While estate sales traditionally have been thought of as something reserved for older generations looking to kill time on Sundays, they have become a fun weekend activity for many University of Mississippi students looking for inexpensive and unique jewelry, décor and vintage clothing.
Claudia Pieroni, a senior computer science major from Madison, Miss., appreciates both the unique and sustainable qualities of estate sale finds.
“I think what attracts me to estate sales is the opportunity to find items that you can’t find anywhere else in the area,” Pieroni said. “Fast fashion and fast consumer goods tend to suck not only quality out of products but also their personality.”
Pieroni emphasized the thrill of the unknown associated with estate sales.
“It’s just a fun and unique experience to scavenge the house for things you wouldn’t even think about needing but now want,” Pieroni said.
Bella Bach, a senior exercise science major from Madison, Miss., explained why she has been leaning into the trend lately.
“I love going to estate sales because it’s definitely affordable, and you also find so many unique pieces,” Bach said. “I’ve kept finds just how they are, flipped them, painted them, whatever. It gives me something to do with my friends on Sundays and a project to do in my free time. I also love the idea of sustainability and the reuse of items.”
With the rising costs of living, rent and tuition, the opportunity to find quality items at a discounted rate is desirable, Bach said.
“I had just gotten a new house in Oxford and needed furniture and decorations. I loved going to the estate sale because it’s affordable, and you can find so many unique pieces,” Bach said.
Brooks Hamm is an Oxford native and owner of Hammhaul and seller on Sellvntg, a vintage clothing website created by UM students.
“I think the influx of estate sales has made a huge impact on my business. One reason being there are enough to go around for everyone, and they all usually start at the same time early in the morning,” Hamm said. “Weekdays, thrifting gets hard because all of us resellers are sharing the same stores, so it’s just harder to find cool things but still possible. I think you can always find some cool pieces at any sale, and that is always good for the business.”
Hamm said that while estate sale culture is connecting the Oxford community, the competitive nature of getting the best finds might have some negative effects.
“We are all after one thing: vintage clothing. We have these pop-up shops that bring tons of college students together, which I think creates a great sense of community,” Hamm said. “I definitely think some people take it so far that consuming these vintage clothes starts to define who they are, and that’s where it gets bad.”
Both Bach and Pieroni said the best resource for finding estate sales is Estatesale.net. The website scans a user’s surrounding area for any estate sales taking place within a set time frame.
“If I’m looking online, Estatesale.net is a great resource for finding estate sales near my area. You can also download their app for your phone if you are looking for another quick and easy way,” Pieroni said.
For Bach, checking weekly estate sale listings on the app has become habitual.
“My friend originally told me about estate sales and told me to get the app Estatesales.net. So now every week I get on the app and see what is going to be in town that weekend,” Bach said.
Shelly Dahl is the owner of Oxford Estate Sales, one of the main estate sale operators in the Oxford area.
“Technology makes it a lot easier to get the word out about sales. People love to get online and look at upcoming sales. Sales always do better the more social media exposure I give them,” Dahl said. “The younger crowd, I believe, appreciates this form of advertising instead of traditional print methods.”
Dahl also voiced her excitement at the rise of student participation.
“We started our business five years ago. The demographics within the last two years have definitely changed,” Dahl said. “When we first started, it seemed most of our customers were over 55. Now, at the last sale I had, the first five people in line were under 30.”
Dahl offered perspective on why this shift has occurred.
“Word is getting out about the deals on vintage clothing or Colonel Reb memorabilia, and that tends to be really popular within the younger crowd,” Dahl said.
However, Dahl explained that while Ole Miss gear does seem to be the most sought after, it is not the only thing estate sale frequenters are fighting over.
“McCarty pottery can really draw a crowd,” Dahl said. “Rare items that you can’t find on Amazon and unique furniture are popular, too.”
Bach is not usually searching for anything specific when she goes to estate sales, but instead she keeps her mind open to everything.
“I’ve bought furniture, mirrors, plates, keepsakes, vases, knick knacks, clothes, etc. I just go to look around and see what I can find,” Bach said.
Pieroni said most of the treasure she finds is unexpected.
“You can find such a variety of things that I typically don’t walk in with a certain item in mind. In general, I look for things like books, clothes, trinkets, glassware, accessories, jewelry and vinyls,” Pieroni said.
