Estate sales are held to dispose of the bulk of a person’s belongings, usually but not always after death.
They attract a wide assortment of shoppers: dealers hoping to turn a profit, couples looking to furnish their first houses, amateur collectors, looky-loos who just want to explore mansions in wealthy enclaves or houses of the rich and/or famous. And they offer an even wider assortment of prizes — first-edition books, costume jewelry, patio furniture, antique Persian rugs, and yes, even tanning beds. No matter what you’re into, chances are you’ll be able to find it at an estate sale.
If you’re not a regular, the process — including finding one and navigating it once inside — can be confounding. But with a bit of preparation and a few simple tricks of the trade, you can elbow it out with the best of them.
See Saturday’s Style section of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for tips to navigate an estate sale.