Antique Shopping – the Search for Hidden Treasure

Last weekend, Jessie and I were putting the finishing touches on this awesome new blog adventure of ours. We knew we wanted to be together when we launched the blog to all so what better reason to have our first ever “work trip” or as our husbands call them TDY’s. Off to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia we went because, well, we didn’t have a Starbucks mug from that state yet!!! This also gave us an opportunity to add a magnet to our boards and shop for some antiques.

I have to admit antique shopping was never real high on my to do list before we moved to Europe. After all the flohmarkts and thrift shops, I started to really enjoy the search for treasures. You never really know what you will find or what will be inside the door when you go into the shops or markets. Some are super intimidating…and smelly, let’s be serious!!! Don’t forget a large bottle of sanitizer in your car. Some shops are filled with stuff I had in my house when I was a kid, is that really an antique?!?! And some shops are filled with treasures I just cannot live without. It’s like a roll of the dice!!

Harpers Ferry, WV is a super cute town with a few little souvenir shops, coffee shops, candy shops, and lots of historical places to visit. We found a few small antique shops in the town and a larger consignment flea market with booths just outside town. The small shops were very entertaining, but also seemed very expensive. I am always so scared to touch anything in the expensive shops….I may have broken a few things before…so embarrassing!! This is when I hold tight to my purse and walk slow.

One shop we went into had tons of records and my favorite, old books. This shop taught me a great antique lesson, it is ok to ask questions. Most of the time the shop owners love to talk about their shop and all their treasures. The lady who owned this shop even let Jessie and I into a back room where she had stuff all over that wasn’t organized yet for sale.

My favorite antique shops are the large consignment flea markets with lots of booths. There is so much to look at and each booth is so different. At first it seems very intimidating and I tend to go quickly through the booths while Jessie takes her time.  This is where bringing a friend helps!!! The more eyes looking at antiques the better. It always amazes me what she sees after I have already passed a booth. Some booths are so jammed packed I have to look more then one time. It all depends on your style and what you are looking for that day!

When I am looking at antiques I mostly look for things that catch my eye and I find interesting. I have no idea about value or if the pieces will end up on Antique Roadshow. Lots of my finds I have projects in mind or it is something I think I can repurpose. Remember to be creative in your shopping and think outside the box….but most importantly have fun!!!

Top Tips:

• Bring a Friend
• Sanitize a lot!!
• Ask Questions
• Buy What You Like or Find Interesting
• Be Creative…Think Outside the Box
• Have Fun!!

Check out our finds from this trip…keep an eye out for how we use these treasures in future projects or in staging tips!!! If you have any amazing antique store finds we would love to see them, just comment below.

Enjoy Antiquing!!!