How to shop an estate sale* without regrets. 24 Tips. And my 3 scores.

Or a bazaar or an outdoor market or a yard sale or Brimfield etc.

Greeting House of Findings owner Mayra in her home

There’s a vintage shop, House of Findings, my friend

Christian Botefuhr

and I always love to visit, and one time Christian bought this vintage cone bra there and just attached it (with stick pins!) to a tee. She’s so creative. She tagged the owner, Mayra, who of course took notice. When Mayra planned to move closer to her family, Christian got first dibs to shop her estate sale — and took me along.

With warm weather headed our way (promise), a certain kind of shopping is also coming for us (yes, even for JLo). Yard sales. Open air markets. Travel shopping in that cute little town. They’re all situations RIPE for mistakes, items unworn in our closets, and guilt.

So I went to this Estate Sale with the intention of keeping my wits about me, personally, but also observing what worked so that I could put some tips together for all of you.