Antiquing Tips – from Pros

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(Newswire.net — October 4, 2019) — What are the best antiquing tips you should know about? To make the most out of shopping for antiques, it’s best to have a plan in mind and on paper. First, before you even get in the car, you should make a list of what you want, e.g., do you fancy a new chair, a table or some decor? Don’t make it detailed yet so you can be flexible when looking at what the shop or market has to offer. 

Antiquing Tips

Antiquing is a great activity on a warm summer day. From vintage clothes, old polaroid cameras, to vintage furniture; you can find a variety of different products by antiquing. Read this article for some professional antiquing tips to remember next time you are shopping. 

Preparing for the Trip 

In order to maximize the time spent searching for good finds, you should pack essentials, such as water for drinking, a tape measure, baby wipes, a pen and paper, a camera, a shopping bag, a cart or trolley and snacks. Make sure you’re wearing comfortable clothing and shoes as well. If you’re going on an antique show then it may be better to bring a large-sized vehicle to fit all your haul in. You wouldn’t want to let go of a beautiful antique just because it can’t fit at the top of your car. 

Do a Preliminary Scan 

Some deals may be more difficult to get to in terms of location, so you should do a quick run of the market and take a casual inventory. Take a quick lap around and see what the vendors are offering, then go back to the starting point. Take out your pen and paper and map a route where you saw the best deals and the items you want. 

Haggle and Ask 

Bargaining is the norm when it comes to antiquing, so don’t be afraid to ask for an item that looks too expensive. If it’s out of your price range, then that’s fine- keep going to the next shop or item that catches your eye. If it’s just right, then you’ll have scored on an item that you may have missed just because you didn’t ask for the price. Haggling is good, but you wouldn’t want to do it all the time. Sometimes the seller will already have a good price for it, which means that all you have to do is agree, hand over the cash and walk away with it. Remember that you may be dealing with certified appraisers, therefore it is important to know your limits.

Remember to Drink and Eat 

When you’re doing what you love it’s easy to lose sight of basic needs. On outdoor settings and when there’s high temperature, always hydrate with a bottle of water every chance you get. Keep water with you or buy the cheap ones at the corner stall. When you chance upon a food truck or a stall that offers food, go ahead and take a peek or you’ll miss out on homemade fried foods that you won’t find anywhere else. 


Get Them All Later 

When you buy antiques in bulk, leave them with the store and have them attach a ‘sold’ sign. After your trip, make a sweep and collect all the items. This saves you time and effort to hunt for more bargain items. These are just a few tips to help you out in your antiquing hobby. Remember to have fun and enjoy the atmosphere and new friends along the way.


These antiquing tips are sure to help you have a great and successful trip to your antique shop. Make sure you evaluate each item to make sure its worth the money you are about to spend.