There is something wonderful about a treasure hunt.  Do you remember going on Easter Egg hunts as a child?  Very seldom did we find the golden egg but we always came home with treats.  Or do you remember scavenger hunts where you ran from house to house looking for designated treasures?  These days I’m on the hunt for vintage collectables.

Some of my favorite items to collect are vintage picnic baskets, old watering cans, transfer ware, vintage books, coffee pots and aprons.  Oh yeah, and Pyrex, old recipe tins, soup tureens, blue ball jars and the list goes on. Today I want to share some of my best tips for finding vintage collectibles.

I think we all have a little spark that loves a good treasure hunt.  For me, most of the fun is in the seeking.  The excitement and surprise of what you might find when you go out is worth the effort.  If you are not an avid treasure hunter now, once you get started you will find that it is hard to quit.  Here are some things to keep in mind as the treasure hunting season is upon us.

Tips for getting started hunting for treasure…

Know what you are looking for before you go.

Do you have specific items that you are looking for?  Are you trying to fill in a collection?  Or are you looking for a vintage garden container?  Trying to find a rustic storage container?  Knowing what you are looking for will help determine where you go treasure hunting.  If you have certain items that you want to find, write it down in a small tablet or make a note on your phone.  This way you can always check your list to help jog your memory when you are out shopping.

Keep an open mind and eye.

When you see something that catches your eye think about how you might be able to repurpose it.  Many older containers are great for storage, display, garden plants and decorations for your wall.  However, I would suggest that you be selective.  Only purchase items that you know you have a place for and that you really love.

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Create a plan for your day.

Frequently ‘dropping by’ your favorite thrift store is a good way to find something.  But when you are treasure hunting in earnest, you want to make a day of it.  Decide where you will go and then create a plan or road map of your stops so that you aren’t backtracking.  Here are some places to go when you are treasure hunting.

• Yard Sales:  Pick a neighborhood or 2 to visit.  Or you can go onto Craigslist and pull up all the Yard Sales for the day and decide which ones to go to.  Do this the night before so you can map out your route.
• Thrifting:  Decide which stores you want to hit and then create your list.
• Antique Stores:  Find an area where there are multiple options so that you don’t have to drive all over town to shop.
• Flea market:  Start at one end and work through the booths systematically so you don’t miss anything.
• Vintage or Antique “Show”:  Again move through the rows systematically.  And make a note of any booths that have items you want to check back on.  There is nothing more frustrating than wondering around searching for a specific booth that you can’t find.
• Church Rummage Sale:  They oftentimes will have specific rooms for items such as kitchenware or books.  So choose which items you are most interested in and go to those rooms first.
• Estate Sales:  Go quickly through the house to check for major items and then go back through looking for small things.

Start Early!

The early bird definitely finds the best treasures.  Have everything ready the night before if you are making a day of it.  This way you won’t waste precious shopping time packing your lunch.

Make a quick loop around the show.

Do a quick run around the show to look for any large or standout items.  Yes, you want to be methodical but doing a quick run through can help you to snag a great item that might be gone by the time you get to that booth.  After your quick run through you can go back slowly through the vendors to check out the smaller items.

It’s okay to try to negotiate a lower price.

Vendors often will add in a little margin for haggling.  Sometimes you can combine a few items together and ask for a discounted price.  But don’t be obnoxious about this and don’t ask the same vendor for multiple reductions.

If you love it, buy it.

If you see something that you really love and can’t live without then buy it.  Don’t wait because while you are deciding, someone else will buy it.  If you see an item that you want but just can’t afford, you can leave your number with the vendor to call if they decide to lower their price.

Take time to refuel.

When you are at an all day event such as an outdoor antique show it is easy to forget to eat.  Then you will start to drag and you won’t have the energy to keep shopping.  So plan on having lunch.  Keep in mind that food at these events is usually pretty expensive and not the healthiest.  You can plan on eating show food or you can pack a picnic lunch to enjoy.  I have done both over the years.  At the very least keep a snack in your bag to grab if you need a quick bite.  A small bag of nuts can quickly refuel you.

Be courteous and respectful.

Be courteous and respectful of others who are shopping as well as the vendors.  There is nothing worse for someone who is hosting a yard sale, to have people digging through their stuff while they are still setting up.  Treasure hunting is supposed to be fun.  You should not be rude to the other shoppers or vendors.  Keep in mind that this is just stuff.  Most of us already have enough material things.  So don’t get upset and angry if someone beats you to something you want.  There is always something better out there for you to find.

What to bring with you.

Here are a few must haves to bring with you.  You will find a complete checklist with everything you need for your treasure hunt, at the bottom of this post.

• Your list of what collectibles you are looking for.
• Your plan for the day along with a note tablet for keeping tract of items you might want to check back on.
• Water bottles and a snack.
• Cash, make sure to have some small bills.  Some vendors at vintage shows might also take credit or debit cards, but you won’t find that at a Yard Sale.

Treasure hunting gets into your blood and you might catch yourself thrifting or yard-saling on a regular basis.  We furnished Pinecone Cottage and our mountain cabin with our treasure hunting finds.  Not only is it a less expensive way to find items for your home and garden but it is an environmental benefit as well.  If you are saving an item from going into the landfill that is a good thing.  But it is the thrill of the hunt and the excitement of that special find, that really is at the root of yard-saling, thrifting and antiquing.  Happy Hunting!