3. Don’t sleep on transferring gross sales.

“Craigslist is a superb supply for property and transferring sale listings and you may goal them by city,” says JP Frenza, who outfitted a circa-1939 motel this manner. “Beneath Storage Sale, sellers additionally checklist condominium and home clear-outs with images of the objects that need to go. A man who was leaving the nation gave us a roll of kilims at no cost as a result of he didn’t need his landlord to have them. {Photograph} courtesy of the Crimson Rose Motel, Learn extra in Skilled Recommendation: 10 Suggestions for the Discerning Craigslist Cut price Hunter.

4. Carry money…

a glimpse from house call: 50 shades of weathered white in hudson, ny, from zio 19 — Above: A glimpse from Home Name: 50 Shades of Weathered White in Hudson, NY, from Zio & Sons. Images by Martyn Thompson courtesy of Zio & Sons.

“Loads of locations don’t settle for bank cards,” say ceramicist Hanako Nakazato and author/photographer Prairie Stuart-Wolff, who collectively frequent vintage retailers in Maine (tour their residence right here). “A spare verify in your pockets means you’ll by no means need to stroll away from a terrific discover.” Or money.

5. …and a tape measure.

“Most locations can have one you possibly can borrow, nevertheless it’s rather more environment friendly to hold your personal,” add Hanako and Prairie. Additionally, should you’re shopping for furnishings: Measure your doorways.

6. Assume kind, not simply operate.

a vintage mix in a 1700s stone farmhouse in the hudson valley, discovered via 20 — Above: A classic combine in A 1700s Stone Farmhouse within the Hudson Valley, Found through Google. {Photograph} by Marili Forastieri; produced and styled by Zio & Sons.

“Don’t consider the items as solely having their unique functions; consider them as artworks as a substitute,” says Anthony D’Argenzio of Zio & Sons. “Possibly a wooden column can be utilized as a focal piece within the nook of a room. What you select doesn’t need to make a hundred percent sense, it’s about enjoyable too; take into consideration the sensation you wish to convey, and never simply the proper cubic-inch match.” (You possibly can see extra of Anthony’s suggestions in Skilled Recommendation: 9 Issues to Supply from Salvage, with Zio & Sons.)

Prairie and Hanako concur. “Previous irons make nice doorstops; a marble mantle propped up on two blocks of wooden makes an ideal shoe shelf.”