While traveling in Maine, for example, she noticed that “even local Goodwill stores were full of vintage Americana with a New England twist, like ceramic lobster dishes and perfectly worn LLBean sweaters.”
Chamlee makes it a point to save money on nearly every domestic vacation she takes, visiting chain retailers, charity shops and more. We chatted with her and other flea market enthusiasts for tips on locating and transporting treasures big and small. Here are their suggestions.
Do your research. Make a plan before you pack. You will want to get an idea of the area and what it has to offer in terms of furniture and decor. “Florida, for example, is full of all the glamour, rattan and wickerwork of Palm Beach you could want, while Detroit came of age mid-century, so you can expect to find some very good midrange parts,” Chamlee says. She often checks social media for pictures of a store’s offerings before visiting. “Online reviews don’t go very far,” she says, “particularly because other buyers don’t necessarily share your tastes or aesthetics.”
And figuring out what you need before you hit the road can help streamline shopping, says Andrea Heinrichs, a registered nurse in Toledo who is behind the @love_in_1000_square_feet Instagram account.
Pack accordingly. Bring an extra suitcase or stuff a collapsible tote in your luggage, says Dana Curatolo, who sells vintage finds through Archive, an online store based out of her home in Jersey City. If you score treasures, just check the largest suitcase on the flight home. Chamlee recommends traveling with a tape measure, so you can confirm if something will fit in a vehicle or under an airplane seat. “If it doesn’t fit, I can get a general idea of the cost of shipping the item home using the item’s measurements and an online shipping calculator,” she says.
Weigh the cost of transportation. There are many ways to ship furniture, so even if all you brought with you for shopping was a tote bag, that doesn’t mean you can’t hop on that dreamy brass shelf that you found. Chamlee says Greyhound (yes, that Greyhound) will ship large items across the country (check shipgreyhound.com for a fee), while other services, such as uShip, can connect you with carriers in your area. She also rented a U-Haul to transport items. But weigh the costs before you buy. “If I’m not close enough to home to warrant it, I try to avoid taking anything too big,” says Chamlee. “Be as practical as possible. You might find a lot of stuff saving 20 hours from home, but if it doesn’t fit in the car or on the plane, it could end up costing you an arm and a leg to get it home. home.
Don’t forget garage sales. Alexandra Sammons of Ann Arbor, Michigan also enjoys yard sales while on vacation. “It’s such an amazing way to see cute little neighborhoods and get a real sense of the city,” says Sammons, who launched her resale shop, House of Sammons, in 2020. In addition to finding gems , you can also receive insider travel tips. while chatting with locals. It’s easy to find garage sales and estate sales nationwide by visiting websites such as Craigslist, AuctionNinja, and real estatesales.net. Sales are often announced weeks in advance, so it’s worth spending a few minutes online in the days leading up to your trip.
Become a regular. If you’re going to be in town for a while, consider visiting the same thrift store multiple times. In addition to being able to profit from the evolution of stocks, you can also appreciate the sense of routine. Heather Clawson, founder of lifestyle blog Habitually Chic, recently spent a month in Paris, where she visited the Marché aux Puces de Vanves weekly. She bought six paintings from this market during her stay. “I was sad when I had to tell my favorite retailer that I was going back to the States,” she says. “Going once a week made me feel more like a local and less like a tourist.”
Sarah Lyon is a freelance writer and stylist in New York. Find her on Instagram: @sarahlyon9.
