Weekly Thrift Finds
I was recently reading about the great debate of what’s considered thrift shopping and what’s not. Some people use the term thrift shopping in place of antique, consignment, or estate shopping. Each of these terms refers to buying pre-owned items. But if you’re curious where I stand on this great debate, I say that I only consider shopping at an actual thrift store like Goodwill, Salvation Army, or a thrift store supporting a local business, actually thrift shopping. Thrift stores have a lower price point and offer a wide range of things for your home. Items don’t have to be vintage, just something pre-owned (typically). They are almost always donated items for the purpose of reselling to support a local mission or business that supports the community. Now that we’ve settled that, let’s see what I picked up on my thrifting trips this past weekend!
I stopped by three different stores, two that I frequent regularly and one that was new for me. The new one was one that a friend introduced me to. I’m actually not sure if this falls into the category of a thrift store. It’s actually a cute little shop that a sweet grandma and grandpa had transformed their home into a whole shopping experience. Their backyard is filled with little buildings that each have a theme and are filled with treasures to explore and purchase. Their porch and the main floor of their home are open to shop and explore. They are a mix of new and used items. Because of their price point, I would consider this a thrift shop.
I found a beautiful vintage floral print in a gold frame. I don’t think I will ever have too many botanical prints. I also snagged a little crock with a cute blue butterfly on the front. This would look darling in my kitchen. The treasure I was most excited about was a set of 4 mini coffee cups with the names of different herbs around the top and images of each one pictured around the whole cup. I thought these would be darling with herbs planted in each one (or maybe some faux ones, because as hard as I try, I just do not have a green thumb). I almost forgot! I also found a beautiful children's Noah’s Ark book. The artwork in this book was absolutely stunning. I thought it would make a perfect coffee table book.
The total for this shopping trip was
Floral print in frame – $12
Butterfly crock – $5
Set of 4 herb mugs – $4
Noah’s Ark book – $1
A quick stop at the Goodwill Outlet did not disappoint. I like to stop in quickly at least once a week because they always have furniture for insanely low prices. I don’t find furniture every time I stop in, but I’ve gotten some really great items. On this trip, I actually found a Christmas tree! It’s about 4 ft tall with long needles and large pine cones on it. I’m excited to stash this until Christmas; the thought of having a few smaller trees tucked in different rooms of our home sounds so cozy. I found a small free-standing plate rack that I thought would be a great setting on my table or counter for holding extra plates. If you haven’t experienced the Goodwill Outlet, you are missing out. If you’ve never heard of it, I talked about it in a previous post. You find equal amounts of trash and treasures. While I was digging around in the bins, I found a broken stool with a ripped top. It was completely unusable, but I was pretty sure I had just the right fabric at home to totally transform it.
The total for this shopping trip was
Christmas tree $4
Old stool $2
Plate rack $1
My last shopping trip was to my favorite thrift store. I seldom walk out of there empty-handed. This time, I was on a specific mission. I’ve been intentionally looking for realistic-looking faux flowers. I’m not great with indoor plants, and quite honestly, I’m almost ready to give the few I do have to my mom. Watering them is not top of my priority list, so I often forget to water them. I’ve been trying to add hints of green and (faux) life to our home, and in this season of life, faux plants are just best for me. I was able to find so many great artificial stems this time. Some were sold and alone, and a few were in small bundles. I was able to get them for a fraction of the price I would have paid for them if they had been new. Here’s a tip if you want to incorporate some faux stems in your home, whether you’re buying new or preloved. Look for flowers and leaves that are a more muted shade. Steer clear of anything that looks neon or too vibrant. The brighter the color, the more it looks fake.
Total for this shopping trip
A ton of faux stems $15
I’d love to hear what your most recent thrift store finds are! What gem have you uncovered lately, digging through the piles of donated items at your local thrift store?
