EstateSales.NET Blog

What child of the eighties didn’t covet a Cabbage Patch Kid ? I had one—a boy named Sheldon Percy, with brown, curly hair, and a green football jersey. My sister was blessed with two: a girl and a preemie. And now, 30 years later, she can’t remember either of her Cabbage Patch Kids’ names. Who was the better parent, I ask you? The Kids are gone now. I assume they’re all living happy, healthy lives. But do they call to check in? No. Of course not. Not even on Christmas. Not even to say hello. Where did we go wrong? Cabbage Patch Parenting is hard. Vintage Kids are still sought out by collectors. Doll aficionados, children of the 80s with fond memories of Christmas morning, parents of the 80s with stories to tell about the time they got into fisticuffs at Child World—the Cabbage Patch adopts out to all of them. But if you’re looking to start a collection, or maybe just find yourself drawn to one at an estate sale, it’s important to know what you’re looking at, so you know if you’re about to get a good deal...

Look. I know it feels like summer has only just begun, but there are only a few short weeks before school is back in. So the prospect of shopping for school supplies looms large, and grows exponentially, depending on how many kids you have returning to the classroom. And heaven help you if you’ve got kids heading to college. The costs add up. But before you head to your local big box store to buy new-fangled supplies for each of your kids, might I recommend spending the next few weeks browsing your local estate sales to supplement your ever-growing list of needs and wants. There are, of course, items that are difficult to find at estate sales. If your child requires a five-pack of tissues, a 24-pack of a specific brand of pencils, three glue sticks, and two packs of loose-leaf wide-ruled paper, you’ll probably have to buy them retail. But estate sales are a treasure trove for those looking to save some money on school supplies. Here are just a few ideas. Books At almost any given estate sale, you’re going to find shelves upon shelves of books ...

You come to EstateSales.NET to find estate sales in your area quickly and easily. We want to ensure that it stays that way. As we've grown, we've made changes to the site. Some have worked well, while others not-so-well. We’ve gotten a lot of feedback since our last major update. Much of it was positive, but it was clear there was room for improvement. Before we get started on our latest round of improvements, we want to hear from you. Please take this brief survey , so we can determine how best to enhance your EstateSales.NET experience. Here are some of the more common issues that were brought to our attention following our last major update: Too much to see Depending on the area you’re searching, you might find your results a bit overwhelming. In some parts of the country, a 100-mile radius will give you results that are, perhaps, a bit too far out for your tastes, but not an unreasonable distance if you’ve got itches in your britches for a particular item. But if you live in a major metropolitan area, things get a little hectic...

Dieting has come a long way over the past few decades. Fad and not-so-fad diets have always been a thing, from the once popular gelatin dishes good not only for reducing, but also for preserving the food itself in times when everyone had to tighten their belts for the war effort, to new diets like Whole 30 and the Paleo-thing, which focus not on limiting the amount of food you eat but the type of food you eat. But it can be pretty objectively said that diet recipes have improved over the years. Whether it’s the country’s expanded palate, increased food options, a better understanding of “good” fats, a healthy aversion to additives and preservatives, a movement away from refined flour. . .whatever the reason, those who are looking to lose weight through measured or unmeasured reducing have much better options now than they once did. Case in point: the 1972 Weight Watchers recipe card collection. Weight Watchers is, of course, still very popular weight loss program. But their approach and recipes have changed considerably over the last 50 years...

So you want to throw a 60s soirée… Maybe you lived through that era, and want to enjoy some of the styles and sounds you remember so well. Or maybe you're like me and just watched Mad Men for the fourth time and have since been lamenting the lack of a fully-stocked bar in your modern office, so you’re looking for something to fill that void, even temporarily. Whatever the reason, consider this a guide to help ensure your party is the swingingest on the block. And with a little help from your local estate sales and the EstateSales.NET Marketplace , you can make sure your party is authentic. How to dress There are many different directions you can go. The 60s are associated with a variety of styles and movements, making it easy to choose a style you’ll be comfortable with. Early 60s styles are a bit more conservative, coming out of the modest 50s. But as the decade went on, hemlines went up. Classy A-line dresses were popular, as were roomy shift dresses and baby-doll styles...

The Blenko Glass Company had been adding color to homes for nearly 100 years. Whether you’re an avid collector or simply someone who enjoys the occasional tchotchke, it’s impossible to deny the beauty of Blenko . The distinctly-colored glass brightens up any room, making it appealing to the average shopper, and they have a variety of limited edition colors and pieces, making it a perfect collector’s item. And it was difficult for us not to hop on the Blenko bandwagon after talking to Ed Rothenberger. He was kind enough to show us his collection, give us some insights on what pieces are particularly exciting, and show us how to tell the difference between Blenko and the myriad other art glass companies. Blenko Glass Company has been in business since the 1920s in Milton, WV, in the heart of glass country. Many well- and lesser-known glass companies found their homes in West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. And glass blowers and designers often worked for more than one glass company in their lifetimes, which resulted in some similar-looking pieces...

Lamps are a ridiculously common item to find at estate sales. And understandably so: who doesn’t need a little light in their lives? Goth kids, I suppose... Moles... Vampires… But for the rest of us, we need our world illuminated so we can look deeply into the eyes of a loved one, comfortably read our favorite book, and avoid stubbing our toes on the coffee table when we sneak into the kitchen in the middle of the night just to check on the chocolate cake we left on the counter...you know, just to make sure it’s still safe. Thanks, lamps ! But let’s not limit ourselves. There’s a wide variety of lamps in the world, from old-timey to mid-century modern to contemporary. Of course, we can’t spotlight every single type of lamp or every shade design. From Tiffany glass to two-tiered starburst shades to crystal chandeliers , there’s a style to suit any home. And sure, you can find more traditional bases and shades in any store, but one of the fun things about estate sales are the interesting and, dare we say, kitschy items you can find...

Who doesn't love attending an estate sale and discovering a forgotten toy from their childhood? We know we do! But how well do you really remember the toys you grew up with? Let's find out. Searching For a Company Looking for a company to conduct your sale? Go to our Hire a Company page to find a company in your area. Find a Company Get Notified Sign up to receive free email notifications of estate sales in your area! Subscribe Now ...

One of my favorite things about estate sales is the element of surprise. One of my other favorite things is the thrill of the hunt. And when you combine those things together, oh brother, what do you get? You get a very enthusiastic woman screaming “THIS IS MINE NOW” in the middle of a sale after she unexpectedly happens upon a Pyrex Bake-a-Round from the 1970s. As I do before any estate sale, I combed the pictures at EstateSales.NET and mentally mapped-out my way through the sale. I had my plan. I would start with the beautiful saltwater aquarium near the entry that I secretly wanted, even though I knew there was no way I would properly care for it if I brought it home. But it never hurts to look, right? And I knew there was a dulcimer that I had to check out for a coworker. It looked like it would be the next stop after my longing-gander at the tank. Then, it would be time for the kitchen items...

Think of well-dressed men throughout history. What’s one thing they all have in common? That’s right. Hats . And if you’re a contrarian and are now busy coming up with a list of well-dressed men who never wear hats, consider this: what if they did wear hats? Think about it. Admit it, hats look good. The fedora might fall into some bad press now and again, but it’s hard to deny that, worn on the right head, it’s just the right thing. (If you don’t believe me, go re-watch the first few seasons of Mad Men . I’ll wait. Heck, maybe I’ll join you. Popcorn?) And that’s not to say all those hat-wearing heads have to belong to someone famously good-looking with the last name of Gosling or Hemsworth, or whomever the kids are into these days. Any head, with any face on it, can rock a hat. It just has to be the right one. And while there are many modern haberdashers (a word I NEVER get to use, so I am so excited right now) making fine hats, there’s no denying the quality and style of a vintage hat...