Welcome to the 7-Part Series: Beginner’s Guide to Vintage Reselling in an Antique Mall

(aka everything I wish someone had handed me the day I signed my first booth contract)

Hey friend! Welcome to the exciting world of vintage reselling! If you’ve ever walked out of a thrift store with a cart full of treasures and thought, “I could totally sell this stuff and make money,” then you’re in the right place.

Having a vintage booth has always been a pipe dream of mine. But I thought that’s all it would ever be. I’ve heard of how competitive it can be to get into different vintage malls and that you might be on a waitlist for a year or more. At the end of last summer, I had been thinking again about having my own booth, but I assumed it wouldn’t be so easy.

A trip to the Grand Canyon has always been a bucket list item for my husband. But even more than him wanting to go, he wanted to experience it with all three of our girls. Since our oldest is 19 this year, we know that we are on borrowed time with how many more family vacations we will have together. So, we decided this year would be the year. We started planning about 7 months in advance with our travel agent, who was a Godsend, send I might add. I don’t think I could have pulled off a vacation like this without her. There were so many details I never would have thought about or considered. She was truly invaluable.

Cleaning up after the holidays always seems so overwhelming to me. Whether it’s putting away all the fall decor after Thanksgiving or packing up the Christmas tree after our last party, it always feels like a daunting task. I think what’s so stressful about the whole thing is not having a plan and knowing what to do with everything. Until last year, I was just dumping all my Christmas items in a handful of totes. The whole process was very haphazard. There was no rhyme or reason to where things went. It even made decorating for the holidays very stressful because I could never seem to find what I was looking for.

I finally broke my thrifting dry spell with what has to be my biggest haul in weeks! Honestly, I went in thinking I'd just browse and walk away empty-handed, but somehow I ended up with a full wagon of gems that are perfect for the booth and Etsy. It's one of those days where you spot one little thing, like a vintage rolling pin that's solid and not some cheap reproduction, and before you know it, you're layering on vases with hand-painted details, quirky salt and pepper shakers that scream California vibes, and a gravy boat in that delicate china I can't get enough of. Come along as I talk through each piece and unpack them, from a green-handled tea kettle that feels like it belongs in a cozy kitchen to ribbed milk glass cups that would make any dessert setup feel a touch elegant. It's all about those unexpected finds that blend right into that grandmacore aesthetic I love sourcing for—practical, pretty, and ready to flip.

The first of the year always feel like a great time to determine to be more productive and organized. January 1st is to adults what going back to school is to kids! All the fancy new pens, highlighters and planners. But the same way those school planners are blank and those lockers are trashed by October 1, most adults have given up on their new planning method by the first of February.

I love decorating for the season, but I have to say, I’m not a big fall of spooky decor of Halloween and fall time. Give me all the amber bottles, rust color blankets, dried stems, and cozy scents and I’m in my happy place. I’ve been browsing some of my favorite shops to see what unique fall decor items I could find this year.

Have you ever watched a show and thought, “Where did they buy that?” I love watching my favorite home remodeling shows and studying all the detail they put into each room. From the tile, to the lights, furniture, and all the decor items. I love how they pull it all together to create a beautiful story. And sometimes I think, “I’d love to recreate that look in my home”.

Last week, I found this incredible old stool at the Goodwill Outlet. I think it was a camping stool or something of that sort. But the fabric was so old and brittle, it was already all torn up when I found it. I’m trying to be more intentional with my thrift shopping. Because I’m always preaching to have a plan for your space before you start shopping, and I think that should apply to any thrift shopping I do as well. It’s so easy to get caught up in all the cute vintage items I find. But if I don’t know how I would use something or where I would use it, that should give me reason to pause and really think before I purchase.