Things I Love - Thrift Stores

For years, I would wince, whine and complain any time my mom or grandma would try to "drag" me into a thrift store or flea market.  They loved going somewhere and digging around to find a hidden "treasure".  I didn't get it.  Why would you go to a store filled with other people's old junk?

For whatever reason, as I got older, my mentality completely changed.  Now, I find myself going on the exact same treasure hunts my mom and grandma were so excited about when I was young.

There's something to be said about finding something that someone else had no use for and making it useful again.  In today's economy (or at any time really).. I see no need in wasting money to pay full price for things I can get for such low prices elsewhere.

Recently, I've had some pretty good luck with household items.

I got this huge brown/tan vase filled with huge palm leaves for $9. I didn't want to use the palm leaves so I'm getting rid of those (if anyone wants them let me know).  I'm on the lookout for something else to put in it.  This just needs to be cleaned up and will fit with my decor perfectly.

I bought this flower arrangement to sit on a shelf in my bathroom for $4.00.  I typically don't go for the fake floral arrangements, but for whatever reason I really liked this.

I bought this shelf for $6 or so.  I plan on painting it a fun color like lime green or turquoise to add some color to my otherwise very neutral living space.  This picture makes it look like it's in really rough shape, but in reality it just needs to be cleaned up and painted.

Finally... today, I had my all time best thrift store find.......

An authentic Louis Vuitton purse for $25! I've actually never paid $25 for any one item at a thrift store as I usually stay in the under $10 range, but I just couldn't pass it up. I was on a thrift store high for the rest of the day even though I didn't have much luck at any of the other stores we visited.

Why I Love Thrifting

• I REALLY like saving money and getting good deals on things.
• I enjoy the thrill of the chase.  I'm not one of those people who gets frustrated when things are out of order in a store.  I like finding that special item that others have passed up.
• When you spend less money on individual items, you can try new things and have a variety of fun things in your home.
• You can obtain an eclectic mix of decorative items or furniture.  I tend to be very "matchy matchy" when it comes to furniture and decor.  I find a color or set of colors/patterns I like and I really stick with it.  When you shop at thrift stores, you can really focus on finding special pieces which is fun and looks great.

The Downside

• Some people who shop at thrift stores can be a little unpleasant to deal with (won't move over to let you through the aisle, etc).  I suppose people are just really into their thrifting experience and don't worry about what's happening around them.  This isn't a huge problem, but it does happen occasionally.
• You have to be REALLY careful that the things you buy aren't missing pieces or broken.  A lot of stores don't have return policies.  Fortunately, most things are so cheap if you do decide you don't like something... you can always just re-donate it.
• The hobby can be time consuming.  Depending on how organized the store is... it can take a while to find the good stuff.  I'll share some quick tips.
• Usually the really special items (i.e. Louis Vuitton purses) are typically in cases near the register/check out.  
• In my opinion, the outside perimeter of most stores typically have the coolest items (furniture pieces, home decor, books, cds, etc.)
• Only go to the stores when you are in the mood to browse and never go into the stores anticipating finding anything specific. 

I personally don't really like looking at clothes and shoes at thrift stores.  For whatever reason, I feel like most clothing items are too worn out and faded for my tastes.  Also, the clothes never seem to be arranged by size which I find really frustrating.  The majority of what these stores sell are clothing items, so I don't have the patience to dig through 50 racks to maybe find 2-3 items I like.  I prefer discount and clearance racks in other stores for clothing, but other people seem to have better luck than I do at thrift stores.

I'm not a thrifting expert by any means, and I know some people are really into it.  But if you have any questions or would like any other tips, I'll do my best to help!