Estate Sale Finds

This morning I headed to Nixa for an estate sale and found several great items. I bought myself a vintage skirt and shirt combo in a navy and red stripe. It will be perfect for working at the office once I do some tailoring (I am short, so hemming skirts is generally a must). I also found some vintage anchor earrings that coordinate very well with a white and gold necklace I bought last weekend. I scored a 75 cent shirt for my husband for Christmas and a floraly queen sheet set (pictured above) for $3. Here are a few tips for your estate sale finds.

• Do remember to wash anything you purchase at a sale before you use it. Sometimes that's all an item needs to really make it shine.
  
  
• Some items are great buys because they are so much cheaper than paying retail. I will only buy some items secondhand. Estate sales are great places to get hangers, trivets, hand towels in unique patterns, sheets, and miscellaneous kitchen items like grapefruit spoons.
  
  
• Check items thoroughly for stains and flaws. They can be difficult to see inside someone else's house.
  
  
• Think creatively about small changes. I have to hem and take in vintage clothing all the time because of my small stature.
  
  
• Use items in new ways. You can turn vintage jewelry into magnets, shoe clips, pin brooches to your handbag, or clip earrings to the edges of your curtains. Vintage sheet sets make great fabric for dresses and craft projects.
  
  
• If you're hesitant to buy something, go back on the last day of the sale when it will likely be 50% of the original price. I use this method when buying items I'll be reselling.