Remember, as a kid, playing Hide and Seek? Treasure Hunt?
You can find treasures at Yard Sales...No need to outgrow that heart pounding, foot tingling, exciting feeling of "GOTCHA!"...Be an Ebay Seller of Vintage Goods! There is nothing more fun, for some, than to find a needle in a haystack, a diamond among the coal, or a Fenton cobalt blue glass slipper at a yard sale...Am I right? Do I lie?
I have been a treasure hunter at heart all my life. I am not an antiques dealer, an appraiser, or a store owner. I am simply a person who is drawn to the possibility that romance and history of an item stays with it, that it's life before I found it is something worth researching and honoring. If you would like to sell more vintage items, here are some resources and tips for finding great items to offer on Ebay.
NOT ALL RESOURCES WILL PAY OFF THE SAME. You have to remember to look for different things at different places, i.e. focus your energy in the places that will have the greater payoff. Yard Sales, Garage Sales & Estate Sales will yield different treasures. (Note: In my city, these sales run Friday and Saturday, with a few stragglers on Sunday. If you can, take a Friday off from work once in a while and go treasure hunting.)
Yard & Garage Sales: You will have to stop at more of these than any other resource to fill your trunk, because people moving or cleaning out the garage typically have less and newer items for sale, not vintage ones. Look for old Christmas ornaments, onesies of old dishes, Pyrex, vintage jewelry, bakelite, cookie cutters and collectible Fireking or Anchor Hocking milkglass mugs.
Estate Sales: You will find that more people attend these sales, there are more rules, there is more 'inventory' to look at because you typically browse through a full household, and you will find a greater variety of treasures here. Get there at least 1 hour early, to guarantee first dibs in the door. Be polite, no pushing or shoving, and follow the rules: If a door is marked "Stay out", then do. I have had the most fun and the most rewarding treasure hunting at Estate Sales. I have found everything from a 1920's train dining car menu to a Victorian Love Token Bracelet from 1800's to a $0.25 ivory corkscrew that sold for $500. Bring your own box or basket, if allowed. Jewelry might be more abundant here, but also much more expensive than at a Yard Sale or Thrift Shop. Look through kitchen drawers and cabinets for bakelite utensils, corkscrews, cocktail stirrers, enamelware, old stacking mixing bowls, vintage bakeware, Swanky Swigs glasses, barware, old cookbooks and recipe boxes, collectible salt & peppers. Check each and every room. Often, vintage linens and aprons are left in cupboards. Look in bookshelves, closets (for vintage handbags and scarves) in the bathroom (for bakelite makeup cases) and in the garage for old Christmas and tools.
Church or School Rummage Sales: Another big favorite, because this is essentially a HUGE multi family sale! Bring your own box or basket, if allowed. And get there early! Scan the tables that you have more of an interest in first: Collectibles, kitchenware, jewelry, glassware. Then move on to books, clothing, housewares. THEN SCAN TABLES AGAIN. The thing about a rummage sale is that ususally, not everything fits out at once, and empty spaces on tables are soon refilled. It's worth it to look through all the bags of costume jewelry, too. Look for old jewelry, vintage handbags, Christmas ornaments, older books, vintage lamps, kitchenware and glasses.
National Thrift Stores: I browse through thrift stores with one thought: I am here to do research, not to buy. You won't find much there like you used to, because of two factors: Thrift store managers use the Internet and Ebay for pricing, and larger thrift stores now run for a profit, more than for humanitarian reasons. Without naming names, these are chain thrift stores. They are closer to antique stores than they want to admit! I have shoppped the thrifts from Los Angeles to Boston to Florida, and have found a few items worthy of resale, but it is a specialized niche, and prices are climbing. Look for flatware, collectible books, jewelry and designer clothing.
Church Thrift Stores: You can still find great deals and collectibles at church thrift stores, but they tend to rely on the congregation's donations, so you might not find new items weekly. Still, a worthy place to shop and support, I always find great bargains and give a 'little something extra' to support the cause. Look for old books, jewelry, designer clothing, vintage gloves, glassware and collectibles.
Auctions: Buyer beware: this is addictive. The fun of the auction and the rush of bidding might set you up to feel like you won great resellables, when you bought too much and spent far too much for your lots after doing a little research. Only bid on what you know. you will not only pay the high bid price, but sometimes tax and always a house 'fee' of up to 10%. And antique dealers are a frequent customer too, so you now have an increase in knowledgeable folks who recognize the same treasures as you do. A fun place to go, but be careful you don't get too wrapped up in the action.
So you see, there is a great number of resources out there for you to explore and enjoy. Bring ing new and exciting things to Ebay is a fun and rewarding hobby. Do your research, be truthful & honest in your listings, and happy selling!
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Orignal From: Estate and Yard Sales: Find TREASURES to sell on Ebay!
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