Treasure Hunting in the Streets of NYC

By Diana Vidals

Acquiring new trinkets, clothes and accessories is the quickest boost of serotonin I can get. But if you’re like me… a tight budget can sometimes get in the way of my favorite pastime: shopping.

Some might say it’s stooping a little too low for new things, but one man’s trash can definitely be another’s treasure! While low funds can sometimes put a damper on things, I have found a way around these restrictions with stoop shopping. Stoop shopping consists of sorting through the boxes and bags that people so graciously leave out to dig for some treasures. While I understand having reservations about digging through used and unwanted items, it truly is no different than thrifting… just free!

Growing up as a frequent Brooklyn visitor, spotting a box in front of a stoop was hitting the jackpot for me. Through these lucky occurrences I’ve found a functioning record player, a lamp, books and clothes.

While I enjoyed the spontaneous findings, I have recently discovered how to make a day of treasure hunting. I think that stoop shopping can become the best next thing to going to the mall. As an activity, it can be done alone as a solo-date kind of day, or with friends (extra hands can be very helpful with bigger finds like furniture).

The key for the best finds is selecting the right area! My best finds have been in the nicer areas in my city such as Dumbo and around Prospect Park. For extra cleanliness because we are digging around the streets of NYC, I recommend having a separate tote bag for your findings, gloves and hand sanitizer! Of course, as with thrifting, sometimes a good find can take time so I recommend listening to music, chatting with friends and taking in the views of the neighborhood.

So if you want to take in some sun, explore and take home something new, try stoop shopping!