Estate Sales: 4 Items to Nab and Grab

After having finally moved into your own place and out from under the burden of a shared living arrangement, it’s time to decorate.

This is your chance to outfit your interiors in the colors, textures and all of the other gorgeous little things you have been waiting to buy since earning your first paycheck five years ago. Now that you have the money to decorate your space, it’s time to do the fun part: shop!

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Hold on, pump the brakes. We’re getting a little bit ahead of ourselves. Before you go out and buy up every posh little object d’art you see, you’ll need to have a plan. In what type of style do you want your interiors to be fashioned? Do you want to go with retro chic or contemporary minimalism? Maybe you’re looking to mix and match styles, eclecticism being more your vibe. Whatever it is, you’ll need to know what you want before hitting the shops and estate sales; otherwise, you’ll have more than you know what to do with!

Speaking of estate sales, here are four items to nab before the family realizes they’re selling priceless décor items!

Picture Frames

Adorning your walls with a mixed variety of framed art can get expensive, especially when you have your art pieces custom-framed.

Instead of heading to a custom framing shop that will overcharge you for their services, take the measurements of the art pieces and photographs you need framed and then look to see where estate sales are happening in your area. You’ll find an assortment of frames varying in styles, sizes and colors. You can find a thick gilt picture frame alongside a sleek thin black frame, their contrast showing you how your gallery wall could look. If you like the style of the frame but aren’t wild about the color, all you’ll need to do is paint it! You’ll be saving money and decorating your home with unique finds.

Books

Are you an avid reader proud to display your book collection? Do you pride yourself on finding first print editions? Buying online or in-store adds up fast, but funding your collection at an estate sale, well, that’s a different story.

People typically host estate sales because they want to be rid of items they believe they no longer need. Books are some of the first things to go. Unfortunately, people tend to think that once they’ve read a book all the way through, there’s no more use for it. You know differently. The books lining your shelves have been read multiple times, with some read once every year. How could you not read Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women at Christmas every year?

You can find first editions of all of your favorite books sold inexpensively at these sales. Imagine having first editions!

Light Fixtures

As you no doubt already know, the cost of light fixtures doesn’t run cheap. Depending on the style and designer, a light fixture can cost you hundreds to thousands of dollars. You can find cheap table lamps at estate sales that require a simple a lampshade change or spray painted base.

But, some things are worth buying brand new, especially when you have the means to do so. If you’re looking to update your formal dining room, consider getting a crystal chandelier with retailers like Lumens. Owning a crystal chandelier tells your house guests that you have made it; you have reached the point in your life where you can afford nice things and live your life as you see fit.

Glassware

Bad for estate sale hosts but good for estate sale enthusiasts, estate sale hosts generally don’t know the value of the items they are selling, particularly when it comes to glassware. Because they are so desperate to get rid of what they’ve written off as junk, they’ll sell a set of atomic highball glasses for $3 when they’re worth tens to hundreds of dollars. The Huffington Post writes that “you can find colorful vintage pieces, or plain old pint glasses” that will update your glass collection and up your décor style.

There is no harm in buying items second-hand, just keep in mind that some items are worth owning brand new. Decide what your home needs and start scouting!