9 Ways to Shop the Flea Market Like a Designer!

The Brimfield Antique Show here in Western Massachusetts is the largest antique show and flea market in the entire country! Here are a few tips for how you can shop at any flea market or antique show like a pro. 

The first tip is to go with a list of measurements.
If you’re looking for a piece of furniture for your home, measure the space that it’s going to go in and keep that in a note on your phone. That way when you go to the flea market you know exactly what size piece you need. You may want to also measure your trunk space to be sure it’ll fit.
Which leads to tip number two…

Take a tape measure with you! You’ll be able to measure pieces and know if they’re going to fit in your space before you get them home, and you’ll know if they’ll fit in your trunk. 

Number three is to look at items’ shapes. Don’t just look at their color and what they look like because they can be spray painted or refinished. If you find a lamp that has a great shape but it’s a hideous color, you can spray paint it! Or, if you find a mirror (like the one below) that has a great shape but you don’t like the color, you can always paint it to match your current decor.

Tip number four is go to non-specialty booths! Say for instance you’re looking for an architectural piece, something that you want to hang on your wall. Don’t go to a booth that specializes in those architectural pieces because it’s more money. Find a booth that has all kinds of stuff in it, and you can forage in there for architectural pieces. That’s where you’ll find the lesser priced items. 

Tip number five is bring cash!
Cash is king at the flea market. If you’re going to negotiate, which we’ll talk about later, then you need to have cash with you. So bring your cash. Plus, the atm fees are outrageous and most atms will only let you take out a certain small amount at one time, so they’ll sock you with multiple fees for multiple transactions.

That leads me to tip number 6, which is about negotiating.
Be respectful. You can say to dealers things like “what’s your best price on that?” instead of going in and offending them with a low price. I always say “would you be willing to take _____?” Then they’ll come back with another number and we’ll end up meeting in the middle. Be nice, be personable, but don’t be afraid to negotiate too, just do it nicely. 

Tip number seven is bring a cart on wheels!
There are baskets with wheels that you can push, or some people bring wagons, but those are for heavy items. I would also bring a bag or a backpack for smaller items. I would bring both because if you go with just a backpack, you’re going to end up carrying something heavy and it’s a long walk to the car. So, bring something on wheels for the heavy items and bring a bag or a backpack that you can carry for the smaller, lighter items.

Tip number eight is to wear sunscreen!
This week, 2019 in the spring in New England has been rain, rain and cloudy. But, take it from me, you can still get a sunburn! Wear sunscreen! 

Tip number nine is to bring water, hand sanitizer and a snack.
This flea market is huge, so you can be miles away from any kind of food or drink. If you need a snack or a drink, bring it with you! And you’re probably going to be near a porta-potty to go to the bathroom, so bring hand sanitizer with you. It’s also a good idea to have some wipes. It gets dirty, dusty, mucky and muddy! So bring some hand wipes, some sanitizer, water and a snack.

If you have any questions, please feel free to message me! And if you see me at the flea market, feel free to stop and say hello!

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