The line outside the estate sale started forming before the sun was up. The seller behind the Shiny Brite channel was there at 5 AM and was number two in line, and that early start paid off in a big way.

“Because of that I scored some pretty incredible things,” the seller says. The star of the haul was a giant 1960 Styrofoam fireplace, and grabbing it took some quick thinking.

The whole haul came to just $150.

“Do I Try To Do Both?” The Sprint Between The Living Room And The Basement

The fireplace was sitting in the living room, and it had been shown in the sale listing. Everything else was in the basement.

That left a choice. Grab the huge fireplace and then run for the basement, leave it behind and race downstairs, or try to do both. “I did both,” the seller says. “I ran to the living room, I grabbed this giant piece of Styrofoam.”

The sale only allowed boxes, not bags, so the seller was carrying a box in one hand and the fireplace in the other. A staffer agreed to hold the fireplace behind the counter. The whole detour took about two minutes, and the seller still made it into the basement.

A 1960 Styrofoam Fireplace That Sold For $600 On eBay

“This is a grail piece for sure,” the seller says. It is a 1960 Styrofoam fireplace and it is humongous. It is a little beat up, but it has its original logs.

It used to have a light bulb and a spinning reflector so the fireplace looked lit. The seller calls it incredible vintage Christmas, plans to wipe it down and touch it up with paint, and says the same kind of piece has sold for about $600 on eBay.

“I couldn’t believe it was there at the sale,” the seller says. “I can’t believe I grabbed it.”

An Odie For Janine And A Tabletop Blow Mold Tree

Everything else came out of one box. The seller grabbed an Odie, the Garfield character, for Janine, who had been talking about adding one to the collection after finding Garfield plush at a thrift store.

There was also a small tabletop blow mold Christmas tree that works. It is missing some pieces, but the seller says they are easy to replace, and Janine loves the color. A Royal Light hard plastic Santa blow mold also came home, and he works too.

The seller says a lot of what appears in the video will be for sale this holiday season on Whatnot and Instagram.

Kitschy Reindeer Candle Holders That Were The Reason To Go

The reason for going to the sale in the first place was the listing. The seller saw Commodore reindeer candle holders and knew they were needed.

They originally had chains with little candle climber wreaths, which were missing. The seller found damage on the back of one, but says an epoxy sculpting putty will fix it, and from the front you cannot tell. These are pretty rare ceramics, so finding them even in this condition is really exciting.

Knee Huggers, Sports Santas And Mr. And Mrs. Claus

The box was packed with Christmas ceramics. There were flocked centerpieces from Hong Kong in the 1970s, with knee huggers and angels clinging to big candles. A set of colorful houses in pink, green and purple has windows illustrated in a way the seller says you do not often see.

Mr. and Mrs. Claus have flocking that has gone spotty and orange in places, which is typical, and they were made in Hong Kong. A set of sports Santas was in much better shape, with bright red suits and white beards, and they are playing football, skiing, skating, bowling and tennis.

There was a knee hugging elf made in Korea, which the seller says is unusual because they are typically from Japan, and a Kurt Adler elf with snow boots. A Joseph Santa napkin holder made in Japan was the rare one, and it is staying in the collection.

Repainted Santa Mugs And Halloween Die Cuts

A pair of Japanese Santa mugs had been repainted with poor paint, but the seller says they can be stripped and repainted with enamel. The seller likes finding vintage Christmas that is not in perfect condition because it means more projects.

The seller also could not leave without Halloween. Two Halloween die cuts from the 1970s and an amazing vacuform Halloween display piece came home as well.

How To Win An Estate Sale Like This

The first lesson is to go early. Being number two in line meant first access to everything, and the seller notes this was not a digger sale, where items sit in piles, because everything was laid out.

The second is to read the listing carefully. The seller went because of the reindeer in the photos, and the fireplace was listed too.

The third is to know the rules. This sale allowed boxes but not bags, so bring boxes and plan how you will carry your finds. Ask a staff member if they can hold a big item at the counter while you shop.

Fourth, do not walk away from a flawed piece if you can repair it. Epoxy putty, touch-up paint and a careful cleaning can turn a damaged ceramic into a collector’s item.

Finally, compare prices before you buy and after. A $600 fireplace for part of a $150 total shows how much a good eye and an early alarm clock can pay off.

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