The rummager's handbook

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The rummager's handbook : finding, buying, cleaning, fixing, using, and selling secondhand treasures

R.S. McClurg.

Pownal, Vt. : Storey Communications, c1995.

Antiquing as a fun and potentially profitable pastime has never been more popular, and this book offers hundreds of tips and ideas for finding sales and auctions, bargaining, determining value, and taking it home.

Have you ever wondered what to do with your size 16 dress now that you fit into a size 6? Would you rather recycle your unused items than throw them away -- especially if you get paid for them?  Are you always looking for a bargain when you buy clothing, sporting goods, or furniture?  Resale stores may be the answer.

Resale stores buy merchandise directly from owners.  These items are then resold, usually with less mark up than new items.  Resale stores are full of someone's junk that becomes another's treasure.

Inventory changes often in a well-run resale store, so shoppers visit often.  Resale stores may specialize in the type of merchandise they sell--one may likely have toys, while another becomes known for upscale women's clothing.  Shop around to see which resale store becomes a favorite and which one is likely to pay you the most for items you want to resell. 

With a little planing and work you can get the best prices for your items. Most resale stores accept only clean clothes. Begin by deciding what you do not need anymore. Then wash, iron, and fold these items, sort by size, and pack in clean boxes for delivery to a nearby resale store.

For the love of old

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For the love of old : living with chipped, frayed, tarnished, faded, tattered, worn, and weathered things that bring comfort, character and joy to the places we call home

written and photographed by Mary Randolph Carter.

New York : Rizzoli, 2006.

This stunning volume focuses on the qualities of the old things in our homes (the patina of an old table, pewter dulled by age, old floorboards that creak) and how to live with and incorporate them into our personal aesthetic. Divided into chapters by the qualities of old #8212; peeling, dried, tarnished, faded, chipped, frayed, rusty, and mossy #8212; this unique book not only pays tribute to furniture, textiles, china, silver and other accessories with these qualities but also shows us how best to preserve, adapt, and arrange them. Lavishly illustrated with beautiful photographs that highlight the warm colors and rich textures of wood and paint, cloth and leather, For the Love of Old also includes ideas and recipes for saving old items from the junk pile, preserving and caring for the old things you have, giving newer things a lived-in feel, and bringing an enduring personality to every home.

Phone in advance of visiting to make sure you understand their policies. Resale stores may only accept items to sell on certain days of the week and between specific hours.

Once you've delivered your used items, you may leave with a tax deduction, store credit, or cash.  And your unused item may be just what the resale store's next customer can't wait to find. 

Article by: St. Louis Public Library staff