August 17 is National Thrift Shop Day! Who knew? This is the kind of thing I learn from listening to the radio in the car. Since thrift shops are my favorite places to spend money, I wanted to celebrate the day by sharing some of my favorite finds; some I bought, and some I photographed to enjoy the memory. I've learned I don't have to buy everything I like; it's simpler that way when it comes time to move.
 |
| Vintage typewriters fascinate me. Chuck bought me an old typewriter like this at a resale shop. |
"One man's junk is another man's treasure." Nowhere is this more evident than in thrift shops. Of course, I understand the whole minimalist approach, and eliminating those things from our homes that are not enjoyed or used regularly. Having moved my belongings five times in the last nine years, believe me, I totally get the whole purging concept. Chuck and I have at least one more move coming, so I try to keep my impulse shopping to a minimum.
 |
| Some things are just fun to see, and I try not to buy anything that will end up back at a thrift shop within the next few years. |
Thrifting allows me to pick up "nice-to-have" things without breaking the bank. Finding a bargain just makes me so happy. My kids and I love exploring together. We try on the hats, laugh at the odd collectibles, and occasionally score a great find at a bargain price. Chuck and I have even purchased gently used furniture, including an electric reclining love seat we bought for so much less than new!
When Bridger visits me in Illinois, we always visit the thrift shops. He looks for guitars, sunglasses, and men's clothing. I look at books, name-brand clothing, and toys for the puppies. Sometimes we just try on hats, and laugh at funny finds, but sometimes we find things we actually want!
 |
| One of my favorite Chico tops came from a resale shop. |
I'm always on the lookout for brand name clothing I can't bring myself to purchase new. When I retired from teaching, I had hoped to treat myself to an outfit from Chico's. Lucky for me, my favorite resale shop has a whole rack of Chico's clothing, and I am the proud owner of some black embossed slacks and a leopard-print blouse that cost me a fraction of the cost of shopping at a retail store.
Paying full price just never makes sense to me when it comes to certain things like clothing, holiday decor or things for the puppies. Most of the clothes I've bought since moving to Illinois I bought used. Our Christmas tree skirt and some of our tree decorations were thrift shop finds. I buy stuffed toys for Bristol and Sami, knowing I'm not out too much money, even if they destroy their toys quickly which they tend to do. I even bought a child's fleece pullover for Bristol, and made him a little jacket out of it.
Even when I don't find anything I would buy, I just enjoy browsing through the racks and shelves. I never know what I'm going to find, but I always have fun.
 |
| Remembering my childhood Easter hats and patent leather shoes, while wearing one of my favorite bargain tops. |
What are your favorite thrift shop items? Have you found any unbelievable deals buying second-hand?
My big finds at an antique store were an 1860s sewing rocker chair in perfect condition, and an 1890s pump organ...I got them both for $100 total! Recently we found the publisher's pre-sale copy of a book about Titanic made the week after the sinking for $20!
ReplyDeleteWow! Those are really big deals. I should take lessons from you.
Delete