This topic is so appropriate for what's been going on in my 'hood right now. I have to admit, I'm more of a wanna be thrifter than an actual thrifter. I always think to myself, "I should go check out what they have at Goodwill, Plato's Closet, (insert your favorite resale shop name here)." I never do though. First of all, it's more of a time issue than anything. I always have at least one kiddo hanging out with me the majority of the time. When I do get some free time, going clothes shopping or thrifting is the last thing on my mind. I'm usually trying to go out to dinner with my friends, or just trying to find a quiet place to relax. Second, I feel that you really have to be able to pay attention to what you are looking at when you are thrifting. You have to inspect things for stains, holes, and wear and tear that you normally don't have to look for when buying new. (That being said, I have purchased new items with out paying attention, only to get home an realize a seam is coming apart or there is a hole in it.) It's hard to pay attention when you have to make sure your child is not running away, breaking something, or licking the windows...trust me, it's happened. Occasionally, if I have a special event coming up such as a Halloween party, or ugly sweater party, then I will hit up my local good will. On the other side of the coin, I do donate to them quite often. I donate to Goodwill and AmVets when I have items that my church won't take, or I can't sell in a garage sale.
So let's get back to that first statement. What's up in the 'hood? Well, let me tell you. There is a
"secret" website that moms in my area can post their clothing, furniture, toys, what have you on for prices similar to what you would find at a garage sale. If a mom sees an item she likes, she makes a comment that she is interested, and then makes arrangements with the seller to pick up her items. I hear it's a lot like Craig's list, but it's for local mom's in the area. You literally have to be invited to the website to even be able to see the items that are listed. It's kind of a nice alternative to a garage sale if you have items that you could make a little more money on than if you sold it for almost nothing at a garage sale. I have only bought a few things, but I find myself checking the website ALL THE TIME. It is so addictive. I went out to dinner with a couple of my friends, and it's all we talked about. Do I think this site is a good alternative to having a garage sale? It just depends. If you have something that is worth a lot (boutique kids clothes for example), then yes, I'd say it's worth the trouble of taking the pics, and posting it on the site, but if you have regular good ol' target/walmart/meijer clothing, then I'd say stick to the garage sale.
My dream would be to go to awesome antique/re-sale/thrift stores and find fabulous furniture to refurbish and re-sale or just use in my house. My reality is that I don't have the time or knowledge to do the shopping, let alone the refurbishing. I have an old chair that I got when I graduated from college. My sorority was getting rid of things because they were redecorating the house. I planned on refinishing the wood, and recovering the cushions. Well, fast forward eleven years later...that chair is still sitting in my basement in it's original condition. Some day...maybe someday. So what about you? Are you a thrifty guy or gal? Check out what the other ToT ladies have to say by clicking the links to the right.
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| Thrift Store Find: Ugly Sweaters for an Ugly Sweater Party |
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