THRIFT YOUR WAY

Estate sales

A company prices everything in a home and opens it to the public, usually for two or three days.

Good for: Furniture, art and frames, kitchenware, jewelry, whole collections
When to go: First morning for the best pieces, last day for bargains
Paying: Ask first: many take cards, some cash only

How it works

Photos go up a few days ahead. Many sales share the street address only the day before.
People line up early on the first morning. Some sales hand out numbers before the doors open.
You carry what you want to the checkout. Bigger pieces get a sold tag and a pickup time.
Prices drop as the days pass. The last day is often half off.

Go through the listing photos first and note what you’re after, so you head straight to it.
Go the first morning for the best pieces. Go back on the last day for bargains on what’s left.
If they hand out numbers, get one early, then come back for the opening.
Check every room, including the garage, basement and closets. Small things hide in drawers.
On bigger pieces, ask whether they’ll take an offer on the last day, and leave your number.

EstateSales.NET
The biggest list of estate and tag sales, with photos a few days ahead. Sign up for its email of sales near you.
Go to EstateSales.NET (opens in a new tab)
EstateSales.org
More estate sales, often from different companies.
Go to EstateSales.org (opens in a new tab)
Estate sale companies near you
Your map app, on the companies around you. Many post only on their own sites.
Open your map: estate sale companies near you (opens in a new tab)

Look over a sale
Send the listing’s screenshots and Research tells you what looks worth the trip.
How Look over a sale works
Research
At the sale, snap a piece for a rough value before you decide.
On Scan, tap Research beside the shutter, then snap.
How Research works
Framing Bench
Check a frame’s opening right there and see which of your art fits it.
How matching art and frames works

The sites here belong to other companies. None of them pays to be listed.