For Virginia Chamlee, searching for secondhand goods while traveling is essentially its own form of tourism. “The clothes and home furnishings donated by locals tend to offer a pretty good window into [a] region’s flavor and texture — and, often, its history,” says Chamlee, a Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., resident who is both an artist and the author of “Big Thrift Energy.”
While she was traveling through Maine, for example, she noticed that “even the local Goodwill stores were rife with vintage Americana with a New England flair, like ceramic lobster dishes and perfectly worn-in L.L.Bean sweaters.”
Chamlee makes a point of thrifting on almost every domestic vacation she takes, visiting chain resellers, charity stores and more. We spoke with her and other secondhand-shopping enthusiasts to get tips for locating and transporting treasures, big and small. Here are their suggestions.
Do your research. Make a plan before you pack your suitcase. You’ll want to get a sense of the region and what it may offer in terms of furniture and decor. “Florida, for instance, is full of all the Palm Beach glamour, rattan and wicker you could want, while Detroit came of age in the mid-century, so you can expect to find some pretty great mid-mod pieces there,” Chamlee says. She often checks social media for images of a store’s offerings before visiting. “Online reviews only go so far,” she says, “particularly because other shoppers don’t necessarily share your taste or aesthetic.”
And determining what you need before hitting the road can help you streamline your shopping, says Andrea Heinrichs, a registered nurse in Toledo who is behind the Instagram account @love_in_1000_square_feet.
Pack accordingly. Bring an extra suitcase or stuff a foldable tote inside your luggage, says Dana Curatolo, who sells vintage finds through Archive, an online store based out of her home in Jersey City. If you score any treasures, simply check the larger suitcase on the return flight. Chamlee recommends traveling with a measuring tape, so you can confirm whether something will fit in a vehicle or under an airplane seat. “If it won’t fit, I can get a general idea of how much it might cost to ship the item home by using the item’s measurements and an online shipping calculator,” she says.
Weigh the cost of transportation. There are plenty of ways to ship furniture, so even if all you brought with you for purchases was a tote bag, it doesn’t mean you can’t jump on that dreamy brass étagère you found. Chamlee says that Greyhound (yes, that Greyhound) will ship large items cross-country (check shipgreyhound.com for fees), while other services, such as uShip, can connect you with carriers passing through your area. She has also rented a U-Haul to transport items. But weigh the costs before you buy. “If I’m not close enough to home to justify that, I try to avoid getting anything too large,” Chamlee says. “Be as practical as you can. You might find a great deal when thrifting 20 hours from home, but if it won’t fit in the car or on the plane, it might end up costing you an arm and a leg to get it home.”
Don’t forget about garage sales. Alexandra Sammons of Ann Arbor, Mich., also enjoys scoping out garage sales during her vacations. “It’s such an amazing way to see cute little neighborhoods and get a true feeling for the town,” says Sammons, who launched her resale shop, House of Sammons, in 2020. In addition to finding gems, you may also receive insider travel tips while talking to locals. It’s easy to find garage and estate sales around the country by visiting websites such as Craigslist, AuctionNinja and estatesales.net. Sales are often advertised weeks in advance, so it’s worth spending a few minutes online in the days leading up to your trip.
Become a regular. If you’re going to be in town for a while, consider visiting the same thrift store multiple times. In addition to being able to take advantage of changing inventory, you may also find yourself appreciating the sense of routine. Heather Clawson, founder of the lifestyle blog Habitually Chic, recently spent a month in Paris, where she visited the Marché aux Puces de Vanves every week. She purchased six paintings from that market during her stay. “I was sad when I had to tell my favorite dealer that I was going back to the United States,” she says. “Going once a week made me feel more like a local and less like a tourist.”
Sarah Lyon is a freelance writer and stylist in New York. Find her on Instagram: @sarahlyon9.
