Housing Works Online Auctions

The Source
Housing Works online auctions
shophousingworks.com

The Goods
The cream of the crop of secondhand goods: Housing Works auctions feature everything from jewelry and clothing to furniture to artwork to vintage books. Anything you could expect to find in a thrift store is here, but it's a curated selection of the items donated to Housing Works' brick and mortar locations.

The Secret
New York city is blessed with some of the best second-hand shops on the planet, and the upscale thrift shops operated by Housing Works (an HIV/AIDS nonprofit) are among the best of the bunch. (I've watched book dealers practically come to blows while waiting for the shop to open in the morning.)

The secret is that you don't have to live in good old NYC to get the goods now that Housing Works is hosting auctions online. The best of the merchandise that comes into the Housing Works shops goes online for auction and each item is listed with possible shipping options, including pick-up in the New York City area for locals.

Things to Know
If you're far away, you might want to stick to small accessories and decorative items. Shipping a sofa or a dining set across the country can get pricey -- even if you do get the deal of the century in an online auction. And don't forget: All the money from Housing Works' sales goes to charity to help homeless and low-income people living with HIV/AIDS!

Psssst... We love sharing secrets; here are two more shopping sources you won't want to miss:

Designer goods at bargain prices at One Kings Lane.

Vintage wallpaper from Second Hand Rose.