I often rationalize going through stuff of people who most likely passed as a gesture to keep things they were likely passionate about alive for them. I've saved lots of antiques and vintage things that I'm pretty sure they'd be happy about. That's what I tell myself at least. I have so many examples. You couldn't believe them all, but all from the bags and boxes on the curbs.
You're also right about the other benefit of people not needing to buy new. That's been a main objective of mine.
I always find so many quilts and afghans. Elderly ladies spent so much of their creativity over their lifetimes creating those with love. I especially like to find homes for those. It would be sad to me if something someone spent so many hours on went to the landfill. The last estate auction I went to I brought home a humongous box of quilt squares a woman made. All these vintage fabrics that she lovingly cut into little squares. And amazing hexagons she made to make into a quilt one day that she never got to. So I found a home for that, and the woman who bought them is in love. 😊 I don't know; I feel like I have a relationship with that lady I brought so much of her stuff home to re-home, and I just feel that she appreciates her stuff being appreciated by me and the stuff's new home. 😊
I also totally know what you mean about signs and stuff. Thrifting is how I do most of my manifesting in this world. It's how most of my synchronicities happen. So many times I get an urge to go to a specific thrift store and I know it's because there's something there just for me. And it's so fun finding out what it is. Sometimes it's so specific and it's the universe talking directly to me. I love your Matt autographed card. That's a cool one. I have so many thrifting synchronicities I bought a domain name to blog about it because sometimes my finds are truly magical. But I think I'll start sharing them here on Peakd!