Does the thought of going on a scavenger hunt, playing hide & seek, or trying to find a needle in a haystack sound like fun to you?? Antiquing, flea-ing, thrifting, estate or garage saling, etc. all require a patience, a challenge, and a strategy not everyone is up for. Also, some shudder at the thought of rummaging through “junk” (treasure), “old stuff” (gems), or to keep it real (sometimes) “dead people’s” things (pre-loved unicorns). However, the greatest achievement comes after the hardest search that results in a treasured find.
Sure, the idea of having a perfectly curated home (or at least one room!) sounds grand …but how do you get there? Let me help you with some tried and true flea market tips.
Flea & Thrift tips:
- Just start! Follow inspirational social accounts and take screenshots, make notes when you visit the homes of friends and family, take pictures at stores and of catalog or magazine articles, and so on. Learn what you like, what you gravitate to, and what catches your eye. You will start to see patterns and trends in your tastes. It can be a little erie even lol! I always look at higher-end retailers for inspiration, like Potterybarn, but find similar items for much cheaper.
- Get an idea in mind. Think of a space, a room, an event…something you’d like to refresh, change, renovate, or plan for. Based on what you find inspires you, pick a theme, a color, a focal point, a style …get something in mind so you can form a base and an idea to casually hunt on.
- Have fun! Don’t let this consume you, don’t feel rushed, and take your time. As you start to search you will learn about what you like AND what you don’t like; all while you have your vision in mind.
- Set a budget and some boundaries. You can’t have all the things and decisions often need to be made on the spot. Just be clear of exactly what you are set out to find. Returns are usually not an option and part of the fun is you never know what else will (or will never again!) come along!
- Be flexible. You don’t always need to head out to the local flea event. Try a thrift store or two. Plus, there is always Facebook Marketplace and eBay for convenient online shopping if you can’t always venture from home.
Take away notes:
It’s fun to have unique and carefully curated things that no one else has, and usually for half the price. So this makes it worth the wait.
Now, let me share some of this past weekend’s finds.
I was at a few different places this weekend…Salvation Army, Utica Antiques Market, and Market in the City. Pictured above is a the perfect french country blue basket (blanket is mine) gifted to me by a friend who is a vintage-lover…this will go perfectly in my french country themed guest bedroom. Along with the other basket pictured here, I found this one at Fort Wayne Market in the City. Seriously, they could almost be a set.
The primitive white shelf will help me create layers on a counter, a dresser, or a closet…I need help creating space on top of things, and this will work great. The blue striped crock will hold a kitchen sponge and the starry night candle holder will…well if you don’t know me, I LOVE a starry night.
In the picture above, there is another primitive white crate that I’ll use to create additional shelf layers. Some fresh cut trees for winter decor. And a crock to hold birch logs in my “woods and whites” themed bedroom.
Lastly, these baskets above were a Facebook Marketplace find. I wanted to share because you never know what and when people are selling things. Plus, it’s a great space to list things you would like to get rid of or that just don’t end up working in your space.
As you can see, this is a random collection of items but all are intended for a purpose. Once you understand what it is you like and are looking for you may have many projects or ideas you are shopping for, in mind.
Again, just start! Don’t get overwhelmed. You will become a natural and start to understand and be strategic in what you are on the hunt for. A steal versus a splurge is always the way to go!
