As sure a sign of spring as Easter Lilies and filing your taxes, the outdoor sales are back! Estate sales, auctions and yard sales are all out there for your “hunting” pleasure. So what should you watch for this year? What makes the difference between a great find and a “what was I thinking”? Here are my top picks for the spring of 2015 that can save you money and maybe even turn you a profit.
Vintage Fabric — Why go for a knock-off when you can have the real thing? Fabric for throws, pillow, curtains and even reupholstering is an easy find, and can be had at a fraction of the cost that you will pay at decorator shops and fabric stores. Think outside the box on this one. While some unused yardage does surface, don’t overlook the repurposing possibilities of table cloths, drapes and bed covers that can easily be found in the $1-$5 range. And grab those stacks of napkins! Two large size dinner napkins make a wonderful slip cover for your worn pillows!
Art — I am not an art expert, so I buy what appeals to me. The majority of my paintings are from unknowns, and will most likely stay that way. However, I unsuspectingly made a good investment late last summer. On the third day of a neighborhood sale I purchased a work by Indiana artist Jonie Johnson. Hanging on a fence in a neighbor’s yard, overlooked and unappreciated, I took it only because she offered it to me for $10 with a plea to take it home so it wouldn’t go in the trash. A business associate of my husband’s noticed it in my office a few months later and went ga-ga over it! She went home thrilled and I garnered 25 times my investment.
Kitchenware — Tired of paying what Rachael Ray thinks cookware and baking utensils should cost? Glass baking dishes and measuring cups, cookware, full sets of unused stoneware and many other items are available in the $5-$10 range. Collectible Pyrex and Melmac are also good finds if they are scratch free. TIP: watch for sales that are advertised as “combining two households”. I have found many items still in the box from “just marrieds” that were liquidating their unwanted wedding gifts.
Mid Century Office Supplies — Office supplies and desk accessories from 1930-1970 are a hot collectible for 2015. On a recent day of “junking” I found a metal tape dispenser ($3), a metal 1940’s goose neck desk lamp (in need of rewiring but only $8), an 1974 advertising pencil holder ($1) and a Bakelite letter opener (.50). Digging a little deeper in my pockets I also laid down $14 for an antique roll-around solid oak 1940’s desk chair. Total spent $26.50. Reaction from my husband when I decorated his office with my finds . . . priceless!
Toy Cars — Die cast cars come out by the boxes at garage sales and auctions. Most of them will be newer, but take a second look. I have found very early Match Box, Hot Wheels and Tootsie Toy vehicles hiding at the bottom of a box, priced under $1. Already this season I turned $13 worth of cars into $150 on eBay from careful shopping and a little research.
Trophies — Most of the trophies you find are of the MVP high school basketball variety, but occasionally one will surface that has more than sentimental value. Watch for older loving cups and tall vase two handled trophies, as they were often made of sterling silver. They can be sold for scrap and might just finance your “junking” for the rest of the Spring! Until next time………….Linda
Irvington resident Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and the liquidation of estates and may be reached at 317-429-7887 or lkennett@indy.rr.com