Ten yard sales in one day seems like a feat. But 100?! It would seem impossible, except that it’s exactly what content creator and thrifter Emory Pepper did on a recent weekend morning along the Jersey Shore. Emory, who shares her thrifted finds with her TikTok and Instagram communities—known as the “Pep Squad”—was on vacation along the South Jersey Shore when she came across two townwide yard sales.
With a little bit of preparation, a tight budget, and an open mind, she spent seven hours bopping from one yard sale to the next. Here, Emory reveals her top tips, including how she scored an amazing freebie and kept herself focused on the finds that were actually worth picking up—rather than getting bogged down in the deals.
Know How to Spot a Sale
Emory went to nearly 100 sales, noting that she lost track around number 85. While that number might seem unrealistic, with a townwide sale, it’s easy to spend just a minute or two deciding whether each one is worth exploring before heading on to the next. Of course, when you’re focused on a high-volume pursuit such as this, finding a sale that recruits nearly every house in the neighborhood doesn’t hurt.
“One of the most common questions I get on my videos is, ‘How do you find yard sales?’ and my answer is always Facebook: Facebook groups and Facebook Marketplace,” says Emory.
She recommends joining neighborhood groups, Buy Nothing groups, and yard sale pages. Look outside your own neighborhood if you travel somewhere often. These sales weren’t in her own town, but they were in an area she’s visited for decades.
Get the Lay of the Land
Emory had been to this area of the Jersey Shore countless times with her family and, as she explains, “That familiarity definitely helped me map out the day and move quickly from sale to sale. It even helped me decide which car to bring down for the weekend.”
While her husband has a truck, which seems like the obvious choice for a day of thrifting, she knew the beach town streets would be a parking nightmare. Her smaller SUV was a better option for scooting easily from sale to sale.
Be an Early Bird
If you’re going to make it to dozens of yard sales in one day, you have to be willing to start early. The early bird truly gets the worm—or at least has time for the most sales. While Emory never expected to hit as many sales as she did, she set herself up for success. “One townwide sale started at 7 a.m. and the other townwide sale started at 8 a.m., so I set my alarm for 6 a.m. and treated it like a full-day adventure from the start,” she explains.
Starting early let her get into a rhythm, and she began to see it as a challenge to visit as many sales as possible.
Bring the Essentials
Emory always goes thrifting with a list in her Notes app of anything she’s been on the hunt for that might require measurements and brings a compact measuring tape so she can avoid making thrifting mistakes based on guesses.
But her preparation does not include going in with a specific list of items to look for. Emory says, “I’ve found that the most special pieces are usually the ones you never could have planned for, so I try to leave room for discovery rather than overplanning the day.”
Set a Budget
It’s easy to get carried away by the prospect of a good deal, so Emory sets a budget to avoid walking away with items that were only appealing because of their price. “Just because something is inexpensive does not mean you need to bring it home.”
“In terms of budget, I tend to be pretty intentional. I usually bring cash, although many yard sales now also accept Venmo,” says Emory, who set a budget of $100 total and $20 at any individual yard sale.
“I like to focus on pieces I genuinely love that give me a genuine reaction (gasp, jaw drop, heart flutter) rather than buying for volume, though somehow my hauls are always huge.”
Among her budget-friendly finds for the day was an item that was actually free—a vintage wicker corner mini hutch that fits perfectly into her tiny kitchen. “A lot of people in these shore towns were getting their beach homes ready for summer, so you’ll often see really interesting items left out after sales wrap up,” she explains.
She also found a vintage brass swan doorstop, an upholstered tassel stool, a needlepoint pillow, and hand-painted light switch covers that the seller allowed her to unscrew from one home that was going to be renovated, for a total of $15.
Take Note from Sellers
Emory loves a yard sale because it’s a more personal thrifting experience than going to a store. “You’re shopping directly from people’s homes and personal collections,” she says. “Going from house to house, meeting new faces and complimenting their collections fueled my adrenaline in the best way.”
Use that connection as inspiration. Emory recommends looking at how people have their items styled and displayed. Take notes on the themes and styles within their collections. Each yard sale can be a peek into someone’s personal aesthetic, which can fuel your own creativity and style.
Use Each Sale to Train Your Eye
“My audience always comments that I have a good eye, and I think a lot of that comes from training yourself to notice the little details most people overlook,” says Emory.
Even if that attention to detail doesn’t come naturally, use each sale as an opportunity to pay attention. Look at the little nuances between a mirror at the first sale and a mirror at the second. Appreciate every bit of craftsmanship and the differences in eras. Over time, you’ll hone your eye to quickly spot the best finds.
Pace Yourself
No matter how many sales you shop in a day, Emory says, “My biggest tip is to stay flexible and pace yourself. Not every sale is going to be amazing, and that is part of the fun.”
