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Thrift Shop Adventure: Take a Walk Around Stuff Etc. with Me!

Today I am taking a walk through Stuff Etc. in Des Moines. Stuff Etc. is not like a normal thrift store because everything is on consignment. This store is huge, clean, and well organized. Keep reading for more of my thrifting tips and to find out what I look for in thrift shops as an antique dealer.

To walk around the store with me, click here: https://fb.watch/4dFtU9OHRz/

My Top Thrifting Tips

Usually the way to get the best things at thrift stores is to go often since they are always putting out new items. When you go, make sure you look everywhere! Check the toys, clothes, and kitchen sections even if you are just looking for antiques. 

Thrift stores are great places to find projects. Be on the lookout for things you could paint or use for another project. That being said, make sure that you take into consideration the amount of DIY projects you already have that need painting or repairs. Make sure you finish your projects before you buy more, otherwise you will have a pile of unfinished projects taking up space in your home.

Thrift stores are also a great opportunity to find unique gifts. In my Stuff Etc. video, I shared a cute pair of glasses that would be fun with a gift certificate to a Mexican restaurant or a festive addition to a Mexican themed meal kit. All kinds of gift ideas could pop out at you as you roam the aisles of a thrift store.

Always remember that just because something is cheap, it doesn’t mean that you need to buy it. It is also worth noting that sometimes things at thrift stores are not necessarily cheaper. Recently, I found some ping pong balls for my kids at a thrift store. I happened to look up the price of new ping pong balls and the new ones were definitely cheaper.

What I Look for at Thrift Stores as an Antique Dealer

Thrift shopping for an antique dealer is different. For me, since I live a few hours away, I try to hit as many stores as possible when I am in Des Moines. This means that I speed shop! My eyes are trained to scan shelves quickly. I figure if it doesn’t jump out at me, then I didn’t need it.

When I am looking in thrift stores, I am looking for things that are old and things that I can make money off of. I have to be cautious because a lot of thrift stores right now sell things at the same price that I would sell them for in my antique shop.

Things that I am always looking for when I thrift are ironstone, kitchen scales, wooden boxes, and vintage tins with advertising, and of course rusty crusty things. Old bottles, milk glass, and pottery are also things that I am on the hunt for. Pottery is big right now, so my eye is definitely trained to look for that as I scan. Watch my video to see what I found today!

Take a walk with me around more of my favorite shops here.

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