Hello! Today I'm bringing you a very special post about something that's dear to my heart! My best antiquing/ thrifting/ vintage hunting tips. Hooray! I am by no means an expert, but I have been doing this since I was a very young. I mean, not too many little girls were obsessed with antiques when I was growing up. It was kind of a strange thing to be interested in, but I loved old things so much. Growing up I preferred more of a classic Victorian style. I liked the real antique look. Now I'm more into mid century modern pieces. And that was mainly brought on by our purchase of our first home, which is a sweet and super mid century 1950s home. Everywhere you turn theres a cute 50s detail, which makes my heart just melt. I'm living in a vintage home full of vintage things! What more could a girl ask for?!
But whatever I'm hunting, I always follow the same mental guidelines. Because I have so many "rules", I thought I would post them weekly; five points a week! Instead of all at once, because that can become a little overwhelming. You can savour them. It's better that way, right? Yeah!
#1 Know What You Love
Take a look at what you're drawn to and what you usually buy. This is your thrifting personality. You may not see it right away, but there's a pattern there! You're unique! This will help you determine your style and what you should be studying up on to get the best items for the best deals. Do you like a certain era? Focus on that and learn all you need to know.
#2 Study Up!
This is my favourite rule. It will help you, so you don't get taken advantage of by people selling things at too high of a price. Just like I said in number three, focus on your style. Note the prices of things everywhere you go. Check antique stores, thrift stores, the internet, books at the library and at the book store. Anywhere! Notice where it's highest and where it's the lowest. In doing this you can find a general worth of an item. Now you won't make mistakes. (Well, it can still happen, but now you've prepared yourself to make less.) Getting a deal on an antique or vintage item is the best thrill of all. Don't stress about memorizing prices. I promise you'll get the hang of it. Writing them down and making lists helps too.
#3 Make a List
Having a list of your wants and dream items will keep you focussed and streamlined. When you get confused, pull it out and read it. This can prevent over-buying too. If you don't have the room for it, you don't want to get overwhelmed and buy something you can't store in your home.
#4 Does it fit your theme?
Now I'm not saying everything you get has to be in the same theme or from the same era. Totally not true at all. In fact mixing eras is the best and most personal way to go. This guideline simply means, can you see it in your home, meshing with everything you already own? Can you make this item work in your space? These are the best questions to ask when you've spotted an item you didn't know you needed or wanted. This happens. Be prepared! If you can picture it somewhere, that's a good sign. Maybe it's worth considering.
#5 Never buy just for the sake of buying!
Are you about to leave empty handed? Please don't grab whatever's closest to you and purchase it. Just stop. Don't panic. Don't feel sad. This happens to everyone for whatever reason. Maybe the prices are too high. Maybe you just didn't see anything. What I always tell myself is that I just saved that money for something else. Theres a special antique out there waiting for me to find it, and that money was saved to buy that one specific thing later on. And believe me, you'll find that one specific thing and it will feel really great to own it!
That's 5 tips! We're done for today! I hope you enjoyed these and you'll practice using them on your next thrifting hunt. See you at the Antique Store!
Love,
Marissa
No comments:
Post a Comment