6 Estate Sale Finds A Southerner Will Always Pull Over For

Southerners, as a whole, are big fans of any kind of sale that sees us sifting through someone else’s personal belongings. We’ll admit there is an element of snoopiness, but there’s also the promise of finding a new-to-us treasure at an estate sale that will bring just one more layer of interest to our already collected homes. In the landscape of estate sale offerings, there are a few pieces that we naturally gravitate toward—or, perhaps more appropriately, hunt down like it’s our life’s mission. Find one of these treasures and you’ve hit the jackpot.

Ginger Jars

Put your ginger jars in view of the street and you can bet you’ll hear brakes squealing and Southern ladies putting their athleisure to the test as they sprint across the yard, taking on that boxwood hedge like 100-meter hurdles. They’re a favorite for flanking a fireplace, decorating a mantel, or scattering among bookshelves. They come in a vast array of colors, patterns, sizes, and shapes, which can create a beautiful display when collected over time. If your ginger jars fall into the latter camp, consider your collection as a whole with each new addition you make and only invest in pieces that you love. While a special ginger jar is a true gem to be treasured, it's the thrill of the hunt that makes it even more rewarding.  

Anything Chintz

We never met a chintz we didn’t like. Upholstered headboards and chairs, draperies, throw pillows, excess rolls of wallpaper the homeowner didn’t wind up needing—they’re all fair game for the garage sale goer. One of the reasons Southerners love estate sales and garage sales, antique stores, and perusing online marketplaces is that they’re valuable sources for delivering the collected, layered look within the home that we love. And one element that no well-collected home is without? A good dose of pattern, the chintz-ier, the better.

Cachepots

The possibilities are endless when it comes to cachepots. While we love to use a cachepot as it was intended, as a means to conceal a potting container, they have become a decorative element in many Southern homes, taking their charm well beyond their botanist roots.

If you’re not the green thumb type, a cache pot can add a decorative element to a sideboard (sans plant). It can also be used as a tissue box holder, umbrella stand, or wastebasket in a powder bath. You can also bring these vessels to your favorite garden shop so they can be planted with a live arrangement. After your event, you can take the individual pots out and replant them or keep the arrangement together as is.

Decorative Boxes

In the realm of a Southerner’s must-have items, decorative boxes are to our living spaces as mayo is to our chocolate cake. They're the missing ingredient that pulls it all together. From topping stacks of books to holding priceless treasures, a good decorative box is non-negotiable. They can be used in just about any room in the house, from the bedrooms to the study, and even to hold pins, buttons, and our mending stash in the laundry room. They give storage a special edge and refinement that can set a Southern home apart from the clear acrylic counterparts of our neighbors. A decorative box can be a treasure in its own right, regardless of how special the contents are inside.

China

Sure we’ll hunt for our wedding patterns, but if it’s blue and white, Rose Medallion, or anything Wedgwood, just go ahead and add it to our haul. You see, in the South, china isn’t just for special occasions. Pretty little saucers are for holding jewelry on a nightstand, salad plates are for decorating walls, and platters are for pulling out every Sunday night for supper. Our china’s job description knows no bounds, so we’ll never stop keeping our eyes out for just one more piece to add to our ever-growing collection.

Mirrors

There’s something about a mirror that has an everlasting appeal. No matter if the glass itself is fogged over, speckled, or smudged—we just call it “antiqued.” Gilded beauties with ornate detailing are equally as prized as wicker versions with coastal charm to spare. And you can trust we’ll find a home for every single one. The only question is how many mirrors are too many? A Southerner will never know.