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January 27, 2006
On Being Thrifty
Time to share a secret . . .
I have a secret not many people know about: I’m addicted to thrift stores.
I didn’t used to be. My mom and sister would tell me all about the amazing things they’d find – vintage Lilly Pulitzer dresses, Hermes scarves, oriental rugs worth thousands of dollars – and I’d just shrug and chalk it up to their good luck. Every time they dragged me into one of those stores, everything just looked . . . dingy. And the stores all smelled like pee.
But then I started to look around . . . and I started to find a few things. Like the almost-new Leap Frog drum I’d been planning to buy Sam at Target for a dollar at the Goodwill. Or a funky Lucite chair (now in my office) for sixteen dollars. And slowly, I became hooked.
The key to thrift stores, is that (a) you have to go often and be prepared to leave empty handed much of the time, and (b) the people working in the back are apparently knocking back martinis while they price the stock.
It’s also good to have a plan. I skip the clothing, and to straight to the furniture and home goods. My glass and chrome coffee table (very retro-cool) is from the Goodwill, as is the chrome footstool in my bedroom. I have three candelabras – one of them sterling silver! – all purchased at the Humane Society thrift store.
But my favorite thing to hunt for is artwork. It’s often the most under-priced stock in the store, and you can find some amazing deals. Nearly ever piece of art in my house – from the wall of dogs in my bedroom to the funky, abstract lithographs in my kitchen – were purchased at one junk store or another. In fact, my all-time greatest find is an enormous screen print by the pop artist Don Nice, which is now hanging in my living room, which I bought for next-to-nothing from the Hospice Thrift Store.
But, as with any passion, there are the lows to go with the highs. Like the funky Swedish pans I decided to pass on, only to see the exact same set featured in a home interiors magazine a week later. When I went back to get them, they were, of course, gone. Lately, I’ve been mourning an abstract oil painting that I decided to pass on, only to belatedly realize that I have the perfect spot for it, and a mod Lucite chandelier, which would have looked stunning in my bathroom. But that’s the thing about thrifting . . . you have to grab something when you see it.
So are there any other dedicated thrifters out there? I know there must be, I’m not the only cheap, er, thrifty one. So, come on . . . tell me all about your best second-hand find . . .
Posted by Whitney at 9:16 AM | Comments (10)
Comments
I'm a closet garage-saler. Found many of my favorite antiques at garage sales! I'll have to try thrift stores!
Alesia, typing with sleeping pug puppy on lap
Posted by: Alesia Holliday ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.literarychicks.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at January 27, 2006 10:27 AM
For my sister's birthday, we went up to Napa and went wine-tasting and then to her favorite thrift store. My friend who was visiting got a gorgeous wool sweater. My sister got boots and two skirts. I found an adorable camisole top and (drum roll, please) a Ten Commandments Charm Bracelet. Each charm has a number on one side and the commandment on the other. For some reason, I just had had to have it.
Posted by: Eileen at January 27, 2006 11:12 AM
Oooh. I love thrifting too. And when I can't get out the the fancy yard sales at the rich homes. I scrounge through ebay. NOT THE SAME I know ;)
Posted by: Jennifer at January 27, 2006 3:53 PM
You've revealed my secret passion, she says, sitting here in her black velvet pants from the new Goodwill store in town. I spend hours digging through the book section--bought two Crusie British covers there recently. How they ended up in suburbia in Tennessee is anyone's guess. Never have much luck with the art, though. The only thing I've seen are velvet Elvis and poker playing dogs. Not that there's anything wrong with that...
Posted by: Teble at January 27, 2006 4:44 PM
I got a James Dean leather jacket. In my size.
Posted by: Jennifer at January 27, 2006 7:32 PM
I'm fond of saying that if it wasn't for garage sales my kids would have been naked when they were little! I still love to garage sale when I have the time. My favorite thrift store just recently had to close down--lost their lease. I am so bummed! Have you priced girls' jeans lately?! But if you REALLY want to have fun, you need to go to storage unit auctions! My husband bought a truck and made his payments by buying stuff at the auctions and re-selling them at his own garage sales. Of course I got to go through the stuff first--I have some nice jewelry and collector plates from them. Got one of those big professional mixers once. My personal favorite is my American Girl that he spotted in a box of porcelain dolls and bought for me! Bring a truck and a broom because if you get the unit you have to clean it out the same day (usually). It is a lot of fun--I miss it now that we both work regular jobs (sigh).
Posted by: Sheri at January 28, 2006 1:15 AM
I LOVE thrift stores! My best buys have been Fenton glass and R. Atkinson Fox prints, both of which I collect.
Posted by: TeresaH at January 28, 2006 5:58 AM
Teble,
You found a velvet Elvis at a thrift store! That is like my dream come true! I am so jealous.
Posted by: Eileen at January 28, 2006 2:32 PM
Eileen, sweetie, did I mention that I live in Tennessee? You can ALWAYS find a velvet Elvis at a thrift store down here. I think it's required in their lease or something.
Posted by: Teble at January 28, 2006 7:08 PM
After reading this the other day, I went to Goodwill on Saturday and got a cool white blazer with lace and sequins for $4.50. Thanks for reminding me that there are good deals at these places! I think of it as my cool romance writers blazer for those fancy booksignings I'll go to someday!
Posted by: romancechick at January 30, 2006 9:14 AM
