Some call it junking, some call it picking or for some it’s just shopping — it all depends on where you go for the hunt. It’s hard to describe the rush that comes from discovering something that ticks all the boxes for you. It’s like stalking your quarry through the woods or the jungle, only to see it appear in front of you when you least expect it. The best part? You don’t need a weapon and camouflage isn’t necessary to maintain the element of surprise.
One of the most difficult elements to this process is tempering the excitement of the hunt with reminders that you can’t proceed too quickly. One fast glance is never enough to take in all that a spot may have to offer, especially if it’s not displayed in an orderly fashion. A lot of the time, you have to step in, take a slow look around and possibly move something else out of the way to find the proverbial needle in a sometimes junk filled haystack. Of course, knowing what you’re looking for can help to sharpen your focus and help to tune out the distractions. That’s where having a plan—or at least an idea of what you’d like to take home with you—can really come in handy. Not interested in Barbies? Then you can safely pick up the pace when you see that someone’s booth is packed to the gills with them.
The uncertainty…the mystery of what lies around the next corner or in the next display case or in the next cluttered booth is almost addictive. Especially when, like us, you’ve happened up on a trove of items that are on your “gotta find it” list in, what you would think would be, a very unlikely place. That’s something else to keep in mind. Stay open minded, especially if the space you’re hunting in is new to you. 
Every vendor is different and spaces are, more often than not, an eclectic mix of items that probably have no connection to each other at all. Even places you may have picked in before can change as new vendors replace older ones, or established vendors update their inventory. Case in point, there are several stores that we frequent in the Birmingham area that have been fountains of finds time and time again. The key is to give them time to restock, all the while keeping an eye on their social media posts for signs that it’s time to head back in.
As exciting as this all may sound, the whole process is, for us, extremely relaxing. Deliberately slowing your pace and taking the time to look things over forces you to take things down a notch or two…or three. Discovering interesting items from a different time period that you may not be familiar with can turn into a fun “what the heck is this thing” game (trust us, the correct answer isn’t always the most obvious) as well as a chance to (gasp) learn something new.