Have you ever been to an estate sale? Vintage estate sale steals are easily the most affordable way to acquire beautiful vintage and antique items for your home! Out of all the possible ways to thrift, estate sales consistently produce the most amazing vintage finds in my experience and often at garage sale prices!

What is an Estate Sale?

An estate sale is like a super garage sale! The family is typically selling the home as well, and an estate sale is a method of liquidating all the items within the estate. Items within the home are priced and marked, and the public is invited into the home to browse and purchase. As the customer, you are free to walk through every room of the house that is not blocked off and view the items for sale.

To find estate sales in your area check craigslist, facebook marketplace, or estatesales.net

Why are Estate Sales a Gold Mine for Vintage Steals?

Most often estate sales contain the belongings of an elderly person who has passed away or is downsizing to live in a smaller space. This means you will find many vintage and antique items they have acquired throughout their life. Sometimes the seller knows the worth of the items and they are priced accordingly. Often those valuable items are grouped together in one area. This tends to happen when the estate sale is hosted and operated by an estate sale company.

Occasionally though, the family members of the home owner will host the sale on their own and that can be the time to score big at great prices! I often find these privately hosted estate sales listed on craigslist or facebook marketplace. So keep checking marketplace and go early! Just like a garage sale, estate sales are first come first serve.

What Vintage Estate Sale Steals am I Constantly Looking For?

I definitely have a method as I go through the home. There are certain rooms I always hit at estate sales and specific items I always look for. Be sure you don’t neglect to check the basement, garage, and backyard. I have discovered some of my best estate sale steals in those rooms!

Estate sales can be overwhelming to enter into, so having a plan and a list of what you are looking for can really help streamline the whole process.

Here is the list of what I’m always looking for at estate sales.

1. Vintage Dishes

I love looking at the dishes at estate sales! Most of the antique ironstone I own I have found at estate sales and at really low prices! It takes a little bit more hunting this way, whereas at an antique store you can always find ironstone but often at a premium price. I have never paid more than $8 for one piece at an estate sale, but often the price is just a a few dollars or less.

Here are some examples of vintage and antique dishes I have found at estate sales:

2. Vintage Frames and Art

There is something so special about a vintage frame and they are one of my favorite kinds of vintage estate sale steals! I look for frames that are thinner, with a slight amount of detail, and with weathered, muted colors. I buy them empty or filled. You can always change out the art!

One of my favorite estate sale steals is actually a book of frame-able Monet Art pieces! I got it for one singular dollar! Such an incredible steal!

And since I have a habit of picking up empty vintage frames for a dollar or two at estate sales, I have so many beautiful options with which to frame these stunning Monet’s.

3. Faux Florals

In my experience, it has been very common at estate sales to come upon an abundance of faux florals. I will pick through and find the ones that look most realistic and fit my farm cottage style. I choose florals that I imagine would be grown in an old cottage garden, such as peony’s, hydrangeas, roses, tall delphinium, small delicate florals, and alway greenery.

I Iook for realistic quality and I look for muted green, blue, cream, and pink tones tones. I’ve found that too bright of a green often looks fake.

4. Linens

All the linens! I mostly look for pretty throw blankets, lacy white pillowcases, white tablecloths, and cloth napkins. I also usually look at bath towels. We always need more towels in this house with all the boys I have running around, and they are so easy to sanitize in the washing machine.

One of my very favorite vintage estate sale steals is this beautiful white fringed tablecloth ( pictured below) that I actually use as a throw blanket. It’s permanent home is this basket.

This large basket, found on facebook marketplace, is actually filled with toys. I drape the tablecloth over the top to cover up the toys, and It becomes this beautiful decor element full of texture.

5. Vintage Books

Vintage books can be found in abundance at estate sales. I’m looking for books with the old linen covers in a certain color pallet. Keeping an eye out for grays, greens, and blues are my go-tos.

I love using vintage books in my decorating and it can be a great way to change up colors for the seasons. They are also perfect for stacking and creating levels on shelves and mantles.

6. Baskets

For whatever reason, I often find baskets in the basement or in the garage at an estate sale. When I shop for baskets, I’m looking for something that either has a flat back so it can be hung on the wall, a unique shape or weave, weathered color, or a general vintage vibes. I have never paid much more than a few dollars for a basket at an estate sale, unless it’s really large.

One of my favorite estate sale steal baskets (and art frame actually) can be seen in the photos taken for my DIY Vintage Curtains from a Bedskirt Tutorial!

7. Furniture

Estate sales can be an excellent place to look for vintage and antique furniture. These items are usually advertised and can be the first to go. If you’re going for the furniture, go early!

Two of my very favorite furniture finds have come from estate sales.

I found this dresser that is currently serving as our TV stand. I love the cottage charm it adds to our living room!

And this gorgeous marble side table. I’m in love!

8. Small Wall Shelves and Peg Racks

Creating cozy little nooks can give all the cottgecore vibes and you need vintage wall shelves and peg racks to create them! Vintage wall shelves and peg racks are something that i easily find at estate sales and because they are vintage, they are often solid wood.

They look beautiful painted of course, but with solid wood you can also sand it down to raw wood for a gorgeous finish!

9. Kitchen Utensils

Getting a bit more practical, I always look through the kitchen utensils. I find that older kitchen items can be so much sturdier than our modern plastic ones.

I remember cooking with my grandma in her farmhouse kitchen, and using a kitchen tool that her father had made. She said it was her favorite tool and she used it constantly. Her mother had used it before her, she is still using it all these years later and it has never needed repairs.

I always look for beautiful wooden spoons and wood rolling pins as well!

Here are some of my favorite wooden spoons and vintage kitchen gadgets I’ve collected from estate sales:

10. Household Goods

This may not be for eveyone, but you can buy so many random household items at estate sales. At the last sale I was at they had a ton of half used scotch tape dispensers for a quarter each. I grabbed them all because my children go through tape like nobody’s business and it saved me a ton of money!

I have bought paper plates before, curtains rings, and even spray paint! Keep your eye open for what you use often in your home because you might find it at an estate sale. It might be slightly used but I bet you it will be less than half the price of buying it retail.

11. Tools

Tools can be so expensive brand new, and they are so sturdy that they are often just as functional used. You can get high quality rakes, shovels, and hand tools for just a few dollars at estate sales.

One of my favorite things to look for are these vintage brooms and whisk brooms. I love the old fashioned feel they bring into the home and they add beautiful texture to a space.

12. Household Exteriors

Need a new hose, garden stone, or patio furniture? These are awesome things to grab on the cheap at an estate sale!

My favorite outdoor estate sale steal to date has to be these patio seat cushions.

I got enough cushions to cover 5 chairs for just $5! Brand new these things are crazy expensive. As in, upwards of $20 a cushion and $20 is if it’s a deal.

These just needed a little cleaning, and some sanitization in the sun, and I felt totally comfortable using these for my family patio set.

My boys got into bird watching this past spring, and we were able to grab this little bird house for la couple bucks at an estate sale!

I hope you enjoyed this little window into what vintage estate sale steals can be found at really great prices!

When you hit up your first estate sale, use my 12 vintage estate sale steals as a guide to work your way through the rooms. Hopefully having this list can help you feel like you’ve hit all the good spots and you’re not leaving any undiscovered treasures behind.

Are you an estate sale shopper? I would love to hear about some of your finds in the comments! If you’ve never been to an estate sale, I hope this post can give you the confidence to go and check one out!

Have a beautiful day friends!

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