When you scroll through estate sale listings, which ones do you click on? Most of us are drawn to the bright, tidy photos with shiny glassware and neat shelves. Creator @macyeleni says she does the opposite. Her hot tip is to go to the sales that look a little dingy in the listing, because those are the ones other shoppers skip, and that leaves you alone with all the fabulous deals.
She backs up the advice with a story from a recent sale. Here is how it went.
@macyeleni
Reading the Clues in Two Photos
The listing for this sale, she says, had just two photos, and neither looked impressive. But she knew right away from what she could see that the clothing was going to be Y2K, the fashion style from the late 1990s and early 2000s that has become popular again. She spotted a pile of Mac makeup in one picture, which told her the owner was likely a style conscious younger person, and that was enough to get her in the car.
It is a good reminder that you do not need a pretty photo to read a sale. Look at the background. What kind of items are on the shelves? What era do the decor and the products suggest? A messy room full of cosmetics, clothing racks or collectibles can tell you more than a staged picture of a single table.
No Line and Barely Anyone Inside
She arrived an hour after the doors opened, which she says she never does. She was worried that everything might be gone. Instead, there was no line and barely anyone else inside. She says she was hit with so much Burberry, and it was really cheap, that she started freaking out. In the next room she found vintage pieces she loves, and she says she found a designer item for just eight dollars and nearly passed out on the spot.
She kept digging, and by the time she was done she had been there somewhere between two and three hours. She says she is thankful she brought her partner, because she needed someone to pile all the clothes on. It was, in her words, a down and dirty kind of sale, and she dove into closets pulling out tracksuits in perfect condition and denim sets in her exact size. She mentions DKNY sets in particular, and says there were so many sets that she left some behind.
Everyone Was Finding Something
At checkout, she says, a group of fellow shoppers behind her were showing off their own finds, including Cavalli and a few other designer labels. Everyone seemed to be finding amazing things. The sale was still going all weekend long, so she encourages anyone nearby to go. She promises that a full haul video is on the way and says it is the best estate sale haul she has ever done.
Why Plain Listings Can Hide the Best Deals
Her advice makes sense once you think about how shoppers behave. Many people choose sales by how attractive the photos are. A cluttered or dim picture can send shoppers elsewhere, so those sales may have shorter lines, lower prices and a better chance of finding what you want. At the same time, the person who took the photos may have simply been in a hurry, and that has nothing to do with what is on the racks.
Here are a few ways to put the idea to use on your next estate sale hunt.
- Zoom in on the listing photos. Look at what is in the background of each picture. Labels on boxes, books on shelves and the style of furniture all give hints about the household.
- Read the description. Many listings mention a collector’s name, a hobby or a decade. Those details can tell you what is hiding in the closets.
- Do not rule out a late arrival. She showed up an hour after opening and still struck gold. If the line looks small, it can be worth going in anyway.
- Bring a helper. Having someone to hold your finds frees your hands to keep digging. If you are alone, ask whether the staff can hold your pile at the register.
- Check the whole house. Closets, bedrooms, garages and basements often hold more than the main rooms.
- Inspect before you buy. Look for stains, snags, missing buttons and broken zippers, especially on clothing from a messy house.
- Plan your budget. It is easy to get carried away when prices are low, so decide what you actually want to keep.
A Few Fashion Notes for Y2K Finds
If you are curious why her find was such a big deal, remember that clothing from around the year 2000 has been trending again. Tracksuits, denim sets and designer labels from that era are in demand with younger shoppers and resellers. That does not mean every tracksuit is valuable, but a tag from a well known label in good condition can be a strong sign. Check the care tag, the zipper and the lining, and compare the style with recent listings online.
Not every dingy listing will lead to a jackpot. Some sales really are just messy. But the next time you scroll past a photo that looks a little rough around the edges, take a second look. As she puts it, those can be the sales that everyone else skips, and that might leave the best deals waiting just for you.
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