World’s Longest Yard Sale: What to Expect and What I Came Home With

I’m sure if you’ve been reading the blog for a while that you know that I love to go thrifting.  For me the thrill of the hunt is equal in fun to the visiting new places and creating new memories.

 And when it comes to a road trips, the hubby and I don’t hesitate to jump in the car and head down the road to explore a new thrifting spot. After attending our first WLYS (World’s Longest Yard Sale) a few years ago, it’s a trip that we look forward to each year and one that we plan for.

I get asked a lot about the sale and what we do to prepare so I thought I’d share a few insights with you today.

***When planning your trip, make sure to print out the map available on the #127Sale site and determine where you want to shop.  Outlining your route ahead of time will help you more than you know.  There are a limited number of signs that mark the route and most of the time you are just following the crowd.

 

***If you plan on staying overnight, find a hotel and book it as early as possible.  Be warned that prices are higher during the yard sale weekend. For instance,  the Super 8 in Crossville, TN was $200 per night during the weekend. My recommendation, if you want to stay in a hotel is to drive  into a near by big city like Chattanooga or Knoxville.  You might lose a little time shopping but trust me having a nice room at night is worth it.

***The WLYS is not a pretty shopping experience.  Most of the sellers are set up along the road or in fields so when I say you’re shopping in the countryside, I really mean it. Some neighborhoods along the route hold sales in their driveways but these areas are super congested.  We spent 20 minutes trying to get out of a cul-de-sac that was literally jammed with cars.  If there was an emergency there would have been no way an ambulance or police car would have made it down the road.

Oh, and be prepared to park your car on the side of the road, walk in dirt fields and be out in the sun all day.  

***Don’t expect to find what you’re looking for.  Instead of having a specific item in mind, in a particular color, finish or style, it’s best to go with the mindset that you’ll find what you find. If you’re looking for chairs, keep you eye out for them but don’t expect to find the particular style that you might want.  If you’re looking for china, you’ll see lots of it and will have to buy what strikes your fancy at the moment.  The WLYS is like a box of chocolates…you never know what you’ll get!

{note: there’s are area between Dunlap and Crossville, TN where several dealers that show at Scott Antique Market set-up and their prices are much better at the WLYS}

***Like a lot of yard sales around your city, the WLYS has just as much junk as they do treasures.  As you wind your way along the yard sale route, you’ll see spots where there are multiple sellers set up and then you’ll come upon random houses where the home owners cleaned out their garage and are trying to get rid of all their junk.  The spots with multiple sellers are the places you want to stop not only because you’ll have more choice but also because it’s a better use of your time.

***With several years under my belt, I will tell you that I’ve found the best shopping (product quality and prices) to be between Crossville, TN and Frankfort, KY.  There are multiple spots in Kentucky that are indoors (air-conditioned) with 50 to 60 dealers under one roof.  Most of these spots are where serious dealers set up so the quality is great.

***Carry shopping totes with you so that you have something to carry your items in.  I also put a couple of plastic milk crates in the car to hold small items and breakable pieces.

***Carry a cooler inside your car with water and food.  There are not many food stops along the route (unless you want funnel cakes and hot dogs) so having something to eat and drink will be life saver. It was so hot that the hubs and I went through 12 bottles of water on the first day.

***Carry cash!  Some sellers have signs saying they accepted debit and credit cards but I wouldn’t if I were you!  Plus internet service in the mountains was far and few between.

 

***You’ll pass some pretty scenery along the route so take time to enjoy it (but keep your eyes on the road).

***Take the time to talk to the people you encounter.  Everyone we ran into was so nice and helpful and told us about some of the best shopping spots.  We even had one guy give us two ice-cold neck wraps to cool us down.

***And most importantly dress comfortably and be prepared for rain.  We more than a handful of people wading through mud and puddles with flip-flops on!  

 

Now that you know what to expect at the sale and how to plan for it, here’s a look at what I bought!

Because I have a great source for milk glass at the Scott Antique Market here in Atlanta, I was looking for pieces that I hadn’t seen or found before.  The lidded dish above was too cute to pass up and for only $3 is was a great deal.  The vase below (with scalloped edge) was another fun milk glass piece I bought.  I paid $12 for it.

I bought some of these Tiara Black Diamond Mugs but can’t decide if I’m going to sell them or keep them.

This table was $9 and needs some TLC.

I expected the price on this ceramic  pot to be $50 or $60 but because there was a small outside crack on the back the dealer was selling it for $20.

There’s lots of reproduction Jadite glassware out there but this deviled egg dish was the real thing and I snagged it for $15.

Vintage alarm clock were on my shopping list so I bought the two outside clocks plus a couple of others.

I picked up a few of these vintage paint brushes.  I don’t plan to use them but just think they are cool.

I lucked upon A BOX of these vintage children’s shoe last for a song.

This decanter and glass set was $8.00.  I think it would be great to use for mouth wash or of course on a cocktail cart.

Speaking of carts, I picked this baby up for $15.00 and plan to Up-Style it!

Ironstone is always on my shopping list but there wasn’t much to be found at the yard sale.  I did find one seller with several pieces and this was my favorite.

A lovely vintage picnic basket that was just waiting for me.  I was looking at it and told the seller I’d think about it which prompted him to say “will you take it for $10?”.  Sold!

 

And one of my favorite purchases from the trip is this vintage scale for $20.

Overall I’m thrilled about the things we bought and will mark this thrifting adventure down as a success.

p.s.  I’m already thinking about next year and definitely want to head back up to northern Tennessee and Kentucky to shop the sale.  Plus I’m flushing out the idea of getting a group of bloggers together to do the trip.  I think it could be a great time hanging out with friends and shopping.  Stay tuned!