Here she is -- the other mirror I found at Salvation Army a few weeks ago. It was love at first sight as soon as I saw the bow on top. Never mind the beveled edge on the actual mirror and the intricate detailing on the bottom. It was the bow that did me in. Oh, and the price tag: $14.99.
I am well aware of the fact that some people find buying second hand anything disturbing. There are some people who insist on owning everything brand spanking new. And I have no problem with that. Because I realize that these are the very people who give things to thrift stores. I then go to the thrift stores to find their discarded items which become my treasures.
Are you afraid to try thrifting? Don’t be! Don’t fear a good bargain or hidden gem! Don’t be scared of a ridiculously low price or a small amount of work to transform something from drab to fab!
Today I gladly share with you my Thrifting Manifesto {manifesto: a public declaration of principles and intentions}:
I believe in the sturdiness of older furniture! Look for dove tailed joints, tongue and groove backing, solid wood construction and absolutely NO composite or faux wood elements. You just can’t beat furniture made the old fashioned way.
I believe that chipped, worn and a little banged up has character! Don’t over look a piece simply because it has a scratch or dent. You can fix many slight imperfections. Some imperfections are actually a good thing. Take a chippy gold frame, for example. The chippier, the better!And remember, all furniture gets banged up when you take it home and your children wreak their usual havoc on it!
I believe that decorative impact comes from collections and collections come from thrift stores! If you’ve ever wanted to make a dramatic statement in your home, you need multiples! Want a gallery wall of similarly colored frames? Hit your thrift store, buy up any wooden frames that strike your fancy and unify them all with a can of spray paint before hanging! Want a wall of great plates for your dining room or kitchen? Scour the housewares section of your local thrift store, looking for all white or an eclectic mix of coordinating patterns. Want to start collecting milk glass? Thrift stores! Brass candlesticks? Thrift stores! Cut glass? Paint-by-numbers? Baseball pennants? Yep – THRIFT STORES!
I believe that regular visits yield results! The same principle that holds for dentist visits is true for thrift stores: go often and you won’t regret it! I try to hit my round of three local thrift stores once a week or every other week when life is super busy. Many weeks I find nothing. But then I’ll hit the motherlode another week. And that’s what keeps me going back. The more you know your local thrift stores, their sale days {yes, even thrift stores have sales} and their inventory, the more treasures you’ll find.
I believe that there is great joy in a great transformation! The Theory of Hidden Potential is real. And it is a learned art. When people tell me they don’t know how to see potential in things, I tell them it starts with practice. Buy something small and paint it a different color. Take something used for one purpose and figure out a totally different use for it. The work put into a transformation produces pride. Are there going to be disasters? You bet. But there are also going to be amazing befores and afters.
I believe in saving money! And so does my Hubby. Remember the piece I transformed for the big screen TV in the basement? It cost me $50 at a thrift store. Add in paint and primer and the entire piece totaled $60. If I were to buy a new piece for a big screen TV, I could pay anywhere between $150 at Ikea to $1500 at Pottery Barn. Call me crazy, but I think the $50 piece custom tailored to my color specifications is the better deal.
I could go on and on. There is more to be said. Let me know if you have ever given thrifting a try.
Maybe I’ll cover a few other thrifting topics this week. Like clothing and shoes. Would you go there? I totally would!
6 comments:
Thrifting runs in my veins. I did it with my Mom growing up. We hardly ever had anything new. All of clothes and furniture came from a thrift store. I was delighted to marry into a family that can afford to buy new but prefers to Thrift instead. =)
P.S. I can't like the Dentist.
That mirror is so amazing. What a great find! Thumbs up to thrifting. It's how I fulfill my furniture fantasies, while catering to my husband's frugal finances too.
I have a good friend here who is the garage sale queen. I think everything she wears is from garage sales. It helps that she's a size 2 and cute as a button, but dang if she doesn't always look nice.
But I gotta say - sometimes... her children do look a little raggedy. I don't think kid's clothes hold up nearly as well on round 3, 4 and 5. Normally kid's clothes have gone through a kid or too and some serious wear before they hit the garage sales - so that's a tricky business. Especially for shoes.
Super duper deal on that bowed mirror, it looks Fabulous in your home.
Back when I had a "real" job and needed nice clothes, I bought everything on eBay. It's like a huge thrift store, only with a bigger selection.
Now that we live in Milan, world capital of fashion, I should care a lot more about how I look. But I don't.
Love the mirror! And love that it was such a great deal! I'm a true, through and through thrifter! Unfortunately, the thrift stores prices here have sky rocketed! So I have turned my attention more to yard sales and found some great bargains! I also find deals at yard sales that I sell on ebay!
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