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- Presenting... The Estate Sale Issue
Presenting... The Estate Sale Issue
The knock-down-drag-out guide to scoring big (nay, HUGE) at estate sales. By me, an estate sale expert.
Welcome to a very special issue of Hyper Fixated: The Estate Sale Issue. That’s right, it’s an entire issue devoted to a topic even closer to my heart than blue Gatorade.
And just so we’re clear, it’s been persistently requested by an anonymous newsletter reader who I did not bribe. (I really didn’t.) But it does absolutely tickle me, because A. I’m so glad that the Google form is being utilized and B. I’m elated that someone wants me to wax poetic about my most favorite activity in the world.
Nothing gets me going like one of these here signs
“How do you normally find estate sales in the NY or tristate area?” The first query reads.
And, “*Bernie Sanders meme* I am once again asking how you find estate sales in the tristate area,” they followed up.
Well, dearest reader, you’re in luck. I’m scrapping the self-imposed structure of this newsletter for the first time, and I’m putting the usual 2,000 or so words to a singular task: The ultimate guide to estate sales. Let’s begin :)
What Is an Estate Sale, Anyway?
Estate sales happen when someone moves or dies (it’s really not that creepy, I swear), and the owner or family usually hires a company to put the contents of the home up for sale to the public. They’re also called “house sales,” “tag sales,” “moving sales,” or “contents of home sales,” and most often last 2-3 days.
The living room of a particularly enviable home in Montclair, NJ (iykyk)
ICYWW, “estate” isn’t interchangeable with “mansion” in this application, even though the sales are sometimes held in mansions. It’s actually in reference to the legal term “estate,” which is the sum of a person's assets. This means estate sales can happen in a home of any size, and while I love to looky loo in big ol’ houses, the size of the home doesn’t always correlate with quality of sale.
How to Find Estate Sales Near You
The best place to find estate sales is the aptly named EstateSales.net. This site collects listings from estate sale companies, auction houses, and private sellers, and you can filter the posts by zip code, date, and type of sale. Most often, I skip store liquidations, sales “moved offsite,” and online auctions, because the prices tend to be higher and the pickings slimmer.
A photo from one of the best estate sales I’ve ever been to: A dusty old time capsule of a farmhouse in PA.
Most sales run from Friday to Sunday, so I like to check for weekend sales on Thursday evenings. Sometimes, a sale will only be slated to run for one or two days, but estate sale companies will extend them if there’s a ton of interest or a surplus of items yet to be sold. I check the site everywhere I go—if I’m going to be anywhere in the suburbs over the weekend you can bet I’m hitting an estate sale while I’m out there.
What Makes an Estate Sale Worth It?
This is subjective, of course, but since you’ve read this far for my advice, I’m going to tell you how I decide whether or not I’m going to drive out to a sale. Here’s what I look for:
Lots of Photos
Love a creepy doll (just not in my house).
Usually the sales with more photos have more stuff, and when I see 100+ photos on the listing, I’m immediately intrigued. This doesn’t always translate, though, so definitely look through the pics to see if anything catches your eye.
Key Phrases on Listings
See how this house looks scary and abandoned and like hoarders may have lived here at one point? Put me in, coach.
I perk up when I see sales marked with phrases like “picker’s paradise,” “50+ year collectors,” “jam-packed,” “floor-to-ceiling,” etc. because they’re likely to be a treasure hunt.
Lived-In Homes
Any home with completely filled bookshelves is an immediate yes.
Homes that look like they’ve been lived in for decades are the best sales. I almost always skip the more sparse, contemporary homes in favor of dustier, mustier looking ones with stuff piled high. Not only is it more fun to pick through, but usually, with more stuff comes better prices, because there’s only so much the estate sale company can inventory and price.
Things I Always Look for at Estate Sales
Furniture
Can you even imagine how much this mid century wall unit would go for in a vintage store???
You will almost never catch me buying a contemporary piece of furniture, and not because I’m a snob (even though I can be kind of a snob), but because it hurts to fork money over to Wayfair for a piece of particle board and melamine garbage that’s bound to collapse in a few months anyway.
Vintage pieces are just built to last, and while you can shop from trendy vintage resellers who do the hunting for you, they do add hefty markups to make a profit. But have a guess where your favorite Greenpoint vintage store sources their goods? If you guessed estate sales, you were correct. Personally, I always look for solid wood pieces (bonus points for dovetail or similar joinery), well-maintained upholstered items, and things with genuine patina from years of use.
Art & Decor
Jeffery has banned me from bringing creepy portraits like this one home, and while I don’t agree, I oblige.
At least half of the art and decor in my apartment is thrifted, which contributes to the “collected” feeling I’m always aiming for in interiors. It’s also very easy on the budget. Some things I always look out for: large pieces of framed art, solid brass or silver items, oil paintings, handmade quilts, baskets, books, and rugs in good condition.
Kitchenware
Meet me @ the glassware table.
I loooooooove lingering in the kitchen at estate sales. For months, I was collecting vintage blue and white china for our wedding, so I’d beeline straight there, but there are so many good things to find in the kitchens. Utensils, dishes, glassware, old recipe books, dish towels, you friggin’ name it.
Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry
Errrr, hello cashmere coat I got for $2.75.
I’ve found some really cool pieces in the closets at estate sales, and if the owner of the home happened to be your size, you’re in luck. I’m always digging around for wool or cashmere jackets and sweaters, fun button downs, sterling silver or gold jewelry, and bags.
Expert Tips to Live By:
Go early if you want something specific, because there’s no way to pay ahead and reserve it. If you’re a real early bird, you can put your name on the list the company will put on the door of the sale and queue up to be one of the first inside.
That said, if you’re not looking for anything in particular, the best deals are scored on the last day of the sale. There will often be a blanket percentage off of items, or you negotiate lower prices since they’re trying to move inventory.
You can just tell these people had great taste
HAGGLE! I’m serious, don’t be shy. The people who work at estate sales spend their entire day being haggled with (you’ll find that their general cranky attitudes reflect this), so you’re just one of many. It’s awkward, I know, but if something is listed/quoted for $20, just try a polite “can you do $15?” More often than not, it works.
If you’ve got an armful of items you want to buy, offer a price for a “lot” of items. I often get the best deals this way because they’ll either agree right away, or it easily opens up a negotiation.
Ask if there’s a hold table so you can put stuff down while you continue to browse. There’s usually one near the checkout counter that’s loosely monitored by the staff.
You know I drag my girlies out to sales on the weekends.
Look for people who seem to know what they’re doing, and follow them. Are they rooting through the bins of fabric? Combing through a record collection? Googling a piece of furniture? I make a habit of discreetly observing the most educated-looking pickers, and it’s helped me identify the most coveted items at a sale.
Bring snacks, hand sanitizer, and water for when you eventually hit the wall. Mommy’s always got an apple sauce squeezie and a granola bar in the car.
We barely fit this chair and lamp in our tiny old car but we did and it was WORTH IT.
Pee before you go. The cranks who run these sales will be hard pressed to let you use the bathroom—trust me.
Lots of sales accept Venmo or cards, but always bring cash just in case. Cash is king, and you’re more likely to get a better deal with a crisp $20 than if you force them to use the Square app.
If you’re on the hunt for a piece of furniture, make sure you bring a buddy and an empty trunk, because you’ll have to carry it out the same day. They’re trying to get rid of stuff quick, so the chances they’ll hold onto something until you can come back for it are slim.
Need a gift suggestion for your mother-in-law’s birthday? Stuck on how to rearrange the furniture in your living room? Want to know what to do with a jar of marinated artichokes? Come to mama. Hit me up with your questions, and I'll answer them in an upcoming letter.
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