a tutorial for the North Florida Craft Revolution by samantha@surfacetoairmedia.com

Thrifting and crafting really go hand in hand. Thrift stores are a treasure trove of supplies for the DIYer - all it takes is a creative mind and sometimes a little elbow grease. Many vintage fabrics, books and jewelry aren't being made any more, and using these items in your craft projects can give you a very unique edge. I just love all the repurposed items on etsy, from tablecloth skirts to Scrabble tile necklaces and everything in between. If you're an experienced thrifter wanting to kick it up a notch, or a newbie who wants to see what the fuss is all about, my tutorial is about how to shop at an estate sale - specifically for crafters!

I remember being kind of nervous at my first estate sale - after all, this is no storefront, this is somebody's home. Yes, it's often somebody who's recently passed away, though sometimes it's merely an older couple who is ready to downsize. Many times there's crowds of people who know each other and appear to be pros. Certainly I figured there would be procedures and etiquette I wouldn't know about, and I found that intimidating. I'm still not an expert, but along the way I've gained confidence and picked up a few tips and tricks to share.

		Estate sales are held every week for several days. Anybody can have an estate sale, but there are a number of local companies who provide estate sale services. You'll be able to find ads for all these in two main places: the local paper and craigslist. On Jacksonville.com, there is a link to the classifieds section on the main page. From there, look under "Events and Notices" for the "Garage and Estate Sales" section. On craigslist, make sure you're on the Jacksonville page, then look under "For Sale" for the "Garage Sale" link. Both sites have lists of sales going on that week. I typically copy and paste the ones that sound interesting into a text file or word document - often throwing a garage sale or two in there for good measure. Estate sales being held by companies will often have their website included in the listing - make sure you check those out. Most companies have a section labeled "upcoming sales" which have pictures of the various rooms of the house. I've found that they tend to focus on the big items, like the antique tables and bedroom suites - but if you are into paper crafting and see a bookcase stacked full of old books, that might be a sale you should plan on checking out.
		Now that you have a list of where to go, it's time to figure out when. Friday has traditionally been "Estate Sale Day," but those liquidation companies often start on Thursday or even on Wednesday nights. Keeping that list in a text file helps me re-arrange the sales by day and time. Sometimes I can hit a few before I go to work, but a lot of them start at 9 am. The pros will be standing outside long before that however - the early bird truly gets the worm. But if you have the opportunity to go to one during your lunch break, take it! It's nice to be able to browse without the early crowd overwhelming you, and you can certainly find cool stuff after 9 am! You may see something in the advertisements about "numbers" - as in, "numbers at the house at 7 am" or something similar. Sometimes a house is too small to admit all the prospective customers in at once, or there's a huge interest in a sale and the hosts want to keep some control of the crowd. They use a number system for admission; this can range from you signing up on a list posted on the front door, somebody sitting outside the house passing out numbered tickets, or anything in between. These methods provides an order without forcing people to stand around in a rigid line - you can get your number, go get some breakfast, then come back and shop. Personally, I don't waste my precious sleeping time on getting numbers. I don't own an antique store and probably never will - it's the pros who will stand in line for hours just to get a number. My theory is that those folks aren't into the same things that we are anyway. A high-end linen collector will disregard a tablecloth with a slight stain, whereas a sewer will look at the same tablecloth and plan how to sew a bag with it in a way to hide that stain. Crafters have the luxury of being able to walk in later and still find good stuff - your mileage may vary. If you have a lot of sales on your list, it can be helpful - not to mention, cost effective given gas prices these days - to map out a route first. Google maps has a new feature where you can add multiple destinations on one map, and it will figure out the driving directions to each point in turn. It's easy to adjust the order of the destinations or to change the paths - check it out!
		Again, planning here is key. Sewers may want to hit the bedrooms first; linens are usually piled up on beds, and closets can be full of vintage dresses and accessories. Living rooms and dens often hold books for the paper crafter, but don't forget the cookbooks in the kitchen! Jewelery designers should stick close to the entrance and the check-out area - jewelry is kept where it can be watched! I am a Pyrex nut, so i end up hitting the kitchen first. Many homes I've gone into have entire craft rooms which can appeal to just about all of us; I see a lot of vintage notions, fabric scraps, old patterns, and instruction books from days gone by. Often times the organizational pieces - shelves, racks, and boxes - are for sale as well. Don't forget to look in the garage, patios and backyards! You may find your arms full of great stuff in no time. There's usually a designated area where you can safely leave your treasures until you're ready to pay for them. If it's not clearly marked, just ask the person at the register - they'll be happy to assist you so you can buy more stuff! Many of the companies have a collection of plastic tubs around and under the checkout table; if you see an empty one, you're free to use it. You just can't take it with you! Most items are clearly priced. Linens are often taped together and sold in bundles. Other items may be grouped together in boxes and sold that way. Items like books may not be individually priced, but you should see signs nearby with price lists - hardbacks for a certain price, softcovers for another. You also may see signs that say bids are happily accepted - but this is for big items like furniture and cars. An advantage to not hitting the sale right as it starts is that prices typically drop as time passes. If a sale starts Thursday, the hosts may mark certain categories of items or the entire sale down by 25% on Friday and 50% on Saturday. The specifics vary by every estate sale - sometimes even between sales by the same company - so make sure you check out the signs as you go in. Once you have everything you're going to buy, just go on up to the person manning the check out table. This isn't walmart, so there's no conveyor belt and no scanner. It's nice if you can help them find the prices on the items, and you're on your own when it comes to bagging your items. Most folks do try to keep some bags and maybe even some boxes on hand, but it's not guaranteed those items will be available.
		Don't try to get in early This is pretty basic and applies to garage sales as well. Again, you can certainly get your number or get in line as early as you like - but if a sale is advertised to start at 9 am, don't go banging on the door at 8:30 am. Don't show up the night before trying to get a sneak peek (drive bys are one thing, just don't stop!) Don't rush or grab I'll be honest, i've NEVER seen people grabbing things out of other people's hands. EVERYBODY at any sale I've been to in Jacksonville has been very, very nice. But it is easy to get excited over something and to accidentally mow down a lil' old lady in your pursuit of the holy grail across the room. Be cool, you'll get there. Do consider your surroundings I've been in some large and luxurious houses on the river, and I've been in some houses that I thought might fall down and take me with 'em. Companies will also take unsold inventory from previous sales and add it to the current sale - so these houses are often full, full full! Leave the big purses, the high heels, and the kids at home. You and everybody else will be more comfortable - and much safer - because of it! Do look everywhere... Some of my most favorite and most treasured finds have been in places I've least expected them. Just recently i found a box chock full of handmade clay flowers in all sorts of shapes, size and colors. They were on the bottom shelf of a bookcase in a dark corner under two other boxes of unrelated items. Dig, girl - you'll be glad you did! Don't forget to look up, too - wonderful things can be lurking on top of kitchen cabinets, top shelves of closets, and even on the walls. But don't look there! Some rooms or areas will be taped off - often times bathrooms or rooms that have been cleared out or designated as reserve spaces. I've heard unbelievable stories of people barging in places they shouldn't. Resist the urge, Nancy Drew. Don't wreck the linens Actually, this goes for any items that are piled up, and is a pet peeve of mine in real stores, too. Somebody has to come along and straighten out that mess you've made, you know. You can look without scattering everything around to the four winds. Also, don't break apart items that have been packaged together - that's a no-no! Do be respectful when you park As nice as I've seen people be inside the house, I've witnessed some real boneheaded moves when it comes to parking at estate sales. Yes, it can be a tight fit in some of the older neighborhoods. Yes, there can be a ton of people, and you may have to "park creatively." But please respect the neighbors! Don't tear up their yards or block in their cars. Don't double park or clog up cul-de-sacs. Drive slowly - people may be carrying large, heavy items and may not see you coming. Be flexible - save the road rage for JTB.
		cash - most companies do accept checks with ID. Private sellers may have a minimum sale amount or not accept them at all. Your debit card will be worthless everywhere. hand sanitizer - I just can't emphasize this enough. You may be touching some questionable things. That's should be all I have to say. allergy medicine - I've learned this one the hard way. Florida's humidity sure does foster mold and mildew, especially in some of the older homes. Those are my big triggers! Additionally you're going to run into a lot of dust and homes of possible inside-smokers and pet owners. If any of these things set you off, bring your drug of choice. bags - you can easily tuck a few grocery store bags in your pocket for your purchases, but you can also spread them out to protect the interior of your car if necessary. flashlight - some of the rooms can be very dark; a flashlight will help you see into that dim closet or behind that stack of boxes.
		Oh, the things I've heard about...just because a bathroom is open for shopping doesn't mean that you can just go ahead and drop trow in there. If you've got to go, ask the host first - there may be a second bathroom allocated for that very purpose. I've also heard about people actually SHOPLIFTING at estate sales - one local company has a ban on bringing your purse inside for that very reason. And did you hear about this local story? The article says it was a garage sale but my understanding it that it was actually an estate sale...so, if you see any live ammo or if something is ticking and it's not a clock - run, run away! Remember - garage sales, thrift stores and estate sales are 50% planning, 50% effort and 50% luck. Keep it fun!