what's in your attic?

Whenever I go to a flea market and see rows of cardboard boxes, whether on the ground or placed upon tables, I get excited. The people that display these boxes are the true junkers, the true gems of the flea market. Sure, they could have amassed this plethora of stuff over the course of their lifetime... but most likely, they are attic pickers, estate buyers, and locals at auctions. These are the people that buy lots - multiple boxes at a time, whether it be from an estate sale or a Friday morning auction. Many times,these are the best people to buy from. They have boxes & boxes of stuff and want to get rid of everything in order to unload & have room for more.Some know the contents of the boxes & others don't. Some do have low prices & others vary.

Bundling is one of the best options of buying at a box lot. I often will look through the boxes and gather my finds along the way, waiting until I am done looking to ask for a final price. Often times, this is the best option depending on the number of people looking... if it's busy, you don't want to have to waste time waiting to get the seller's attention for the price of one item. Bring your finds to the seller and ask how much... sometimes the seller will want to look at each item and other times they just take a general glance at your pile. If the price is right and one that you are willing to pay, purchase. Again, I always try to go into a purchase with a price that I would like to pay and a price that I won't pay - makes things easier when the number is stated.

Most importantly.... DIG!! Don't just stand above the boxes and glance down to what is right on top. Crouch down and actually rummage through the boxes. Get your hands dirty from the dust and dirt of the objects. Be careful when going through the boxes - watch out for any sharp objects and be cautious of the seller's items. You don't want to break anything or cause anything to chip or crack. Don't be afraid to dig - you never know what could be laying at the bottom of a box!


~ Flea Fact ~
Bring hand sanitizer/wet wipes. Going through the box lots can leave your hands less than clean, so be prepared with sanitizer or wipes to get your hands clean for further looking & enjoying the flea market food vendors!