look vintage (i.e. fabrics, patterns, cuts, labels). Understandably, these companies usually don't have time to take pictures of individual pieces, so a lot of time you will see just one image with everything laid out on a table, or a cabinet open with a ton of items inside. Sometimes they will even lay multiple items onto a bed, even stacking items on top of each other! So take your time and look closely at those pictures! 

So why do all this? Two reasons: First, it helps to determine if it's worth going. A lot of times, estate sales are far away and it is important to determine if its worth it. For me, I need to determine if it's worth my gas mileage and time away from other work I could be doing - I am running a business after all! Second, if it is a good estate sale for me, looking at images closely tells me stuff like where to check for vintage first once I am admitted into the building.

A sign directing me to a sale while out on a recent sourcing trip

How do I prepare for an estate sale? 

If you have never gone to an estate sale before, you may be thinking to yourself “Why do I need all this information?” Trust me . . . you'll want to be prepared! 

First thing you need to know is that estate sales tend to start early in the morning. Most estate sale companies will write at the top of their next estate sales’ page what time they start and how they run their sales (as well as what payment methods they take). So you need to pay attention to this information, especially if you want to be one of the first people inside. 

Now, here is the . . . well . . . not so fun part in my opinion. 

Say an estate sale says “Doors open at 8 am, numbers or sign up sheets start at 7am” . . . or something along those lines. If it is a sale with coveted pieces, it has been my experience that people will generally start lining up at 5am and sometimes even earlier, unless there is an ordinance against it or it's a gated community or whatever. This seems to be especially true in larger metro areas- which makes sense given there are more people. But just so you know, I have NEVER been to a sale that early. For me personally, the stress of being alert and cold is not worth any new inventory. And as a result, I have never been the first one into any estate sale in my life. While I know I have missed out on some cool pieces, I still think I come away with some pretty great finds! 

So you want to know what I do? I try my best to get there about 15-20 minutes before they say either numbers are given out or a sign up sheet goes up, unless it expressly states that you cannot be there before a certain time. If there is a sign up sheet at the door, I sign it given they are usually already posted by the time I get there. Yes, it has been my experience that these sheets are usually out earlier than they state online. If numbers are to be given out instead, I have found that people tend to line up well before the company says numbers are given out . . . so just get in line and follow suit. 

Our numbers - My mom and I love doing Estate Sales together

Once you have your spot in line, pay attention! About 50% of the estate sales I have been to have said something along the lines of “If you leave, you lose your place in line!” . . . even if your name is written down. This is the part of the process that really sucks, especially when it's cold outside. Make sure you have everything you need from your car before you line up and come prepared for the elements! Wear comfortable clothing and shoes because you may be waiting in line for a long time. A lot of people bring a big reusable bag and a book to read in line. Another helpful hint: I know it's early and you probably drove a long way to get there, but don't chug all the coffee - you WILL need to go to the bathroom. Just be mindful. 

So - I made it inside the sale, where do I go first? 

My first tip is to ask where the items you are looking for are as you walk in. Once admitted, I ask “Where are the vintage clothes” and generally people are kind enough to give a response like “upstairs” or “in the back”. This information may seem vague, but it is incredibly helpful to point you in the right direction to save you time. I will warn you, sometimes people will say something snarky like “inside.” It’s ok! Just shake it off, they probably just haven't had enough coffee yet. 

When you are inside the building, you should know that things can get pretty hectic. While it is not always like this, in my experience most of the time if you are there early on the first day there seems to be this mad and crazed dash towards absolutely everything, with some people literally sitting on things, pushing others out of the way, and in some cases just grabbing absolutely everything in sight - even if they have no intention of buying it. It can be extremely overwhelming, especially if you don’t like crowds. My best advice for you is just breathe deeply and proceed forward. If you need a little break, most sales will let you step outside without needing to be reissued a number. And remember, if it gets to be too much, you can leave! 

Once I am admitted, I tend to calmly head towards the “vintage” room(s) - there is no need to run, even if  someone else is because all it does is makes someone fall or run into another individual (I have seen it happen a dozen times). I would say too, communication is key. Say things like “behind you” or “on your left” especially if someone has a lot of pieces and can't really see you. When you find the vintage mother-load you need to understand that there is probably enough to go around and there is no need to hoard, it's not polite. If I am in a room with just one tiny closet and people are waiting behind me, I go through as fast as I can and I tell people “I am sorry, I am going as fast as I can . . . give me like one more minute and it's all yours!”. I have found when you communicate others are less likely to hover or worse, nudge you out of the way! Which can happen too… though not often, thankfully…

Some vintage dress and aprons recently found from an estate sale - when found, pieces are not yet clean and mended.

Now, the biggest thing people seem to miss are the boxes and tubs of clothing. I have found some incredible treasures digging around for things in basements and attics. But you need to also be prepared for some really gross stuff. It doesn't always happen, but sometimes those boxes haven’t been touched in decades . . . and let’s just say you should be prepared and bring some hand sanitizer. It may be gross - or at the very least musty and dusty - BUT, obviously, the clothes all need to be cleaned anyway so the gross factor doesn’t really matter. It is all a necessary part of this business and it's what we do in order to save those beautiful pieces from landfills! It’s also important to note that most of these pieces will need some form of mending as well. We don’t just buy these things and turn around the next day to sell them. A lot of time and money goes into their restoration.

What about multi -day sales ?

Many estate sales run for more than one day. The first day of an estate sale is generally the full-priced day. You may be paying a bit more on the first day BUT you are more likely to find the items you came for. On subsequent days, sometimes a company may have discounts running to clear an estate out more fully. The best part is, subsequent days tend to be much more calm - at least in my experience. You usually don’t even need to worry about arriving early either! BUT by going on later days, you risk the items you want already being sold to someone else.  So it is really up to you and what your preferences are. I do a bit of both methods, depending on the type of mood I am in.

Final thoughts… 

I recognize that this all might be a bit overwhelming to you. I fully admit that I am someone that has very mixed feelings about estate sales. While I love what I find and I love the prices, the environment can be extremely stressful for me personally - I don’t like crowds. But I know many others who love the whole process - so you be the judge for yourself. If your are still on the fence, I recommend that you at least try one out maybe on the second day just so you know what to expect. If you want to go to one on the first day and early in the morning, I suggest you maybe bring a friend if it's your first time. I have found that it can be much more enjoyable to have someone to talk to and to have someone help you go through things. Bringing a friend can also keep you focused and on budget. While rare, it is important to note that some estate sales can have prices on pieces that are comparable or even higher than retail! Just be mindful of this so you don't get caught up in the craze and spend money on something that really isn't worth it.

Now go and try it out! I bet that you will find some incredible vintage pieces. 

One of my last vintage hauls - 2 giant bags worth of goodies!