August 25th is “Secondhand Wardrobe Day” – a perfect day to hit the flea market! IMAGE: Viarami for Pixabay

A flea market conserves resources

Buying used pants made of synthetics is more sustainable than buying new pants made of Tencel. That’s because buying used clothes doesn’t consume new resources, and you’re extending the life cycle of an item. A flea market is also a great experience when traveling. Europes most famous vintage markets are in Milan (for addresses and tips, see our blog post Sustainable Travel in Liguria, Lombardy and Friuli (Travel Guide Italy – Part 2) ) and London (Notting Hill). But even on your own doorstep, a flea market is the perfect opportunity to boost your household budget and pick up bargains. To make it a success, here are my tips for you:

Secondhand Wardrobe Day 2023 – 5 tips for buyers

1. Look at the sellers: I’ve gotten into the habit of keeping my eyes on the sellers. If I find a woman who has my style, or if there are people I like somehow, I usually find things I like at their booths.
2. Don’t buy anything with stains: You think, “It’ll come out in the wash,” but it won’t. It’s precisely because the stains won’t come out that the garment has been discarded.
3. Prepare your cash: PayPal and credit cards have no place at a garage sale. You need small bills and coins!
4. Bring bags and totes to carry the items.
5. Negotiate a package price: If you’re picking up several items, you can propose a low total price.

5 flea market tips for sellers

1. Prepare: Rent a booth, table, chair, clothesline, tarp, boxes, cash register with change, bags, plan transportation.
2. Determine goal: Do I just want to get rid of things? Do I only want to sell for the right value? Is there a fundraising project I want to support with this booth? If so, you can let your buyers know with a sign that the proceeds will go to Project XY (or maybe you just want to donate a percentage).
3. Price promotions: At a garage sale, it’s unusual to put a price on everything. What works well, however, are things like a box of “Everything for 1 Euro”, “3 items for 10 Euro”, etc.
4. Test products beforehand: If you are selling equipment, test it first to see if it still works. Then you can be honest about it.
5. Give away gifts: If your main goal is to get rid of your plunder, you can also give gifts to your buyers. “Thanks for buying, and I’ll give you this extra!”